giovedì 26 giugno 2014

Free this woman and finish the absurd politics of Muslim Brothers.

ثَبَاتُ نِسَاءٍ ،،، وَخَيْبَةَ كُهُوْلٍ !!












06-26-2014 02:30 AM

أبكر يوسف آدم.



(نحن مصرون على إنتزاع الحق ،، ونوقن تماما أن ليس هناك قوة أو سلطة ، يمكنها أن تنتزع حقاً وهبه الله لعباده منذ الميلاد ، ونص عليه القرآن الكريم ، كما نص عليه دستور البلاد وكل المواثيق الدولية المعنية بالحقوق والحريات) ،،، الأستاذة أسماء محمود محمد طه ،،،

إنه الدرب نفسه الذى سلكه والدها الشهيد ، عندما فضل مغادرة الدنيا بثبات ورفعة رأس وإبتسامة تسخر من خواء عقول القضاة والسياسيين الإسلامويين ، من على منصة الإغتيال ،،، فأورث كلماته من يقوى على سلك دربه الوعر ،، وها هو الآن ،، وبعد ثلاثين عام ،، نجد من الأفواه ما تقوى على ترديدها رغم المشانق المنصوبة إلى الجوار ،،،



نثمن التضحيات التى يقدمها السياسيون السودانيون والمواطنون على إختلاف قضاياهم فى سبيل تحقيق مبدأ (الحقوق تؤخذ ولا تمنح) فإستشهد فى سبيل ذلك الكثيرون وضاقت السجون بالآخرين ،،، لكن ،،، دعنا نقف على تجربة ثلاثة معاصرون ممن تزامنت فترات سجنهم وهم ( أبرار إبراهيم إسحاق ،، الأستاذ إبراهيم الشيخ ،، والإمام الصادق المهدى) ،،، هؤلاء جميعهم سجنوا لقضايا باطلة ، دون وجه حق ويستحقون الحرية التى ليست بمنحة،، وسعوا لتحقيق نفس المبدأ ،، وتلقوا تعاطفاً شعبياً مقدراً،،



دعنا نخضع مواقف هؤلاء وغيرهم لمنافسات ، لتقرروا بأنفسكم من يستقحون التربع على الصدارة ومن عليهم التذيل ،، وبإمكانكم إضافة المزيد من الشخصيات لتوسعوا من دائرة المقارنات ،،،



دستور 2005 يسمح لأى مواطن ، بأن يبدل دينه أو يعتنق آخر ،،

أجل بتغيير دينه ،، والإرتداد عنه ،، والتنقل بحرية تامة من دين إلى دين إلى دين ،،، أو البقاء فى المنطقة الرمادية الفاصلة بينها ،، أو التخلى عنها جميعاً ،،، وهو حق أصيل ، إن نصت عليها الدساتير أو أغفلتها ، حق أصيل كإستنشاق الهواء ، وإلتهام ما يتوفر من طعام ، والدفاع الفورى عن النفس ، والتفكير ، والتعبير عن الرأى ،،، إنها الحرية التى لا يجوز إنتهاكها أو المساس بها ،،، حتى إن لم تنص عليها أية مواثيق ،،،



إنتصرت أبرار ، وثبتت مبدأ أولياً أصيلاً دون أن تلجأ إلى عقد صفقات باطلة ، أو دفع ثمن أكثر من الحبس ، وقد ساهم السجن ولياليها التعيسة فى صقل شخصيتها ،،،

كان بإمكانها أن تدفع ثمناً رمزياً ، من خلال التراجع أو التخلى الشكلى عما تعتقد فيه ، على أن تعود إليه بعد هدوء العاصفة إنقاذاً لإسلاموييى السودان من مأزقهم ، وهم من يرون في ذلك أقل خدمة يمكن أن تقدمها لهم ، ليتولوا بعد ذلك إخراج باقى حلقات المسرحية ،، ولأن كيد الإسلامويين هو كيد شيطان ،، وكيد ضعيف ،، فإن إختيارها الرفض التام لسداد فواتير معززة لسيادة الباطل ، قد ساهم فى إرتجاج وتساقط خرائب مهمة من ذلكم المعبد الشيطانى الهش المسمى بمؤسسة الإخوان المسلمين ،،،



لم يكن كافياً ، أن يكون الحق فى حرية التدين ، منصوصاً عليه فى دستور 2005 ، بل إحتاج لمن يسنده ويناضل من أجل ترسيخه ،،، وقد تمكنت إمرأة بمعاونة قانونيين وسياسيين ،، وآخرين ممن يهمهم هذا الأمر ، من تحقيق هذا النجاح !!!



نفس هذا الدستور ،، ونفس الحق فى الحرية والتعبير ، يتيح للأستاذ إبراهيم الشيخ نقد مؤسسات الدولة والأشخاص بحيث لا يحده فى ذلك إلا القضاء والقانون ،، القانون السوى المجمع عليه دون المتخلف المكرس لأغراض الفساد والإستبداد ،، ولا شك أنه يعد بطل حقيقى فى وقت عز فيه الأبطال ،،،

يعلم رئيس حزب المؤتمر السودانى ، أن مثل هذه التنازلات الصغيرة والتراجعات الرمزية هى إكسير الحياة لدى الإسلامويين ،،، وهى التى يتم تكبيرها ونفخها وتعظيم نطاقها ، لإستخدامها كآلة كسر لإرادة الأمة ، التى طالما إنتظرت وتلهفت لنيل نفس الحقوق التى حرم منها الأفراد ،،، وقد حرمهم من تحقيق أى نصر فى ذلك ،، فهذه الأثمان الصغيرة هى المسئولة عن قتل روح التصدى القوى لقضايا الحريات!!



للإمام الصادق المهدى نفس الحق فى الحرية والتعبير ، والتمتع بحقوقه التى ينص عليها الإعلان العالمى لحقوق الإنسان ، والميثاق الدولي للحقوق المدنية والسياسية ،، فضلاً عن الدستور المشار إليه ،،، ومن حقه أن يعبر عن رأيه ،، وينتقد مؤسسات الدولة والمجموعات والأشخاص ، بحيث لا يحده فى ذلك إلا القضاء والقانون ،،، بل من حقه ، ومن على كافة المنابر التى يصلها أن ينتقد حتى القوانين ، دون الإضطرار إلى تقديم أية تنازلات أو إعتذارات ، لكن الجهات التى أجرمت فى حقه ،، وخرقت الدستور وإنتهكت حقوقه ،،، تقول أنها تلقت منه إعتذاراً واضحاً ،، مقابل نكران صادر من بعض أوساط ومستويات حزب الأمة ،،، ومن خلال السجالات التى رصدت فى هذا الأمر ، يمكن قراءة الإستنكار الشعبى لحدوث ذلك بوضوح تام ، ما يعنى عودة لنقطة البدء ،، المعبرة عن ضرورة الثبات على المواقف ، وعدم الخضوع لأى إبتزار مقابل إستعادة حق يجب أن يحميه القانون لا أن ينتهكه ، أو مقايضة ما هو حق بما هو باطل صريح ،،،،



وإذ لدينا فى التاريخ ، الكثير من المواقف البطولية ، لأفراد فضلوا الموت على الهزيمة والإنكسار ، فإن تجربة الأستاذ محمود محمد طه ، تتمتع بأهمية خاصة ، ذلكم أنها لم تكن متعلقة بحرية النقد فحسب ، بل كانت فى جوهرها قضية متعلقة بالحق فى حرية التفكير ،، وكما تعلمون فإنها تجر خلفها سلسلة طويلة من المتشابهات ، كحرية الإبتكار والتأليف ونشر الأفكار ودعوة الآخرين إليها ، ومن السعة فى مجملها بحيث لا تحدها حدود ،، فالحرية فى نقد المسلمات ، لا تنفصل عن حرية نقد ومراجعة وتعديل أداء آلة ، ولا عن إبتكار مصل يعالج مرض ما ، ولا الإجتهاد فى فهم نص ،،،، وبما أن من مصلحة الأمم ، تكمن فى حث أبنائها على ضرورة الإنطلاق بالتفكير والخيال فى كافة المجالات ، لأهميته من النواحى التطويرية والدفاعية والإقتصادية ، فإن أى شكل من أشكال الحجر عليه ، يعد إنتكاسة يجب ألا يسمح بحدوثها ،،،، وبالمقابل فإن مؤلفات إسلاموية على شاكلة (ضوابط التفكير فى الإسلام !) هى فى حقيقتها مؤامرات عليه !!! ،،، يمكن أن تسن ضوابط لكيفية الإستفادة من ، وتوظيف المنتجات الفكرية ،،، لكن لا ينبغى أن تكون هناك أية ضوابط تحكم التفكير ،، على الإطلاق ،،



أرأيتم كيف يدفع بعضهم ثمناً باهظاً ، دفاعاً عن أمور يجب على الدولة تشجيعها والصرف عليها ؟؟

أرأيتم كيف أن العبث بإتجاهات التفكير هو التخلف نفسه ؟؟

القيمة الحقيقية للحرية هى ألا تكون فى موضع جدال ،، وألا يضطر أحدهم إلى دفع رشوة مهما صغرت مقابل التمتع بها،،



أقوى ما تجمعنا كسودانيين ، هى الشراكة فى الأرض والتاريخ ، وتشابه التقاليد والتطلعات ، ووحدة المصير تحت منظومة دولة إرتضينا بها ، وليس الدين أياً كان نوعه ،، ولا التحلق حول عرق مهما علت درجة نقاوته ،،، لذلك فإن أى منظومة تقوم عليهما أو أحدهما تعد عامل فرقة أكيدة ، وأهم ما يعزز بناء المكونات السودانية ، هو العمل المشترك لتحقيق التلاحم من خلال تحييد عناصر التنفير والتباعد ، وتقوية مفاصل الربط ، وفى ذلك ،، ودون منازع تتربع الصدارة ، قضايا الحريات ،، لذلك لا غرو إن صبت أى نضالات فى سبيلها فى قضايا الوحدة الوطنية مباشرة ،، وكما تثير مريم إعجاب الناس رغم إختلافهم معها ،،، وتمتدح معظم الأحزاب مواقف إبراهيم الشيخ المفترض أنه ينافسهم فى سوق السياسة ،،، فإن أبطال السودان عبر التاريخ هم شخصيات يجتمع فى دورهم كافة المتنافسين.



إصابة الأهداف فى مثل هذه القضايا ، تعد من الأمور التى تكسب أصحابها بريقاُ هائلاً ،،، وحيث لم يتضح بعد كيف ستستثمر المناضلة أبرار شعبيتها التى بلغت عنان السماء ، لكنها فى كل الأحوال تعد رقم لا يمكن تجاوزه عند تناول القضايا المتعلقة بالحريات الشخصية بما فى ذلك التدين ،،، كما أن تطاول فترة بقاء رئيس حزب المؤتمر السودانى خلف القضبان ، يكسبه المزيد من البريق والقوة ، ويجعل من حزبه مصدر إعجاب للكثيرين ، ومن داره بيتاً ، تتقاطع عنده كافة مسارات التيارات السياسية السودانية ، ولا شك أن ذلك سيرفع من مكانته ويكسبه المزيد من الكوادر والعقول ، تماما مثل ما حدث للحزب الجمهورى ، الذى توقع البعض موته بموت مؤسسه ، أو الحركة الشعبية المفترض أن تدفن مع مراسم دفن مؤسسها فى جوبا ،،، وأمثلة أخرى كثيرة ،،،

نفس هذه التيارات السياسية السودانية ، التقت فى بيت الصادق المهدى مجازاً عقب إعتقاله ، ودونكم عشرات البيانات التى نددت بالخطوة ، ودافعت عن حقه فى التعبير بما فى ذلك بيان الجبهة الثورية السودانية ،،،

أجل ،، الجبهة الثورية دخلت بيت المهدى مع الداخلين،،، لأنه عبر عن موقف يلامس جوهر القضايا السودانية ، وليس إعجاباً به ولا برأيه كونه إنتقد مليشيات الجنجويد ،،،



ليس الصادق المهدى وحده من إنتقد قوات الدعم السريع ،، بل هناك من إنتقدها ، وشهر السيف فى وجهها ،،،



تزامن إطلاق سراحه مع صدور بيان من حزبه بدا محرجاً ،،، وكأن من دبر أمره ، كان يسعى إلى قطع الطريق على إدعاء البطولات ، ومن المؤكد أن لدى تلك الجهة ، الكثير مما يمكن الدفع بها لتثبيت واقعة ذلك الإعتذار ، خاصة الوثائق التى قد تظهر ما كانت تحدث وراء القضبان ، ونعتقد أن ذلك حرب لن يقوى عليها المهدى ، تفادياً لفقدان المزيد من أرصدته لدى كل من قواعد حزبه وإسلامويي السلطة ،،،



للمجد ثمن ،،، فإما أن يبنى بنزاهة عبر تسجيل الأهداف وجمع النقاط ، أو بخبث من خلال ممارسة التجهيل وإدعاء القداسة والبقاء فى الماضى ، والإستعداد الدائم للدفاع عن ثياب عفا عليها الزمان ، وفى طريقها إلى الزوال ،،، ومن المؤكد أن الأمة برئاسة المهدى لن تتمتع بعد الآن بما يسمى بالدوائر المقفولة ، فى كل من دارفور وجبال النوبة وشمال كردفان والنيل الأبيض ،،،



ودارفور بالذات ،،، التى كانت تتولى ملء خزائنها من خلال الهدايا والنذور والخراج ، قد أخرجت حميدتى وموسى هلال وحركتى تحرير السودان والتحرير والعدالة ،،، لقد إنقلبت المعادلة وتبدلت أصول اللعبة ، ويتعين عليه وحزبه ، الإستعداد لمواجهة مدرسة إبراهيم الشيخ وجهاً لوجه ،، والنجاح فى تجاوزها ،، والقفز فوق كل هؤلاء ، كى يتمكن من إستعادة ما يعتبره حقه وميراثه من أموال وجماهير ودوائر دارفور وكردفان ،،، وتكرار الفعل نفسه لمواجهة القوى السياسية الناشطة فى باقى الأقاليم ،،،



للمجد ثمن ،،، وكان بإمكان المناضل نلسون مانديلا أن يعقد صفقة سرية مع نظام الفصل العنصرى فى جنوب أفريقيا ، يبيع بموجبها نضالات الأغلبية من شعبه ، مقابل الحصول على أموال وقصور ،، لكنه كان يعرف قيمة حرمان ذلكم النظام من إعترافه ،، فتحول بذلك إلى رمز ملهم للبشرية كلها ،،،



الآن وقد برزت قيمة الثبات ، وعدم الخضوع للإبتزاز ، وطفحت الآثار المدمرة للأثمان الصغيرة التى يضطر إلى دفعها مقابل الحصول الحقوق الأولية ،،، فمن الأهمية بمكان العودة إلى نقطة البداية مجدداَ ، ورد الإعتبار لمثل هذه القيم ، من خلال تعميم العمل فى مختلف مستويات النضال ،، الشخصية منها كما فى حالة أبرار ، أو الجامعة ما بين الشخصى والعام ، كما فى حالة إبراهيم الشيخ والصادق المهدى ،، ومن قبلهما مؤسس الحزب الجمهورى ،،،وتأكدوا أنكم بذلك تعجلون من بزوغ شمس الحرية ،،،



ختاماً لهذا الموضوع ، ولمجموعة مقالاتنا التى درجنا على كتابتها منذ ثلاثة أعوام ، نقدم شكرنا الوافر لهذه الصحيفة ، على المساحات التى أفردتها لآرائنا وآراء غيرنا من الكتاب ، والقراء الكرام ، ونعترف بتعلمنا الكثير بفضلها ، ولن نبخل عليها بالإمتنان مع الرجاء أن تظل مشكاة تضيئ للسودان أنفاقها المديدة ولياليها الظلماء ،،، ونقول لكم جميعاً ،،، وداعاً ،،، ودمتم ذخراً للسودان ، مع عاطر التحايا ،، والسلام عليكم ،،،



mercoledì 25 giugno 2014

The government have to put an end to this story.

Sudanese mom sentenced to die for Christian faith is freed




By Perry Chiaramonte

Published June 23, 2014

FoxNews.com

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Mariam Ibrahim with her husband Daniel Wani and children Martin and Maya along with their legal team following her release on Monday.HardwiredGlobal.org

Meriam Ibrahim, the Sudanese woman who gave birth in a Khartoum prison after being sentenced to death in May for allegedly converting from Islam to Christianity, has been freed.

Ibrahim, 27, refused to renounce her Christian faith in court in May, prompting a judge to sentence her to hang for apostasy. The case became an international cause, with several U.S. lawmakers and the State Department blasting the decision as barbaric. Sudan's national news service SUNA said the Court of Cassation in Khartoum on Monday canceled the death sentence after defense lawyers presented their case, and that the court ordered her release.

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“We are happy that Meriam is finally released," said Al-Sharif Ali, a member of her legal team. "One thing I can say is that Meriam’s strong personality forced the Sudanese judiciary to respect religious freedom.”

Tina Ramirez, executive director for the Christian advocacy group Hardwired, which promoted Ibrahim's cause, said Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir bowed to immense public pressure and forced the court's hand.

"We are witnessing a historic moment - in the three decades of President Bashir's brutal dictatorship millions have lost their lives, yet here stands one defenseless and innocent young pregnant woman who forced President Bashir to respect her dignity and religious freedom."

"We have confirmed through her attorney that she has been released from prison today."

- Tina Ramirez, Hardwired, a Christian advocacy group

martedì 24 giugno 2014

Mariam released.

Home

News Tuesday 24 June 2014

Sudan frees Christian woman sentenced to death for apostasy

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June 23, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – A court of appeal in Khartoum cancelled a death sentence issued last month against Meriam Ibrahim for apostasy, the official Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reported on Monday.





An image taken from an undated video provided on 5 June 2014 by Al Fajer, a Sudanese NGO, shows Meriam Ibrahim breastfeeding her newborn baby girl that she gave birth to in jail in May (Photo: AP/Al Fajer)“The Court of Appeal in Khartoum North overturned a judgment of the trial court of Haj Youssef and issued a decision to release the prisoner Abrar Hadi Mohammed Abdullah (alias Meriam Ibrahim), after the pleadings submitted by her defence,” SUNA said.



Her lawyer later said that authorities released her from jail.



Ibrahim was convicted of apostasy on May 15th and sentenced her to death by hanging after refusing to revert to Islam. The court also sentenced her to 100 lashes for adultery as her marriage to a Christian man is considered invalid under Sudan’s Islamic Shar’ia law.



Ibrahim, who was reportedly born to a largely absent Sudanese Muslim father, was raised according to her Ethiopian mother’s Christian faith.



She has been imprisoned with her 20-month-old son, Martin, since her arrest in December of last year and gave birth to a baby girl in prison on 27 May.



The head of the women’s committee at Sudan’s National Commission for Human Rights (SNCHR), Meriam Takas, told Sudan Tribune following the court’s decision that the Omdurman Women’s Prison authority received a judicial order to release Ibrahim if she was not convicted in other crimes, stressing that the order referred both the death and flogging sentences.



Ibrahim’s sentence drew widespread international condemnation, with Amnesty International calling it "abhorrent." The US state department said it was "deeply disturbed" by the sentence and called on the Sudanese government to respect religious freedoms.



UK prime minister David Cameron told The Times that he was “absolutely appalled” when he learnt of the death sentence against Ibrahim and called for lifting the "barbaric" verdict.



However, earlier this month Sudan’s foreign minister, Ali Karti, said at a joint press conference with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Bonn that handling the case is governed by a legal appeal process to achieve justice to the satisfaction of all parties, stressing that the government does not interfere in judicial decisions.



Sudan’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday that the court’s decision came within the framework of the independence of judiciary and in fulfillment of the provisions of the law, constitution, and the bill of fundamental rights.



The statement pointed that Sudan faced unprecedented pressure campaign from governments, organisations, international figures, and the media, saying this campaign sought to push the government to interrupt the judicial process and ignore independence of the judiciary and the principle of the separation of powers.



It underscored that the government refused to intervene in the judicial process, noting they continued to remind the international community of the necessity to respect the judiciary and its rulings.



The foreign ministry considered the court decision an opportunity to remind the international community of the continued injustices against 35 million Sudanese people due to unilateral sanctions imposed on Sudan by the United States government since 1997.



It said those sanctions adversely impact importation of live-saving drugs, production inputs, and the development efforts in the country as a fundamental human right, adding that the sanctions also allows confiscation of assets belonging to Sudanese companies and individuals unlawfully which represents a gross violation for human rights and international law.



The statement called on the same governments, organisations, and individuals who expressed concern and demanded release of Ibrahim to express solidarity with the Sudanese people against the unjust unilateral sanctions.



Amnesty international in a statement on Monday described the court’s decision to release Ibrahim as “a step towards undoing the horrific injustice visited on her”.



“Today’s ruling is a small step to redressing the injustice done to Meriam,” said Sarah Jackson, deputy director at Amnesty International.



“However, she should never have been prosecuted. Meriam was sentenced to death when eight months pregnant for something which should not be a crime. Furthermore, her abhorrent treatment, including being shackled, violated international human rights law against ill-treatment.”



The rights group also said it will continue to urge the Sudanese authorities to repeal provisions that criminalise acts of apostasy and adultery so that nobody else in Sudan has to endure the same ordeal as Ibrahim.



The US state department said today it welcomes the release of Ibrahim and called on Sudan to "repeal its laws that are inconsistent with its 2005 interim constitution, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights".



"These actions would help demonstrate to the Sudanese people that their government intends to respect their fundamental freedoms and universal human rights. And as you know, this is a case we raised quite frequently with the government there and welcome today’s news," deputy spokesperson Marie Harf told reporters.



The Popular Congress Party (PCP), led by Islamist figure Hassan Al-Turabi, previously described the death penalty against Ibrahim as "a scandal, extremism, and intellectual backwardness”, saying there is no punishment for apostasy in Islam.



Kamal Omar, PCP’s political secretary said at a press conference last week that freedom of belief is an asset of Islam, noting the death sentence against Ibrahim is a violation of the basic principles of Islam.



He emphasised that PCP leader and members are against the conviction of Ibrahim, describing the judge who issued the apostasy sentence as “ignorant”.



(ST)

mercoledì 11 giugno 2014

Agree to build a new nation.

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NEWS WEDNESDAY 11 JUNE 2014

South Sudan’s rival leaders agree on 60 day ultimatum

June 10, 2014 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudanese president Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar on Tuesday agreed to end the ongoing war and fully engage in the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD)-led peace process to resolve the six-month old conflict.

Both leaders, IGAD said in a communiqué, committed themselves to the formation of a transitional government of national unity within 60 days as well as ensure unhindered humanitarian support to affected people with immediate effect.

An extraordinary summit, chaired by Ethiopia’s prime minister Hailemariam Dessalegn, was specifically convened by the IGAD heads of states in Addis Ababa to discuss the South Sudan situation.

President Kiir and Machar met on the sidelines of the regional leaders’ summit seeking an end to South Sudan’s crisis.

The extraordinary summit “Applauds the two leaders on their signing of the 9 May 2011 landmark agreement in Addis Ababa, which provided the basis for negotiating a transitional government of national unity; and committed them to ensure the inclusion of a broader range of South Sudanese stakeholders in the negotiations, namely: the Government of the Republic of South Sudan, the SPLM/A In Opposition, SPLM leaders (Former Detainees), political parties, civil society, and faith-based leaders in the peace process”, partly reads IGAD’s communiqué.

The IGAD regional leaders also commended the initiation of the inclusive, multi-stakeholder phase of negotiations, through the 6-7 June symposium, saying it provided a platform for constructive dialogue on key issues towards political transition and peaceful resolution of the crisis.

Over 200 South Sudanese participants drawn from a broad range of sectors and regions, including government, opposition, civil society and religious leaders attended the Addis Ababa conference.

Earlier on, however, the IGAD mediators had expressed concern over failure by the two warring parties to adhere to provisions of the signed ceasefire agreements, warning of tougher consequences.

IGAD member states also warned “punitive” measures should any of the parties in the South Sudanese conflict fail to honour its commitments to the resolutions of the issued communiqué.

The verbal event was the second face-to-face meeting between Kiir and Machar since 9 May when they signed a roadmap agreement that would guide further negotiations.

MACHAR REACTS

Opposition leader Riek Machar told Sudan Tribune on Tuesday after the meeting that they recommitted themselves to respect the previous roadmap agreement and further negotiate on a peace agreement.

"We agreed to respect the roadmap agreement we signed on 9 May, recommitting ourselves to the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement. We also agreed on free and unhindered humanitarian access to the needy populations,” Machar told Sudan Tribune from the Ethiopian capital on Tuesday.

He said in the direct roundtable face-to-face talks with Salva Kiir in the presence of the Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni and a number of regional leaders, they also agreed to pull out from South Sudan the Ugandan People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) which is fighting alongside the government forces against the opposition forces.

“We agreed on withdrawal of Ugandan troops,” he added.

Uganda is seen a key ally of president Kiir and analysts say the withdrawal of the Uganda troops would place a complete responsibility of the regional troops to provide protection to key economic zones and the country’s vital installments.

The former vice-president turned rebel leader explained that the meeting also recommitted the two leaders to inclusivity in the negotiations in which civil society organisations, political parties and faith-based groups will take part.

He further explained that the two parties and other South Sudanese stakeholders will negotiate future governance in South Sudan and reach a peace agreement in which a transitional government will be the product.

The rebels have been demanding restructuring of the state based on a peace agreement and a federal constitution, a call the government has resisted.

DEAL WELCOMED

The US special envoy to Sudan and South Sudan, Donald Booth earlier stated that the ongoing IGAD-led mediation process offered the last best chance for peace in the world’s youngest nation.

"It is now time for true leaders to lead and for sustainable peace to take root and the rebirth of South Sudan", he stressed.

Community Empowerment for Progress Organisation (CEPO), a South Sudanese entity, said it welcomes the outcome of the 10 June meeting between president Kiir and rebel leader Machar.

"The commitment they did for 60 days is good and this demonstrates that they want to give peace a chance. Besides this move, CEPO is urging both leaders to ensure that the military fighting taking place in some parts of Upper Nile and Unity states is ended as it demonstrates bad practices and was making civilians feel that seriousness for giving peace a chance was low and doubtful", CEPO’s executive director, Edmund Yakani told Sudan Tribune from Botswana.

"[As such] CEPO is urging you as leaders to dedicate yourselves to the principle of signed agreement and ensure it is honored and respected", he added.

COSTLY NEGOTIATIONS

Meanwhile, IGAD’s executive secretary, mahboub maalim said South Sudan’s peace process, which is supported by European Union, the Troika countries and other partners so far cost $17m.

The violence, which broke out in South Sudan late last year, has displaced more than a million people and killed thousands in the worst-ever conflict since its independence.

(ST)



COMMUNIQUE ON THE 26TH EXTRAORDINARY SUMMIT OF IGAD 10 JUNE 2014



giovedì 5 giugno 2014

No talk for Gazi Salah with Bashir party.


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NEWS THURSDAY 5 JUNE 2014

RNP to pull out from Sudan’s national dialogue

June 4, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The Reform Now Party (RNP), which is led by a ruling party dissident, has announced its intention to suspend its participation in the ongoing national dialogue process in response to what it described as a series of setbacks to political freedoms in the country.

The decision came in a meeting of the RNP politburo on Wednesday and disclosed its intention to lobby other dialogue participants to adopt same measure as the "correct position" which would force the government to commit to the deliverables of dialogue.

The party led by former presidential adviser Ghazi Salah al-Din al-Attabani also cited the arrest of the National Umma Party (NUP) chief al-Sadiq al-Mahdi last month as a reason for its decision. The NUP also made a similar move in wake of its leader’s detention by authorities.

The opposition leader has been in jail since the May 17th as he is accused by the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) of defaming the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Al-Mahdi accused the government militia of committing war crimes and atrocities against civilians in Darfur.

In its statement, the RNP noted the decline in political freedoms and actions taken against t newspapers and the announcement by the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) of its intention to introduce amendments to the election law without consulting opposition forces.

This was described by the RNP as a "negative indicator" which reflects ill-intentions towards dialogue and brings to question the level of commitment to its outcome.

Last January, Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir announced a 4-point plan for reform "to stop the war and bring peace, free political society, fight against poverty and revitalise national identity", calling for political forces to engage in dialogue to agree on the implementation items though he did not specify practical steps to do so.

He announced a series of resolutions at the onset of a political roundtable held later in Khartoum with the participation of 83 political parties.

He instructed authorities in the states and localities across Sudan to enable political parties to carry out their activities inside and outside their headquarters without restrictions except those dictated by the law.

The Sudanese president also pledged to enhance press freedom so that it can play its role in the success of the national dialogue unconditionally as long they abide by the norms of the profession.

Political detainees who have not been found to be involved in criminal acts will be released, Bashir added.

He also stressed the government’s commitment and willingness to allow rebels to participate in the national dialogue and vowed to give them adequate and appropriate safeguards to attend and depart safely afterwards.

The RNP said it would seek to create a national consensus across all political movements and NGO’s while also contacting rebel groups to convince them on the usefulness of political activity.

The Popular Congress Party (PCP) led by Hassan al-Turabi has previously rejected calls to boycott the dialogue despite acknowledging recent crackdown by the government.

Al-Attabani lost his position last year as head of the NCP parliamentary caucus after publicly declaring that Bashir is constitutionally barred from running again for the presidency.

He was also expelled from the NCP in late 2013 in the wake of a memo he drafted, along with more than two dozen party figures calling for the reversal of a decision to lift fuel subsidies and an end to the violent measures taken against demonstrators who took to the streets to protest.

In a related issue, the former 1st VP Ali Osman Taha called for addressing challenges that stand in the way of dialogue, especially the imprisonment of al-Mahdi and stressed the need to balance freedom of the press and infringement on the rights of others .

He told an NCP conference in East Khartoum on Tuesday night that his party opposes the suppression of freedoms and concealment of facts, but at the same time does not support chaos and falsely accusing others.

Taha stressed that no one is above the law and that anyone implicated in wrongdoing should be held accountable.

He called for refraining from delving into the issue of the Christian woman sentenced to death over apostasy charge until the judiciary gives its final word.

"Our judiciary will take into account the right thing] and will not take into account an order by a ruler or bow to external or internal pressure," Taha said.

On May 19th, the Sudanese presidency delivered a firm warning to media outlets on its coverage of certain items that poses a danger to national security and the country as a whole. A day later it suspended al-Saiha newspaper indefinitely.

The decision appeared to come against the background of publishing several stories on corruption cases within government institutions. The famous amongst which was the corruption accusation against the current undersecretary of the justice ministry, Esam al-Din abdel-Gadir.

The Sudanese minister of information Ahmed Bilal Osman said that week the NISS has the legal right to suspend al-Saiha and any media raising confusion and dissension in the country.

lunedì 26 maggio 2014

Federalism .....

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News Monday 26 May 2014

Equatorian politicians discuss federalism as VP Igga lashes at rebel leader

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May 25, 2014 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudan’s politicians and intellectuals from the three states of the greater Equatoria region held a metting in the national capital, Juba, on Saturday during which they discussed the idea of federal system of governance.





James Wani Igga addressing the border dispute conference, Tombura, Western Equatoria, South Sudan in 2012 (file/ST)In a one-day consultative conference held at Nyakuron Culture Center, Equatorian leaders from the executive and legislative branches of the Western, Central and Eastern Equatoria states were in attendant.



The idea to embrace federalism, which has been pushed by the rebel faction of the SPLM led by the former vice-president Riek Machar, was however opposed by the vice-president, James Wani Igga, who cautioned Equatorians during the conference not to buy it.



The framers of South Sudan’s 2011 transitional constitution avoided mention of federalism, opting instead for a nominally ‘decentralized system’. However, observers said most of the Equatorian politicians and intellectuals seem to be in favour of federalism given their last year’s resolutions in this regard.



Central Equatoria state governor, Clement Wani Kongo, though not part of the rebels, was last month the first to publicly declare his position in favor of federalism, saying, “the people of Equatoria have come open that this [federalism] is what should be included in the constitution.”



Many leaders from the greater Upper Nile region have as well in the past expressed their support towards federalism unlike their counter-parts in greater Bahr el Ghazal region who have reservations on federal system of governance seeing it as a “disadvantage” to their region given its meagre resources.



The rebels under Machar’s leadership have demanded restructuring of the state on the basis of a new peace agreement and a federal constitution in order to end the current 5-month old crisis in the new country.



VICE-PRESIDENT IGGA CALLS MACHAR A LIAR



In a speech on Saturday, however, the highest-ranking Equatorian politician in the country, vice-president James Wani Igga, urged Equatorians not to join the rebel leader Riek Machar or buy the idea of a federal system of governance.



“Many Equatorians saw that this idea of Riek on federation will rescue them. Equatorians, no, Riek is a liar. So please the few of us who think they must join Riek in order to get federation, please you are on the wrong road”, Igga told the conference.



Igga accused the rebel leader of stealing from the Equatorians the idea of federalism last year during a similar conference in Juba.



“This federation here is not the creation of Riek, we all know that Riek actually stole this renewed call for federalism in this hall here – Nyakuron – during a Equatorian consultative conference like this, because he knew the resolutions of it then he said yes, I am also for federation,” he further added.



Soon after Igga’s remarks, a high-ranking state government official warned journalists present at the conference not to report on the speech of the vice president, saying it ‘did not constitute part of the conference”.



REBELS WELCOME DEBATE ON FEDERALISM



Meanwhile, officials of the armed opposition faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) have welcomed the discussions on federalism, describing it as a “courageous step” toward chartering the future governance of the country.



“Our leadership welcomes this courageous step taken by the Equatorian leaders and intellectuals in discussing the importance of constituting and implementing a federal system of governance in South Sudan,” Machar’s spokesperson James Gatdet Dak said when reached by Sudan Tribune on Sunday.



He further pointed that it was not significant to fight over who initiated the idea but rather how to implement it.



“The question would be who is ready to champion this overdue popular demand of the people and implement it? I think it is important to say that those leaders who embrace the idea of federalism should instead lead their people towards achieving it despite who initiated the idea,” he further emphasised.



In an interview last week an Equatorian member of SPLM/A-in-Opposition, Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, who was former head of political science department in the University of Juba, said a federal system of governance could address the issue of diversity and accelerate development in South Sudan.



Critics of the idea of federalism however argue that federalism is a path toward fragmentation of the country into tribal regions. Some pointed to the recent series of Equatorian regional conferences as a resurgence of kokora – a term referring to Equatorian particularism.



Oyet further said the problems which led to the current crisis in South Sudan were lack of separation of powers, checks and balances and development of independent legal and judicial branches.



(ST)

sabato 24 maggio 2014

News of Sudan.

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NEWS SATURDAY 24 MAY 2014

Weak turnout at Umma party protest against al-Mahdi’s detention

May 23, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s riot police used tear gas on Friday to disperse a peaceful demonstration organised by the National Umma Party (NUP) in the capital twin city of Omdurman to demand the release of its leader al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi.

Regular troops were deployed at several mosques in Khartoum in anticipation of any protests following Friday prayers.

Police forces surrounded the Imam Abdel Rahman Mosque in Wad Nubawi where more than 1,000 people from the Ansar sect – the religious wing of the NUP – gathered to protest al-Mahdi’s arrest.

It also surrounded the NUP’s headquarters in Omdurman where more than 500 of the party members gathered to protest the detention of their leader.

Al-Mahdi was arrested last week, days after he was called for questioning by state prosecutors over statements he made accusing the Sudan’s paramilitary unit known as the Rapid Support Force (RSF) of committing abuses against civilians in Darfur and Kordofan regions.

He was charged on several counts, including undermining the constitutional order and opposing the regime through force. Those charges are punishable by death, life imprisonment and sentences ranging from a few months to several years and confiscation of money.

The demonstration, which was led by the NUP leaders, held banners calling for the immediate release of al-Mahdi and suspension of the dialogue with regime. The protestors shouted “no dialogue with the villains”, “the voice of Al-Mahdi is the voice of the people”, and “we won’t endorse anyone but Al-Mahdi”.

The NUP leaders delivered speeches at their party’s headquarters denouncing the arrest of Al-Mahdi and calling for his release, underscoring the need to suspend participation of the party in the government-led dialogue.

Meanwhile, the opposition alliance of the National Consensus Forces (NCF) has agreed with the NUP to dismantle the regime through all means of civil struggle and establish an alternative regime which could achieve comprehensive peace and full democratic transformation.

The NCF and the NUP, in a meeting held on Thursday, announced support for al-Mahdi’s remarks that the Sudanese security apparatus violates the constitution by establishing militias even though its mandate is limited to gathering and analysing intelligence, demanding investigation on the violations attributed to SRF in Darfur and Kordofan.

The two sides agreed to form a committee of solidarity with al-Mahdi allowing all components of the society and regional and international organisations to join it in order to pressure the government for the release of al-Mahdi.

The RSF militia, which is widely known as the Janjaweed militias, were originally mobilised by the Sudanese government to quell the insurgency that broke out in Sudan’s western region of Darfur in 2003.

The militia was activated and restructured again in August last year under the command of NISS to fight rebel groups in Darfur region, South Kordofan and Blue Nile states following joint attacks by Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) rebels in North and South Kordofan in April 2013.

Sudanese officials say the RSF is part of the NISS but operationally follow the army.

The NCF disclosed in a press release that they submitted a request to meet al-Mahdi at his prison.

AL-MAHDI’S TRIAL

Meanwhile, Sudan’s information minister and government spokesperson, Ahmed Bilal Osman, announced on Friday that Al-Mahdi will be presented before a court, underscoring that the latter sought to circumvent the national dialogue.

He said on a talk show broadcasted by the state-run Radio Omdurman on Friday that al-Mahdi’s criticism for the RSF was intended to cover internal problems within the NUP.

“Al-Mahdi went out of context when he spoke about the RSF which necessitated filing criminal complaint against him by the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS)”, he added

Osman emphasised the RSF is a disciplined regular force which operates under the command of the Sudanese army, saying it achieved many victories and successes.

He pointed out that the role of the RSF is to secure the society and the state.

The information minister further said they wouldn’t suspend the application of the law in order to secure success of the national dialogue.

(ST)