Tag: GreatLakesNews

{{South Sudan president Salva Kiir has accused neighbouring Sudan of attempting to instigate a collapse in his administration through threats to block southern oil exports from reaching international markets.}}

They are threatening to block flow of the oil through their territory. It has become a weapon and a strategy they think would instigate collapse. They are doing it deliberately thinking we will collapse. We will not collapse,” Kiir said

“How long have we been running this government without oil revenues and we are still surviving”? he asked

South Sudan stopped exporting its crude through Sudan, its only available route in January last year over a transit fee dispute. Production only resumed again in April this year, meaning that Kiir’s government has had to implement severe austerity measures after 98% oil revenues were lost.

Kiir made these remarks while at an occasion organised by the red army foundation; an organisation formed by minors who joined the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) during the liberation war era.

The former rebels fought the government of Sudan from 1983 until 2005 when its leadership signed the landmark Comprehensive Peace Agreement to end decades of conflict.

The South Sudan leader, who resolved his government a week ago, said his new cabinet will be based on the people’s will as this would be the only way his party could reward the public for their support during struggle for independence.

“I want to assure you that the new cabinet will reflect the will of our people. We want to reward them with provision of services. We want to build schools, hospitals, roads, clean water and all the other basic necessities”, Kiir said.

Over the last two years, both Sudan and South Sudan have not been able to resolve several post-secession issues, which nearly returned the two countries back to war in April last year when their armies clashed in Heglig/Panthou.

Khartoum had set a deadline on August 7 for Juba to prove it was not backing its civil war colleagues from the northern Sudanese border states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile. The deadline has however been extended to 22 August after oil companies warned that the time frame given was too short.

“I have told our people time and again that I will never return them to war whatsoever. This stance has not changed and will never change. We will always seek dialogue to resolve differences with Sudan,” said Kiir amid applause.

“This is the message I want to spread to those who think we will fight”, he added.

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{{ The International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor has now appealed the decision by judges excusing Deputy President William Ruto from attending part of the trial sessions set to start on September 10.}}

In the appeal, Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda argued that the judges had applied the Rome Statute selectively by allowing Ruto to skip some of the trial sessions.

“The majority’s “exceptional circumstances” test is therefore inconsistent with the Statute. The majority’s test violates the principle of equal treatment under the law, as expressed in Article 27(1) of the Statute. Furthermore, the majority’s test violates the bedrock legal principle that all persons are to be treated equally under the law,” Bensouda explained.

In her application she asked the Appeals Chamber to overturn the decision by the Trial Chamber to ensure Ruto is present in The Hague during the entire trial session.

She explained that Ruto should not be allowed to skip sessions of his trial on basis that he is the Deputy President of Kenya who has to attend to State duties.

Apart from contravening Article 63(1), which requires the accused to be present during a trial, she argues the decision also accorded Ruto special treatment because of the position he occupies in government.

“It appears that the majority would not have afforded Ruto the same “indulgence” if he did not hold such high office. The importance of Ruto’s political office to the majority’s reasoning is evident on the face of the decision, which references his status no fewer than 29 times,” she asserted.

Bensouda argued that the decision of the Trial Chamber fell out of the provisions of the Rome Statue that makes it mandatory for accused persons to be present during their trial.

“Such a general exception to the rule requiring the accused’s presence at trial finds no support in this Court’s legal framework. The drafters adopted only one exception to the rule, which is inapplicable here, and left trial judges with no “discretion” to create additional broad exceptions of the type advanced in the Decision,” she explained.

According to her the judges used their own ‘reasoning’ – which is outside the court’s provisions – in allowing Ruto to attend some sessions.

“The decision improperly relies on external sources of law rather than this court’s statutory provisions that resolve the issue. The majority erred by relying on external sources of law in support of its decision to disregard the unequivocal requirements of this court’s statute.”

The prosecutor in her appeal further said the decision of the Trial Chamber will affect the integrity of the court since it failed to follow the existing legal framework followed when considering the presence of accused persons during the trial stage.

She expressed concerns that other government officers accused of crimes against humanity can easily take advantage of the decision on Ruto’s presence in court to also seek to be allowed to skip sessions of their trials.

In her view, the decision has set a wrong precedent that is likely to see the court face bigger challenges in future when dealing with persons charged with State duties.

“Even assuming that the majority’s test had a basis in the law of this court, it is still the wrong standard because it invites a flood of excusal applications from accused who do not wish to attend trial. Almost every accused will be able to present a reason why he or she “has important functions of an extraordinary dimension to perform” and should be excused from attending the trial,” she explained.

“While Ruto’s position as Kenya’s Deputy President may ‘make this case different from the average case’ seen so far at the court, it is foreseeable that many future accused will put forward a compelling argument as to why they too should be excused from attending the trial,” she goes on.

Citing the case of Congolese leader Jean-Pierre Bemba, the prosecutor explained that he was absent during his trial only for ‘less than a handful of hours’ hence allowing Ruto to skip sessions of the trial was out of the ordinary in the history of the Hague- based court.

“Bemba was permitted to be absent for a total of three court sessions, plus one where he was absent from the courtroom for a matter of minutes. In total, Bemba has been absent for less than a handful of hours in a trial that is approaching its third anniversary. This is a far cry from the near-blanket waiver the decision grants to Ruto,” she explained.

The Trial Chamber on June 18 ruled that Ruto would be allowed to skip sessions of his trial and outlines sessions that he will be required to be present in court among them during the opening and closing sessions where parties and participants and victims will present their views.

{wirestory}

{{Three Ugandan traders have been kidnapped in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.}}

They were traveling from Goma back to Uganda through Ishasha border post. They are suspected to have been kidnapped by Mai Mai militias.

The traders whose identities are still unknown were ambushed at Paizano Bridge near Nyamirima town which is about 20kms from the Uganda border of Ishasha and were whisked away to Nyabitare forests.

According to Ugandan press, the traders were allegedly traveling in a Fuso truck registration number UAS 144D which was left abandoned on the roadside at Paizano.

Two Ugandan Journalists are allegedly being detained in south sudan.

A statement from Uganda Journalists Union (UJU) said, “Two Ugandan Journalists are being detained incommunicado in South Sudan after they were arrested in Juba by security operatives.”

Justin Dralaze, a correspondent for Reuters and Hilary Ayesiga were reportedly picked up by security officials on Saturday night from streets of Juba before being detained incommunicado in a military establishment.

Sources in Juba confirm the two journalists are being detained at the National Security headquarters in Juba. Sudanese Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA) soldiers reportedly arrested the journalists on Airport Road while filming.

South Sudan security officials claim the two journalists had no press permits or formal accreditation issued by Juba authorities. But it is not clear why the two civilians had to be detained in a military barracks instead of being taken to a Police Station or Courts of law.

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{{A car loaded with explosives rammed into an office housing Turkish embassy staff in the Somali capital, killing three people, witnesses and officials said on Saturday, the latest in a series of blasts claimed by Islamist al Shabaab rebels.}}

Al Shabaab was pushed out of bases in Mogadishu by Somali and African forces about two years ago, raising hopes of a return to relative security in a city hit by years of war.

But the militants have kept up guerrilla-style attacks and continue to control large rural areas, challenging the authority of a government less than a year old.

The group has carried out several brazen attacks in the past two months, including one on an African peacekeeping convoy that killed eight and another on the main U.N. compound in Mogadishu that killed 22 people.

“A suicide car bomb targeted a building housing Turkish embassy workers near K4 (Kilometre Four),” police officer Ahmed Mohamud told Reuters from the scene of the blast.

Three people were killed and nine others were wounded, he said.

“The car was taking advantage of a Turkish car that was going into the building, thus the car bomb exploded and destroyed the gate,” he said.

A Turkish government official told Reuters that one Turkish security officer was killed when the mission’s guards clashed with the attackers as they attempted to enter the complex.

Three Turkish officers were being treated for their wounds, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Al Shabaab, which said earlier this month it would increase attacks during the Ramadan fasting period, claimed responsibility for the bombing on its Twitter feed.

“Mujahideen forces in Mogadishu have just carried out an operation targeting a group of Turkish diplomats in Hodan district,” al Shabaab said.

“All the Mujahideen who carried out the operation have returned safely back to their bases inside Mogadishu, preparing for the next operation.”

Somalia is attempting to rebuild itself after two decades of civil war and lawlessness, triggered by the overthrow of president Siad Barre in 1991.

The fragile government is being backed by international aid aimed at preventing it from becoming a haven for al Qaeda-style militants in east Africa.

Turkey has led efforts to help Somalia, pouring some $400 million of aid into the country since 2011, most of it from private companies.

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, who became the first non-African leader to visit Somalia in nearly 20 years when he traveled there in 2011, said the attack was carried out by “supposed Muslims”.

“They are doing this against our government. Why? Because we are helping our brothers in Mogadishu,” Erdogan said in a speech that was broadcast live.

Turkey has also sought a greater diplomatic role in the region, including brokering dialogue this year between Somalia and Somaliland.

The United States condemned the attack, saying that Turkey, a NATO ally, had played an important role in helping Somalia emerge from two decades of conflict.

“This cowardly act will not shake our commitment to continue working for the brighter, more democratic and prosperous future the people of Somalia deserve,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement.

{wirestory}

{{The Tanzania People’s Defence Forces has declined the media reports that M23, a Congolese Revolutionary Army, is holding a Tanzanian soldier, Mr Christopher Yohana.}}

Speaking to The Citizen, TPDF acting spokesman Major Joseph Masanja said the information was baseless and that it was only a rumour spread via social networks.

He said had the information been true, TPDF would have given a statement already.

However, Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation permanent secretary John Haule said they were following up on any information in connection with the matter and that so far no reliable data has been received from trusted sources.

He said, they were communicating with the embassy of Tanzania in the Democratic Republic of Congo to clear out things. “We’ve not received any information to prove the matter,” said Mr Haule.

According to social media reports and some local media, M23 said it was holding a Tanzania soldier who was found collaborating with the Rwandan rebels accused of the 1994 genocide.

{NMG}

{{Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo could be angling for a mediation role in the Lake Nyasa border conflict between Tanzania and Malawi. Mr Obasanjo is reported to have gone to Lilongwe in early June to meet President Joyce Banda.}}

According to the latest issue of the influential Africa Energy Intelligence Report, talks between Ms Banda and Mr Obasanjo were dominated by the Lake Nyasa dispute. The newsletter said the former president, who ruled Nigeria between 1976 and 1979 and between 1999 and 2007, also intended to visit President Jakaya Kikwete before the end of July to secure a diplomatic solution.

But the reports noted that Mr Obasanjo, who played mediator in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2009 at the request of the United Nations, has intervened in Malawi in a strictly private capacity. Tanzanian officials were unavailable for comment yesterday.

Diplomatic tension has mounted between the two countries over the border of the lake, with Malawi laying claim to all of it. The lake is called ‘Nyasa’ or ‘Malawi’ in that country and it has reportedly signed oil exploration agreements in the waters.

Several mediation efforts are ongoing, including one led by former Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano.

Africa Energy Intelligence Report says that President Banda appeared somewhat discouraged by the developments. She is reported to have said that talks with Tanzania had bogged down and the chances of avoiding international arbitration were fast dwindling.

The newsletter said, however, that the former Nigerian leader has been known to mix international mediation and business.

“This was the case, for instance, when he backed energy exploration firm Chevron in its bid to build a gas pipeline between Cabinda’s offshore and Soyo in Angola by way of a section passing through DRC waters. Obasanjo introduced Chevron Angola’s boss, Alan Kleier, to DRC President Joseph Kabila to settle the issue,” said the report.

In 2011, Malawi awarded the Franco-British company Surestream an exploration contract on blocks 2 and 3 in the northern section of the lake, prompting Tanzania’s protest.

NMG