KENYA WATCH

Kenyan ICC suspect loses US$10 million at airport?

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid J. Jones) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 08:05:00 +0000

Comment of the Day

Something’s not right here. $10,000,000 in $100 would weigh 100 kg. He couldn’t be carrying that in a backpack. I doubt the story
April 14, 2011, 10:32 pm - soulstar

See report below.

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ICC suspect loses Sh840m at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
From The Standard www.standardmedia.co.ke
By Standard Reporters
Published date Thursday, 14 April 2011. Full copy:

Police are investigating the reported loss of hand luggage containing about Sh840 million in hard cash. The luggage was being carried by one of The Hague suspects at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

The police were told the bag had US$10 million in $100 bills. The bills had been tied in bundles and stuffed in the black bag he was seen carrying when he alighted from the plane.

"He had it when he came, only his bodyguards have recorded statements. He fears the perception the public would have of him if it were revealed he had with him such huge amount of money.

He has asked the police to keep it secret,’’ a senior police officer told The Standard in confidence.

When two of his bodyguards were questioned where they were when the bag disappeared, they explained to investigators they had gone to clear their boss’ papers with airport staff.

The bodyguards reportedly went looking for the bag on Monday evening – more than ten hours after the politician’s arrival.

They also later recorded statements explaining the circumstances in which they suspect the baggage went missing.

Police sources at Criminal Investigations Department headquarters and JKIA revealed the bodyguards cited their boss, saying he forgot the baggage at the VIP Lounge II, as he left in a hurry to board his car on Monday.

US dollars

"They say the bag had a lot of money in US dollars and their boss left it in the lounge, went for a short call, came back, and sat for a short while before they stood up and left for the arrival area," said a police source, who asked not to be named because of the sensitive nature of the loss and the orders to keep the investigations close to their chests.

The circumstances around the massive loss remain mysterious because surveillance cameras, according to police sources, only recorded the politician with the bag inside the VIP Lounge II, and when he changed his seat.

But the Monday morning CCTV camera footage the police have been ordered to review meticulously record the politician sitting in the lounge with his bag, but does not capture what happened to the bulky hand luggage after he rose to go to the washrooms.

Photo: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi. Photo: Kenya Airports Authority

Both Airport commander Philip Tuimur and his CID counterpart, Joseph Ngisa, refused to comment on the incident Thursday.
A number of Kenya Airports Authority staff and security officers have been questioned in connection with the incident.

At the lounge, several MPs trooped in to welcome the three, when they returned from The Hague.

Security was heavy at the airport then, and only people who were regarded as VIPs were allowed to get into the arrival lounge.

However, police, though uncertain about who walked away with the cash, however suspect the politician may have, in the excitement of rushing out to be met by supporters dancing, and praising him, forgot the treasured bag.

The cameras, however, show him walking out of the lounge and onto the ecstatic welcome by his supporters outside the airport – without the bag he was seen carrying when he left his plane and when he entered the lounge reserved for eminent personalities, diplomats, and top Government officials.

It is not clear how the politician walked through the airport security barrier in Nairobi and at The Hague, with the substantive amount of money, and if at all he had the cash with him when he left Kenya in the first place on May 6.

Forgot the bag

Sources, however, believe he carried the money with him just in case he was asked to deposit a cash bond with the International Criminal Court, to secure his freedom.

The bond would demonstrate will to show up at The Hague when required, following earlier application by Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo to this effect. But despite Moreno-Ocampo’s application, the Pre-Trial Chamber II judges last week confined themselves only to the identification of the suspects, informing them of their rights, and fixing dates for status review conference, and confirmation hearings.

strict confidence

Detectives were yesterday said to be combing the airport for any evidence that could lead them to whoever may have taken the prized bag.

But in keeping with police tradition of first verifying claims of crime, the detectives are also reportedly keen on also establishing if the well-endowed politician indeed had such amount of money with him at the time.

They are also under orders to piece together what happened inside the lounge for the three hours Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Eldoret North MP William Ruto, and Kass FM radio journalist Joshua arap Sang were at the airport.

It was from here that Uhuru and Ruto were driven to the Uhuru Park ‘prayer’ rally, which Sang, and the other three suspects – Henry Kosgey, Hussein Ali, and Francis Muthaura – skipped.

Though the police were, unlike in other high-profile cases they handle, secretive, it was revealed they were looking at "a figure of more than US$10 million."

When he landed he had the black bag in question among his personal belongings.

The matter is being handled in strict confidence by a team of detectives.

Meanwhile, it has also emerged police are looking for former Kamkunji MP Simon Mbugua for allegedly causing public disturbance at the airport on Monday.

Mbugua is claimed to have confronted Kangundo MP Johnstone Muthama.

Mbugua’s bodyguards have since been arrested and taken to court and charged with causing public disturbance.

Police at the airport said they had not been able to contact Mbugua for questioning.

"We intend to move to court to seek a warrant to arrest him because he seems to be elusive. We have been trying to reach him in vain," said Ngisa.

Hat tip Will Swanson

The other side of Ocampo & Google Web Alerts for: ICC Sudan

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid J. Jones) — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 20:12:00 +0000

FOR the record, here is a copy of an insightful article and an amusing photo published at The Standard. Pity the author's name is not cited. I'd be interested in reading more of the author's writings. My guess is that the author is not American. Whatever, thanks to The Standard for such great reporting.

The other side of Ocampo
Source: The Standard - www.standardmedia.co.ke
By Standard Reporter
Monday, 03 January 2011. Full copy:

The storm Mr Luis Moreno-Ocampo stirred in Kenya over what critics perceive to be his abrasive, arrogant and rash style could just be what makes the strident Argentine lawyer.

Amid criticism locally that he defers to and plays to the American and European gallery and engages in ‘local politics’, at the international arena debate on Ocampo’s tactics and so-called blunders continues.

The criticisms are taking place as concern rises that if Kenya exits from the International Criminal Court (ICC) it could open a floodgate for the rest of African States to do so on the premise it served Western interests.

Ocampo’s outspokenness on his cases would continue to confound Kenyans ahead of March’s determination of his application for summonses against six prominent Kenyans.

This includes his vow to make Kenya an example to the World on impunity even before he commenced investigations and the naming of the six at an international news conference along with the charges he wants lined against them.

The thrust of arguments against Ocampo’s style hinge on what is perceived to be personalised approach, search for stardom through media, and breakneck speed. It is this style that has propped accusations that so far, he has failed to successfully indict those charged from crimes committed in Sudan, Congo and Uganda since the court was established in April 2003.

ICC Chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo

The World Affairs Journal, which is online, has a 6,000-word critical audit of Ocampo’s style, performance and conduct in office. The hard-hitting piece was posted in Spring 2009. The appraisal by renowned writers, authors and researchers Julie Flint and Alex de Waal, came as Kenyan leaders continued to criticise Ocampo amidst mounting pressure on the country to pull out of Rome Statute.

Information Minister Samuel Poghisio warned that Ocampo had become a "political persecutor" who has "thrown all caution to the wind in pursuit of some individuals."

Justice Assistant Minister William Cheptumo argued Ocampo neither bothered to carry out fresh investigations on post-election violence nor had capacity to do so.

The piece by Flint and de Waal raised serious credibility issues on Ocampo as a Prosecutor at the ICC.

"The UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations didn’t want its overstretched and vulnerable peacekeepers conscripted as ICC enforcers. It also had Luis Moreno-Ocampo as its lead prosecutor," they wrote.

"But three years into his tenure, many in the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) were questioning his ability to do the job. A further three years on, and the Court is in trouble — a trickle of resignations has turned into a haemorrhage, and cases under prosecution and investigation are at risk of going calamitously wrong," the World Affairs Journal wrote.

It further reported that though several high ranking investigators and those serving in the OTP are among the best legal brains, many had quit over the years because they did not approve how cases were being investigated.

The authors also raised a sex scandal in which a South African journalist reportedly accused Ocampo of forcing himself on her, including confiscating her keys and confining her.

When the then ICC Public Information Adviser, Christian Palm, filed a "gross misconduct" complaint against Ocampo, the Prosecutor fired Palm.

Other critics like Ugandan Dr David Nyekorach-Matsanga, who used to be the spokesman of Uganda’s fugitive rebel leader Joseph Kony, have written to the court and the United Nations Security Council asking for the Kenya case to be stopped.

"We have given the judges our views on the situation in Kenya because we believe Ocampo has not done any sufficient investigations in the country apart from holding hotel meetings in Nairobi," argued Matsanga who asked for ‘neutral investigation into the Kenyan case".

So far Ocampo has only managed to conclude the Lubanga trial on atrocities committed in Congo, which ended in an acquittal while an arrest warrant for Sudan President Omar al-Bashir is still pending.

On the Darfur genocide case, Flint and de Waal faulted Ocampo’s performance concluding: "The OTP got no further than the Hilton Hotel."

The journal said by the end of 2008, the Court had granted victim participation rights to just eleven Sudanese, as opposed to 171 Congolese and 57 Ugandans, and not a single case for witness protection on behalf of Darfurians had been presented before the judges.

The Prosecutor is said to have issued summons for two Sudanese whom he alleged were responsible for massacres and on February 27, 2007, demanded that Ahmed Harun, Minister of State for the Interior and Head of the "Darfur desk" that co-ordinated military and security operations in the region, and Ali Kushayb, a militia commander, to present themselves before The Hague.

Unlike in a domestic court, the ICC has a "Pre-Trial Chamber" of three judges who decide whether cases meet a relatively low threshold of reasonable grounds to conclude that a crime has been committed within the Court’s jurisdiction.

They argued Ocampo’s greatest asset was an exemplary cadre of professional staff for whom working at the ICC was more than a career — it was a vocation.

"I loved this job," an early recruit to the OTP told us. "It was my life."

The publication also reported, "the Prosecutor had opportunity to draw upon the accumulated expertise of existing international tribunals and some of the world’s finest lawyers and investigators but the asset was rapidly squandered."

It said increasingly "Moreno-Ocampo’s staff found it difficult to agree with their own Prosecutor, whose penchant for publicity and extravagant claims rather than fine detail was the polar opposite of their own work ethic."

"As the pressures on him mounted, Moreno Ocampo, in the opinion of many of his colleagues, began to "cut corners," wrote the paper.

The writers further pointed out that Ocampo announced publicly that he planned to intercept a plane on which Harun, the Sudanese suspect was scheduled to fly to Saudi Arabia for the Haj."

"If he really sought to arrest Harun, why advertise his own plan?" asked the writers.

The online publication said, "as internal criticism grew louder, Moreno-Ocampo listened less and took closer personal charge than ever…A senior team member said the Prosecutor was the most complicated and difficult manager he had ever worked for, emotionally volatile and obsessed with micromanaging."

"A key member of the OTP is said to have left, "saying privately that he was fearful of having to defend an indefensible position a few years down the line," they reported.

Mosop MP David Koech claimed the African Union no longer had faith in the Rome Statute and several member countries would soon initiate a process to be excluded from it.

"The ICC Prosecutor has performed way below expected international standards in the Kenyan case and has proved to all that he is a political activist and not a professional prosecutor," Koech said.

Ocampo’s former boss in the Argentine military ‘Junta’ trials, the journal reported, "disliked his love of the media spotlight".

It added, "many prosecution witnesses, victims of some of the worst human rights abuses on the continent, shied away from him."

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Further Reading

The Ocampo Six are Kenyans, but Rwanda, Uganda need to worry
Source: The East African - www.theeastafrican.co.ke
By Joint Report - Monday, 20 December 2010
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Case Closed: A Prosecutor Without Borders
Source: The World Affairs Journal - www.worldaffairsjournal.org
By Julie Flint and Alex de Waal - Spring 2009

Click here to read comments in response to the article at www.worldaffairsjournal.org. Incase the page disappears here is a copy of the comments:

I have very carefully and slowly read this article. If it was Christmas, this would be the Authors' Christmas gift to me. I wish there was a way in which this article could be made more accessoible to as many people as possible - especially to those of us who had been recently described by Professor Mahmoud mamdani as Human Rights Fundamentalists. Ther is everything wrong with individual who abuse their power but this pales in comparison to those who make every efforts to subvert entire systems for personal agrandisement.

Posted by Abdulrahman Wandati | April 8, 2009 11:31:34 AM EDT
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The anomalies exposed by the authors of this article regarding the ICC's decision to issue the arrest warrant of Al-Bashir , president of Sudan glaringly show the contradictions/ paradoxes The Hague based court of International Criminal Court seems to have suffered from, thereby undermining the dignity, neutrality and impartiality that is expected from and imputed with that court in terms of maintaining justice/ judicious perception both in form and substance.

Posted by Syed Qamar Afzal Rizvi | April 19, 2009 08:38:34 AM EDT
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Most of the controversy over the Bashir case has focused on the prudence of indicting a head of state in a fragile country prone to conflict. Those 300,000 died are human beings. Why iis Alex de Waal alway and unconditionally defending criminal al-Bashir?

Posted by Darfur Daily News | May 8, 2009 3:11:51 PM EDT
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I can't see how any interpretation of this article could be read as a defense of al-Bashir. The focus is on Ocampo's failure to meticulously, or otherwise, gather probative evidence to support the charges, rather he seems to be pursuing a maxim of "fiat justitia ruat caelum" (let justice be done though the heavens may fall) in a conflict region where it seems quite likely that the heavens might do just that.

Posted by Rachel Flynn | June 25, 2009 7:11:35 PM EDT
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Dear Sir: Alex de Waal advance against Luis Moreno Ocampo (“Case Closed,” Spring 2009), it helps to know that the authors’ real grievance is that leveling international charges against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir is a mistake. The authors put forward Moreno Ocampo as the alleged incompetent, but their true disagreement is with a host of actors: the ICC Judges, who issued the warrant naming Bashir; the governments of the U.S., U.K., and France, who have firmly resisted calls to defer Bashir’s prosecution; the UN Security Council, which referred the Darfur case to the ICC back in 2005; and Darfuris themselves, who favor the view that peace in Darfur will not be attained absent justice. I can state that their portrayal of Moreno Ocampo’s ICC tenure rests on a base of misstated facts and material omissions. The authors also fail to disclose the interests and biases of their (unnamed) sources. The authors also fall well short of proving that Moreno Ocampo’s tenure has been incompetent or that he has acted “without borders.” Moreno Ocampo’s decision that his criminal investigators could not safely operate in Darfur was cautious and, in the end, correct. The Sudanese government indeed detained and tortured persons believed to be cooperating with the ICC and recently expelled aid groups based on the same pretext. Most have judged that this Prosecutor’s tenure has been characterized by extreme conservatism in executing the prosecutorial mandate: four investigations opened in the world’s worst conflicts and in each case following either self-referral by an involved State or referral by the Security Council. The Prosecutor’s strict observance of boundaries is what accounts, in no small part, for the Bush administration’s abandonment, over time, of its categorical opposition to support for the court’s work. The issue is not the man or the woman: it’s the mandate and, now, the institution. The view of Flint and de Waal—to propose no solution other than to let even the world’s worst atrocities continue—is becoming obsolete. Discussing policy might be more productive than engaging in character assassination.

Christine Chung
Former ICC Senior Trial
Attorney (2004–2007)

Posted by Christine Chung | May 15, 2009 11:16 AM EDT
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Christine Chung’s fuming response to Alex de Waal’s and Julie Flint’s carefully researched and rather moderate review of the confused years of Luis Moreno Ocampo’s years as ICC Prosecutor needs some background to be fully understood. In the Prosecution Division of the ICC OTP (Office of the Prosecutor) Chung played the role of Moreno Ocampo’s special confidante and hit man. It was a well known fact in the OTP that Chung and Moreno Ocampo had a special and personal relationship. She had the right to bypass her own superior in the Prosecution Division, Deputy Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, and go directly to Moreno Ocampo, very often providing critical information regarding her colleagues or even her supervisor, the Deputy Prosecutor. Indeed, on one occasion, in 2006, Chung despatched a 500 word e-mail to Moreno Ocampo with accusations against Bensouda for being incompetent. The wording in this e-mail (which I have read, courtesy of Moreno Ocampo’s personal assistant Sofia Velasco), was such that in any normal organisation an employee who, while bypassing her own superior had sent a similar letter to a principal, would have been the subject of disciplinary proceedings, or even immediate dismissal. The problem of Chung’s short cut to Moreno Ocampo was widely discussed in the office and one (brave) colleague of Chung in the PD (Prosecution Division) even had the audacity to bring it up in a conference with all OTP managers present. Chung was also known for aggresively hunting Moreno Ocampo dissenters in the office, often with e-mails that were copied to many staff members. These e-mails routinely were laced with highly abusive personal remarks. The Investigation Divison even had compiled a special file of these abusive e-mails. One staff member in the end found it necessary to invoke the internal rules against “sexual and other forms of harassment” in order to bring a halt to Chung’s abusive campaign. Chung’s comments to World Affairs should hence not be seen as independent of Moreno Ocampo, but rather as a proxie or client acting on orders from Moreno Ocampo. Christian Palme former Public Information Adviser to the ICC prosecutor.

Posted by Christian Palme | September 8, 2009 09:17:52 AM EDT
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ICC Vs. SUDAN: Calculating the cost
Source: Sudan Tribune - www.sudantribune.com
By Kwathi Ajawin - November 26, 2008*
The author is a Sudanese church and community leader based in Washington, DC., and can be reached at Akolkwathi@yahoo.com

*Note from Kenya Watch editor: The article at Sudan Tribune came to my attention via a Google Web Alert emailed to me by google.com, today, Sunday, 02 January 2011 at 21:49 PM GMT UK. Here is a copy of the email:

From: googlealerts-noreply@google.com
Subject: Google Alert - ICC Sudan
Date: 2 January 2011 21:49:16 GMT

=== Google Web Alert for: ICC Sudan ===

ICC Vs SUDAN Calculating the cost Sudan Tribune Plural news and ...
By Kwathi Ajawin November 26, 2008 — What makes it difficult for some to
join the debate on our Sudanese forums on the issue of the ICC is the (...)
http://www.sudantribune.com/ICC-Vs-SUDAN-Calculating-the-cost,29388>

This as-it-happens Google Alert is brought to you by Google.

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UPDATE: Here is a copy of a "Google Blogs Alert for: ICC Sudan" emailed to me by google.com on Monday, 03 January 2011 at 00:48 AM GMT UK. The Alert features the blog post above. Note that Google's excerpt makes no mention of the current articles featured in the post above. Weird.

=== Google Blogs Alert for: ICC Sudan ===

The other side of Ocampo & Google Web Alerts for: ICC Sudan
By Editor
Google Web Alert for: ICC Sudan === ICC Vs SUDAN Calculating the cost Sudan
Tribune Plural news and ... By Kwathi Ajawin November 26, 2008 — What
makes it difficult for some to join the debate on our Sudanese forums on
the issue of the ...
http://kenyawatch.blogspot.com/2011/01/other-side-of-ocampo-google-web-alerts.html>
KENYA WATCH
http://kenyawatch.blogspot.com/>

This as-it-happens Google Alert is brought to you by Google.

Why the ICC is wrong in Kenya and Sudan

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid J. Jones) — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 07:13:00 +0000

Moreno-Ocampo and with equal measure, Washington, unquestionably are causing a political fallout that can split the cabinets of both, within Sudan and Kenya, at the very time day-to-day management is required by the African Union to keep the peace.

This blog author and the following writer believe ICC actions do more harm than good to Kenya and Sudan.

Why The ICC Is Wrong In Kenya And The Sudan
Source: Black Star News - www.blackstarnews.com
Author: Bob Astles
Date: Monday, 20 December 2010

Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor who has little if any real knowledge of Africa and its mass of mini-nations, seemingly has the one ambition of bringing the Sudan to disaster as the result of his personal quest for President Omar Hassan al-Bashir.

He is not thinking of the consequences that would occur during this period when the Sudan is organizing itself into a new destiny of nationhood. Here we have a person brought up in South America where crime, disaster, corruption and lack of democracy are endemic.

He seems unaware that Africa has had, and is doing its best to shake off, the yoke of colonialism and the White man’s re-drawing of borders that have left mini-nations divided in two or three different colonial countries which now makes it extremely hard toil for elected leaders to create "one nation, one people."

This is especially so when foreigners, with complete indifference to the needs of Africans, swoop in and corrupt different ethnic groups to gain the wealth of oil and minerals and in doing so bring ethnic violence that is then supplied with imported modern weaponry.

The Sudan is one such case but Kenya, right on the Sudan's border, now is also under the “iron fist” of Moreno-Ocampo.

Certainly we have seen atrocities committed during Kenya’s elections and certainly the super powers were saying and aware there would be killings, rape and human atrocities at such a time.

Yet this Western version of democracy is what the USA demanded. They shrugged their shoulders at more seasoned advice to let Africa find its own destiny and not let those like Moreno-Ocampo crack the whip upon young African nations where even basic schooling has not reached the hungry masses.

So now in Kenya we have President Mwai Kibaki and his Prime Minister Raila Odinga bashing heads together and thoroughly alarmed by the release of Moreno-Ocampo’s list of the Kenyans he wishes to put on public trial in a European court; especially as those named are key personalities of the mini-nations making up the newly formed coalition government.

Moreno-Ocampo and with equal measure, Washington, unquestionably are causing a political fallout that can split the cabinets of both, within Sudan and Kenya, at the very time day-to-day management is required by the African Union to keep the peace.

If the future welfare of these two large and important African nations were truly a matter of benevolent concern it would be clear that at such a critical transitional period both nations need a breathing space from constant hostile western press attacks and the ICC spotlight that are shifting daily the ground under the leaders’ feet.

Bob Astles lived for many years in Africa and was an advisor to Ugandan dictator Idi Amin.

"Speaking Truth To Empower."

YouTube: WikiRebels - The Documentary (Parts 1 - 4)

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid J. Jones) — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 16:08:00 +0000

News just in from Channel 4, UK:

In the last few moments the Wikileak's founder Julian Assange has walked out of Westminster Crown Court [London] where he was granted bail earlier.

"Justice is not yet dead," he said.

Thanking his legal team and the rest but truth to the say it was a cautious statement and short. And more memorable for the number of flash bulb explosions than for what he said.

He is now on his way to his mansion arrest in Norfolk [England].

Andy Davies will have the details tonight.

Read more:
http://www.channel4.com/news/wikileaks-julian-assange-freed-on-bail

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YouTube: WikiRebels - The Documentary (Parts 1 - 4)

The following in-depth must-see video report regarding WikiLeaks contains four parts. Click on YouTube logo on video to read transcript at YouTube.

Extract from YouTube - "WikiRebels - The Documentary (1/4)":

zerwas2ky | December 09, 2010 | 913 likes, 11 dislikes -
Playlist: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhTfOL9_HBE&feature=&p=6D8EE2E0B836F096&index=0&playnext=1

From the description:

"Exclusive rough-cut of first in-depth documentary on WikiLeaks and the people behind it!

From summer 2010 until now, Swedish Television has been following the secretive media network WikiLeaks and its enigmatic Editor-in-Chief Julian Assange.

Reporters Jesper Huor and Bosse Lindquist have traveled to key countries where WikiLeaks operates, interviewing top members, such as Assange, new Spokesperson Kristinn Hrafnsson, as well as people like Daniel Domscheit-Berg who now is starting his own version - Openleaks.org!

Where is the secretive organization heading? Stronger than ever, or broken by the US? Who is Assange: champion of freedom, spy or rapist? What are his objectives? What are the consequences for the internet?"

© svt

To date, the video has had 134,904 views.
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Further Reading

Photo: Wikileaks editor-in-chief Julian Assange arrives at Westminster magistrates court inside a prison van with tinted windows. Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images
Source: Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/15/1
- - -

In Kenya, Bloggers React To WikiLeaks Cables
by Global Voices for Global Voices December 15, 2010
http://www.groundreport.com/World/In-Kenya-Bloggers-React-To-WikiLeaks-Cables/2932089
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Video: Justice for Julian: Assange to walk free, Swedish appeal rejected

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WikiLeaks confirms Russian tanks aboard hijacked ship were bound ...

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What Raila knew about Sudan weapons

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The Standard - Biketi Kikechi - 6 days ago

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Video: Raila dismisses Wikileaks as diplomatic gossip

ntvkenya

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Wikileaks reveals Egypt Nile fear

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Foreign relations: Objectives of 'crucial state' remain frustrated

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Kenya: Wiki-leaked cables claim nation sent tanks to South Sudan

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid J. Jones) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 12:56:00 +0000

Kenya: Wiki-leaked cables claim nation sent tanks to South Sudan
Source: The Nation (Kenya) - Reprinted at www.afrika.no
Date: Thursday, 09 December 2010

Nairobi (Kenya) — The mystery surrounding Russian-made tanks that the government denied were destined for South Sudan last year has been unravelled by a secret diplomatic cable.

A 2009 cable released by whistleblowing site WikiLeaks says a senior State Department official produced satellite images that appeared to show that the tanks unloaded in Kenya were trans-shipped to South Sudan.

The evidence contradicted claims by Kenyan officials that the hardware imported from Ukraine was intended for the Kenyan military.

A bill of lading and manifest of the hijacked MV Faina, which was seen by the Nation when the ship was released by pirates showed that its cargo consisted of more than 812 tonnes of ammunition in addition to 33 T-72 tanks from Ukraine.

Other weapons on the ship included unpacked spare parts for the T-72 tanks, Soviet-made anti-aircraft guns and rocket propelled grenades.

The Chief of General Staff, Gen Jeremiah Kianga, laid claim to the cargo insisting that the tanks and assorted arms belonged to the Kenyan military after pirates released the vessel they had captured off the coast of Somalia after ransom was reportedly paid.

However, satellite photos released by Wikileaks show that the T-72 tanks' actual destination was in South Sudan. The photos, the cable says, were presented by a US deputy assistant secretary of state, Vann Van Diepen, during talks in the Ukrainian capital in September 2009.

The Ukrainian side is said in the document to have repeatedly insisted at the talks that the weapons were intended for the government of Kenya.

The Ukrainians stuck to that position even when Mr Van Diepen presented a copy of a contract that listed the actual recipient as the government of South Sudan.

A Ukrainian official "questioned the authenticity of the contract, and asked if the US had any better evidence," states the cable marked "secret."

The document dated November 9, 2009, was published on the website of London's Guardian on Monday but a search of WikiLeaks' own site on Tuesday did not reveal a link to the cable.

"Van Diepen, regretting that the GOU [government of Ukraine] had forced him to do so, showed the Ukrainians cleared satellite imagery of T-72 tanks unloaded in Kenya, transferred to railyards for onward shipment, and finally in South Sudan," the Guardian's version of the cable states. "This led to a commotion on the Ukrainian side."

Mr Van Diepen then warned that "there was nothing for Ukraine to gain from lying and a lot to lose."

He told the Ukrainians that the US would have to consider imposing sanctions as a result of the arms transfer to South Sudan in violation of international agreements. "A factor in US deliberations would be whether the GOU told the truth," the document added.

The Ukrainian side still "asserted that Ukraine only had a relationship with Kenya, and did not have a relationship with South Sudan," the cable continued. "Ukraine could not be held responsible for the actions of a third country."

The Ukrainians however did promise to "study this situation in the light of a partner relationship so that the US knows that Ukraine is a reliable partner," the cable said.

The document gives no indication of whether the United States raised the matter with the Kenyan government. Such a discussion might be recounted in US Nairobi embassy cables that WikiLeaks indicates it has obtained but has not yet released.

A ship carrying the weapons reached Mombasa in February 2009 after a $3.2 million ransom was paid to Somali pirates who had hijacked it five months earlier.

Source: The Nation (Kenya)

- - -

WikiLeaks documents roil Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa

Christian Science Monitor - Scott Baldauf - ‎53 minutes ago‎

Embarrassing US diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks have put leaders in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa in the hot seat. View of the WikiLeaks homepage ...

US 'aware of' S Sudan arms deal

BBC News - ‎1 hour ago‎

The US government has been aware of Kenyan arms shipments to Southern Sudan for years, the latest diplomatic cables released by Wikileaks reveal. ...

Pirates' Catch Exposed Route of Arms in a Tense Sudan

New York Times - Jeffrey Gettleman, Michael R. Gordon - ‎7 hours ago‎

The Faina was escorted into the port of Mombasa, Kenya, in February 2009 after Somali pirates were paid $3.2 million. Its cargo included 32 Soviet-era tanks ...

How US raised storm over Sudan tankers

Capital FM - Michael Mumo, Judie Kaberia - ‎Dec 8, 2010‎

NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 8 - The purchase of military equipment from Ukraine caused a storm from the American government, ...

A Discreet Deal for the War in Sudan

Spiegel Online - Horand Knaup - ‎37 minutes ago‎

AP US dispatches have cleared up one of the most baffling weapons affairs of the recent past. In 2008, pirates hijacked a ship full of tanks ...

Wikileaks: Raila's secret list

The Standard - Cyrus Ombati - ‎4 hours ago‎

Cables released by whistle-blower Julian Assange revealed the names of people Prime Minister Raila Odinga wanted appointed in top Government ...

Wikileaks: US incensed by Ukraine's arms exports

RIA Novosti - Gary Hershorn - ‎20 hours ago‎

The United States is fighting a constant battle to stop the flow of arms from Ukraine and other East European countries to terrorist in the Middle East, ...

WikiLeaks: US official accuses Ukraine of lying about arms sales to Sudan

Kyiv Post - ‎21 hours ago‎

The US had satellite imagery that proved Ukraine lied about shipping arms to South Sudan. AP The US had satellite imagery that proved Ukraine lied about ...

Sudan: Leaked Cables Claim Nation Sent Tanks to South Sudan

AllAfrica.com - Kevin Kelly, Patrick Mayoyo - ‎Dec 7, 2010‎

Nairobi — The mystery surrounding Russian-made tanks that the government denied were destined for South Sudan last year has been unravelled by a secret ...

New York Times: Pirates' catch exposed route of arms in Sudan conflict

Kyiv Post - ‎8 hours ago‎

KENYA, Mombasa : A Kenyan military officer stands guard over Soviet made T-72 tanks at Mombasa port which have just been offloaded from the MV faina ship on ...

New Sudan war would cost Kenya, region

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid J. Jones) — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 13:42:00 +0000

New Sudan war would cost Kenya, region
Source: AFP / www.capitalfm.co.ke
Date: Thursday, 25 November 2010

(Khartoum, Sudan, Nov 25) - A return to civil war in the event that south Sudan votes for independence would cost the country, the region and international community more than 100 billion dollars, a study published on Thursday warned.

Aegis Trust, an NGO, and three research centres including the Institute for Security Studies, based in South Africa, drew up four post-referendum scenarios, ranging from peace to a resumption of full-scale war between north and south Sudan.

In the case of a 10-year conflict of medium intensity, the losses for Sudan would amount to at least 52.1 billion dollars (39 billion euros), on top of about 29 billion dollars for neighbouring Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda, the study estimated.

The impact on the international community would top 30 billion dollars in terms of peacekeeping missions and humanitarian aid.

"This report demonstrates the high cost of conflict. It implies that domestic, regional and international parties should be asking: 'Are we doing enough to avoid a war that might cost over 100 billion dollars and ruin countless lives?'" said Matthew Bell of London-based Frontier Economics.

The study calculated Sudan's losses in case of war on the basis of an annual 2.2-percent decline in Gross Domestic Product.

It would cost Ethiopia and Kenya more than one billion dollars a year in terms of forecast growth, the researchers said, warning that war would also damage Egypt, Sudan's northern neighbour and the region's leading economy.

The impact could be even heavier in the event of full-scale war that would disrupt the oil production of Africa's largest country, which has reserves of more than six billion barrels.

Khartoum and the former southern rebels signed a peace deal in 2005 after more than two decades of war. A central element of that accord is an independence referendum for the south scheduled for January. Since July, the two sides have been negotiating on key post-vote issues.

Chief among those crucial to a peaceful transition in case of partition is the sharing of oil resources.

Oil revenues make up the Sudanese government's main source of foreign currency earnings, while southern Sudan depends on oil for as much as 98 percent of its budget.

Most of Sudan's reserves are concentrated in the south but can only be exported through a pipeline passing through the north on the way to Port Sudan on the Red Sea.

An oil-sharing formula would benefit both the north and south, whereas an interruption in production and exports would damage the whole country.

"Reaching some level of agreement before the referendum is important not only because both economies need uninterrupted revenue, but also to sustain the confidence of oil companies in their existing investments," the International Crisis Group said this week.

In case of peace and healthy ties between north and south Sudan as well improved security in Darfur, Sudan's growth would steady at an annual 6.2 percent for five years and even reach nine percent from 2016, the study said.

- - -

Report On The Cost Of A Possible Return To War In Sudan
Source: SRS (Sudan Radio Service) - www.sudanradio.org
Date: Thursday, 25 November 2010

(Nairobi, Kenya) – A report published by a coalition of European and African economic and political think-tanks on Thursday says a return to war in Sudan would cost Sudan, the region and the international community about 100 billion US dollars.

The report which comes amid fears that the referendum could trigger an escalation of violence attempts to analyze the economic cost of war to the region.

Mathew Bell an Associate Director of the London based, Frontier Economics spoke to SRS in Nairobi during the launch of the report.

[Mathew Bell]: “The report is an attempt to do with economic analysis of what the cost of war to Sudan and the region and the international community could be. It very explicitly sets aside the very real and important human costs of death and suffering that would result in war but to take a financial perspective as a way of adding to the debate around the cost of war. The headline itself looks like it would cost in excess of about a hundred billion dollars to the combination of Sudan the region and the international community should war break out. That figure breaks down into about 50 billion dollar cost to the Sudanese economy itself. About a 25 billion dollar cost to the regional economy including Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda. And about a 25 to 30 billion dollar cost to the international community in the form of peace keeping in the form of humanitarian intervention.”

Mathew Bell recognizes the difficulties in measuring the costs of potential future conflict in the report. He explains the different scenarios.

[Mathew Bell]: “Because of the uncertainties of what may happen because nobody can be sure about what the outcome is going to be, we have looked at different potential scenarios; we have tried to come up with a range of figures. And the 100 billion dollar that we have been quoting is towards the bottom end of that range. And the Low, medium and high conflict scenarios are different levels of conflict from a low level civil war situation, to a very serious situation to a very serious full blown civil war that might involve some of the regional players as well, or ways of how to characterize different points in the spectrum of costs. What we don’t comment on at all is what the likelihood of different scenarios would be. But we want to give a range of potential costs.”

According to the report the evidence suggests that the net impact of conflict would be significantly negative. Sudan would lose about 50 billion USD from its GDP, the neighboring countries would lose 25 billion USD of GDP and the international community would lose 30 billion USD in peacekeeping and humanitarian costs.

The report by the European and African economic and political think-tanks on the cost of war in Sudan was launched in Nairobi on Thursday.

UK to fund relocation of ICC witnesses

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid J. Jones) — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 13:40:00 +0000

UK to fund relocation of ICC witnesses
Source: Capital FM - www.capitalfm.co.ke
Author: Anthony Kagiri
Date: Friday, 26 November 2010

THE HAGUE, Nov 26 - Britain has donated Sh25.3 million to a special fund of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for relocations of witnesses at risk from Kenya.

A statement posted on the ICC website on Friday said the money would be given to countries willing to host the witnesses but are not in a position to finance such support.

It also seeks to foster regional solutions for the relocation of witnesses at risk, thereby reducing the impact of transfers on their life.

"This donation constitutes an important gesture towards the victims and witnesses of post-election violence in Kenya, and towards international justice and the common fight against impunity," the statement said.

The court added that the witness protection programme should help encourage witnesses to be more confident in contributing to the investigation, assisting the goal of accountability that the victims and others have been campaigning for.

"Using such arrangements, the court also seeks to galvanise cooperation partners into strengthening national capacity to protect witnesses in such regional states."

The court is investigating the deadly 2008 post election violence that led to over 1,333 deaths and displacement of over 600,000 people. ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo has said he will be presenting cases against six individuals to the ICC judges by end of next month.

The grant comes in the wake of controversy surrounding the housing of the witnesses by the State-run Kenya National Commission on Human rights with two of its witnesses saying that they were bribed by the commission to implicate Eldoret North MP William Ruto. This was preceded by claims that some suspects had attempted to compromise witnesses and investigators.

However in the statement, the court said it remains concerned about continuing reports of witness intimidation and official interference.

"Those who attempt to subvert the search for justice should be aware that they also could find themselves accountable for their actions in The Hague," said the statement.

The cooperation agreement was signed by Paul Arkwright, the Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, to the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Registrar of the Court, Silvana Arbia.

Before signing the Understanding, the Registrar noted that "by making a substantial donation to the Special Fund, the United Kingdom stands as an example to other States' willingness to support victims and witnesses who are at risk on account of their interaction with the Court".

The Ambassador stated that "The UK supports the court's work, with the Kenyan Government, to promote justice for the many victims of the post-election violence.

As the court was getting the assistance Kenya reiterated its commitment to fully cooperating with the International Criminal Court to facilitate its mandate in the country.

Internal Security Minister George Saitoti who is the chairman of the Cabinet sub-committee coordinating ICC matters outlined key steps the State has taken to facilitate the court's work including appointing a designated judge to facilitate the recording of statement from Provincial Commissioners and Police chiefs. Others include facilitating the establishment of an ICC office in the country, handing over of documents, reports and minutes and the gazetting of regulations or the implementation of the International Crimes Act.

"The Office of Prosecutor has continually expressed satisfaction with the level of the government's cooperation," he said.

The court's statement vindicated Prof Saitoti's view saying: "We welcome the Kenyan Government's cooperation with the Court on this case."

Sudan's north accuses south of aiding Darfur rebels

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid J. Jones) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 15:45:00 +0000

ACCORDING to the below copied report from Reuters, Abdel Wahid Al-Nur, leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), one of Darfur's main rebel groups, will visit the southern Sudan capital Juba in the coming days, his spokesman said, and other rebel leaders have visited or reside there.

Mandour al-Mahdi, a senior official from the northern National Congress Party, told Reuters that the Darfur rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) had moved its forces to the south to receive training.

"If you are accommodating these forces in the south, you are supplying these forces with weapons, logistics, petrol and cars ... we think that this is a declaration of war against the north of the country," Mahdi said.

Reportedly, earlier this month the north accidentally bombed the south while fighting the JEM near the north-south border.

Full story below.

Sudan's north accuses south of aiding rebels
Source: Reuters - af.reuters.com
Date: Wednesday, 24 November 2010 12:19pm GMT

(Khartoum, Sudan) - Sudan's north said on Wednesday the semi-autonomous south of the country had declared war by supporting anti-government rebels from Darfur, just weeks ahead of a referendum on southern independence.

Sudan's north-south civil war ended in 2005 with a peace deal that shared wealth and power, enshrined democratic transformation and allowed southerners to vote in a January 9 plebiscite which most expect to result in secession.

Sudan's separate rebellion in Darfur -- which is part of the north -- began in early 2003 and numerous truces have failed to stem violence there. The International Criminal Court has indicted President Omar Hassan al-Bashir for war crimes there.

"If you are accommodating these forces in the south, you are supplying these forces with weapons, logistics, petrol and cars ... we think that this is a declaration of war against the north of the country," Mandour al-Mahdi, a senior official from the northern National Congress Party, told Reuters.

Abdel Wahed Mohamed el-Nur, leader of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA), one of Darfur's main rebel groups, will visit the southern capital Juba in the coming days, his spokesman said, and other rebel leaders have visited or reside there.

Mahdi said the Darfur rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) had moved its forces to the south to receive training. Earlier this month the north accidentally bombed the south while fighting the JEM near the north-south border.

South Sudan's army was not immediately available for comment but denies aiding rebels from Darfur. The south has in the past hosted unity talks between the fractious rebels to try to help move the Darfur peace process forward. If the south separates, Darfur will remain part of the north.

The dispute marks a low point in north-south relations which have been tense in the build up to the plebiscite. Talks on resolving the status of the disputed Abyei region are deadlocked and little progress has been made on defining citizenship, the border or other post-referendum issues.

Mahdi said the south's support for Darfur rebels was affecting talks covering security arrangements after the referendum.

"They should expel these forces out of south Sudan ... overall I hope that we reach a settlement of this issue so as not to affect the referendum," he said.

- - -

Officials: Sudan bombing won't renew conflict
Source: The Associated Press (AP) / www.guardian.co.uk
Author: Maggie Flick
Date: Saturday, 13 November 2010

(Malakal, S. Sudan) - A bombing on the disputed north-south border of Sudan heightened concerns of renewed conflict in the region, but a Southern Sudan army official says the attack was aimed at rebels, not the south, and observers doubt this one incident would lead to anything more serious.

Sudan has been high on the U.S. foreign policy agenda, with top officials working to ensure a January referendum that could split Africa's biggest country into two is held on time. They are also working to avoid renewed conflict between north and south Sudan, who more than five years ago ended a decades-long war.

The borders of Northern Bahr Gazal and Southern Darfur, where the bombing occurred, are in dispute and the 2005 peace deal required the border between Southern Sudan and the north be demarcated. That exercise, however, has also been fraught with delays.

Col. Philip Aguer, spokesman for the Sudan People's Liberation Army, which protects oil-rich Southern Sudan, said Saturday that north Sudan's military bombed a disputed north-south border area but the attack was not meant for the south.

Both parts of Sudan are allowed to keep separate armies under a 2005 peace deal that ended their 21-year war.

Aguer said north Sudan military officers consulted with their southern counterparts through a joint military panel after the Friday bombing by an Antonov plane and determined the bombs were launched in the north, but landed in Southern Sudan territory close by. The panel, called the Joint Defense Board, is part of the 2005 peace deal and is meant to help avoid misunderstandings between the armies of the north and the south.

"The bomb fell in our territory by mistake and the SAF (Sudan Armed Forces) admitted it was not intentional," said Aguer. He said the bombing took place in Northern Bahr Gazal State, located in the southwest of the country and part of Southern Sudan, but would not give a precise location. Aguer said there were casualties but declined to give details.

The top U.N. official in Southern Sudan, David Gressly, said casualties are in the single digits and a U.N. team is going to the area to assess the situation

Lazaro Sumbeiywo, the Kenyan retired general who mediated the 2005 peace deal, said that since signing the agreement, north and south had only fought once, in 2008, in a dispute over the oil-rich area of Abyei.

Sumbeiywo declined to comment on the Friday incident but said when he went to assess the general situation in Southern Sudan two weeks ago, he did not find the semiautonomous region tense.

"In the sense that both parties need each other. The south has the oil and the north has the pipeline. How do you kill the conveyor and expect to get anything?" Sumbeiywo told The Associated Press.

The Obama administration, however, is worried conflict may be renewed because of the referendum on Southern Sudan's independence scheduled for January.

Officials have said the White House holds at least three meetings a week on Sudan in an effort to avoid a new outbreak of violence and President Barack Obama gets a daily briefings on the situation.

Last weekend, Sen. John Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, met with Sudanese leaders and presented them with a proposal from the Obama administration to remove Sudan from the terrorist list. The proposal is in addition to one made in September offering a range of incentives, including possible restoration of full diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Sudan.

The U.S. offers follow conflicting statements from members of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir's government that they may or may not recognize the referendum's results. It is widely expected that Southerners will vote in favor of separation come January.

Southerners fought a two-decade civil war against the Muslim, northern-dominated central government in which 2 million people died and more than a million headed north to escape the fighting. The independence referendum will be the culmination of the six-year transitional period that was part of the 2005 peace deal that ended that 20-year north-south conflict.

Aguer said that the north's military said they were targeting members of the Justice and Equality Movement rebel group, which has bases in Southern Darfur state bordering Northern Bahr Gazal. JEM is the most powerful of the Darfur rebel groups and has been fighting a rebellion in western Sudan's since 2003.

Several other rebel groups in the region have signed peace deals with the Sudanese government, but JEM remains one of the holdout groups.

On Thursday, the government's news agency reported that Sudan's intelligence chief called on Southern Sudan to arrest Darfur rebels hiding in the semiautonomous region. The agency also reported that National Security and Intelligence Service chief Lt. Gen. Mohammed Atta Almawla said some Darfur rebel leaders were in Northern Bahr Gazal state and two main towns in Southern Sudan. The report did not say which group the rebels belonged to.

Sudan: SLM’s Al-Nur arrives in Kenya - Darfur’s Minnawi distances himself from security arrangements accord? (Update 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid J. Jones) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 08:08:00 +0000

NOTE to self. In my view, France-based Sudan Tribune and Netherlands-based Radio Dabanga* come across as anti- Arab, anti-Northern Sudanese and anti-Northern Government. Their websites seem to serve as megaphones for rebel news reports and other anti-Northern Sudanese propaganda. To be fair, the people behind the websites appear to work very hard and probably (but mistakingly) believe that the news they are broadcasting is unbiased and in the best interests of the Sudanese (except for the Northerners, which I think is grossly unfair, biased and racist, especially considering the fact that Radio Dabanga claims to promote professional and unbiased journalism). So far, I have been unable to verify the following reports published at Sudan Tribune and Radio Dabanga (reportedly run by Darfuris for Darfuris) but am filing them here for future reference along with several related reports for future reference.

*Excerpts from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, re Radio Dabanga:

Reporting
Radio Dabanga reports from inside Sudan and elsewhere. It produces independent news and relevant information for people of Darfur, including internally displaced persons and refugees. The editorial team operates out of facilities at Radio Netherlands Worldwide, a public radio and television network based in the city of Hilversum [1]. The radio station maintains correspondents in the field. Audience participation is another important source of information since listeners call the radio studios in Hilversum with their own stories and tips. Audience research conducted from September to October 2009 found that next to the state-run Radio Omdurman, Radio Dabanga was the most listened to radio station in all of Darfur [2].

Supporters
Radio Dabanga is a project of the Radio Darfur Network, a coalition of Sudanese journalists and international (media) development organizations, supported by a consortium of international donors, humanitarian organizations and local NGOs. Radio Dabanga is conceived, operated and facilitated by Press Now in the Netherlands [3]. The NGO Press Now maintains an informational website for its Dutch supporters and an educational website (in Dutch) featuring a game "On the Ground Reporter" about Radio Dabanga, with the aim of teaching about Darfur and efforts to support journalism there.

- - -

SLM’s Al-Nur arrives in Kenya for consultations on peace in Darfur
Source: Sudan Tribune - www.sudantribune.com
Date: Monday, 22 November 2010

(Khartoum, Sudan) - Rebel leader Abdel Wahid Al-Nur arrived Sunday evening in the Kenyan capital Nairobi days before a consultative meeting on peace in Darfur he plans to hold in Paris.

Abdel Wahid Al-Nur

Speaking from Nairobi, the leader of the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) told Sudan Tribune that he came to Nairobi because he needs to conduct wide consultations with many members from his group who cannot take part in the SLM leadership meeting.

"The discussions I have to hold here and in another African capital aim mainly to prepare Paris meeting," Nur said. "One can understand easily that all the leading members of the Movement cannot be there," he stressed.

Last week a SLM spokesperson and a IDPs representative told Sudan Tribune that consultations have been kicked off inside Sudan and abroad under the leadership of the SLM’s chairman and urged regional and international support to their efforts for peace in the restive region of Darfur.

The rebel leader who is based in Paris said he will return very soon to the French capital to achieve the ongoing preparations for a gathering that will debate on ways to reach a peaceful settlement to the seven year conflict in Darfur.

Abdel Wahid is the founder the first armed movement, SLM, which rebelled in February 2003. He refused to engage peace talks with the Sudanese government since the failure of Abuja peace talks in May 2006.

The rebel leader says he wants the government to provide security to the civilians in the troubled region by disarming the janjaweed militias and implementing a ceasefire agreement signed in April 2004. He also asks the return of IDPs to their homeland.

Nur, who used to meet regularly with the Joint Chief Mediators, met last July with the Qatari state minister for foreign affairs and pledged to consider the participation of his group in the peace process.

He also holds regular discussions on the need to achieve peace in Darfur with the French officials who recently accepted the organization in Paris of a meeting for the SLM leading figures.

Abdel Wahid said he is "very grateful for the French government’s" support to his efforts for peace in Darfur and allowing him to gather his group in Paris.

"I also call on all those who want to see a genuine and lasting peace in Darfur to support our efforts in this regard," he said. "We are peace lovers and we want a sustainable peace achieving the demands of Darfur people for security and development," he stressed.

He further dismissed reports that his trip to Kenya aims only to conclude new alliance with other rebel groups and Minni Minnawi in order to wage war against Khartoum with the support of southern Sudan ruling party, the SPLM.

"Military solution will not end the conflict," he said.

He continued to say that all his discussions with the head of southern Sudan president and the SPLM leader were only about peace in Darfur. (ST)

Copy of two comments posted at Sudan Tribune:

23 November 04:46, by Anyang
Hello Al-Nur,
You have to keep the necessary pressure on your enemy inorder to win the war no matter how hard and tedious its might be.
- - -

23 November 06:56, by DASODIKO
Nur well done Its a time for the unification of the people of the margin after long been discorded by the centeral governemnts in Khartoum. We must come back to each other, those who are gainst our unification are those who want to steal the resources of our people and at last kick us out of Sudan to bring new settlers to change the social demography and establish Arab-Islamic nation in Sudan, which will be named land of children of Goreesh 2.
- - -

Darfur’s Minnawi distances himself from security arrangements accord
Source: Sudan Tribune - www.sudantribune.com
Date: Tuesday, 23 November 2010

(Khartoum, Sudan) – The head of Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) faction Minni Arcua Minnawi announced today his rejection of the security arrangements accord signed with Khartoum last month and accusing the government of seeking to disarm his forces in order to kill the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) signed in Abuja four years ago.

Sudanese former rebel leader Minni Minawi (AFP)

Minnawi told the independent Al-Sahafa daily by phone from Juba that the Sudanese government has only implemented 15% of the DPA with no progress on power and wealth sharing, Darfur-Darfur dialogue and security arrangements. He added that all these items had to be implemented simultaneously.

He accused the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) headed by president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir of refusing to abide by the terms of the DPA and further stressed that Khartoum is abandoning the peace agreement in favor of its new Darfur strategy.

There was no explanation for why SLM figures signed the security arrangements despite Minnawi’s disapproval.

Minnawi’s announcement drew strong rebuke from Khartoum.

The pro-government Sudanese Media Center (SMC) quoted the commissioner for security arrangements at the executive transitional authority of Darfur Lieutenant General Mohamed Mustafa Al-Dabi as saying that Minnawi has "betrayed" the DPA and is wasting time.

Al-Dabi said that the government is "very serious" about the DPA as evident by his presence in Darfur awaiting Minnawi and his troops to begin implementing the security arrangements.

"If the government wants to blow up the Abuja [Agreement] through the new Darfur strategy or the Doha negotiations as Minni Arcua says then what keeps me in Darfur to enforce the security arrangements?" he asked.

Darfur has been gripped by a civil war since 2003 that has killed 300,000 people and displaced another 2.7 million, according to UN figures. Khartoum says 10,000 people have died in the conflict.

Currently the government is negotiating with the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM), an assortment of small dissenting factions cobbled together under Libyan and US auspices and led by Al-Tigani Al-Sissi. The two sides signed a ceasefire agreement last March and are now working on sealing a comprehensive peace accord.

However observers say that LJM has little presence on the ground and peace can only be achieved by bringing in the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) headed by Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) led by Khalil Ibrahim. Both movements remain outside the peace talks in Qatar. (ST)

Copy of a comment posted at the article:

23 November 06:58, by Mach Achiek
Dear Darfuris,

Opportunity is in the making, in the event of South independent, you must unite all your ranks and wage a shaken up war to be granted a right for self determination not to become a sovereign state, but to choose either to remain in the North or join the newly independent South.

This strategy if adopted by the remaining Negroes of the North; then the self claimed black Arabs will be left with a small strip of land that exactly resemble Gaza. In this situation, we can unleash Rwanda94 against them overnight and a pure African state shall emerge.
- - -

UPDATE 1 - Tuesday, 23 November 2010

Abdel Wahid Nour expected to arrive in Juba
Source: Radio Miraya FM - www.mirayafm.org
Date: Tuesday, 23 November 2010 21:18. Copy in full:

A highly reliable source from the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) Abdel Wahid Mohammed Nour faction has said that Abdel Wahid is expected to arrive in Juba on Tuesday.

Speaking to Radio Miraya, the source said that the visit aims at discussing the future of the SLM with the leadership of the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) after separation, adding that the two sides will also discuss Darfur issue.

He added that the SLM is having strategic relations with the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement (SPLM).

- - -

Further Reading

Sudan's ex SLA rebel leader Minni Minnawi signed Darfur Peace Agreement security deal on Saturday, 30 Oct. 2010
Source: Sudan Watch - sudanwatch.blogspot.com
Date: Monday, 01 November 2010
- - -

Nubia America: We can remove the Khartoum regime in ten hours
Source: SUDANJEM.COM website- www.sudanjem.com
Date: Monday, 22 November 2010, 9:40 am.

Arabic to English translation
Nubia America: We can remove the Khartoum regime in ten hours
And the great march in Washington on December 16, will be critical
America: The agencies / approved 15/11/2010

In the framework of the options open to the people of the Nuba Mountains / South Kordofan in the light of the current political and geographical arena of Sudan and the intransigence of the National Congress in the implementation of Brtakul the Nuba Mountains, and even mobilized tens of thousands of armies Almdhudp the latest weapons and the means of movement next to the militias as a violation of a clear and explicit arrangements for security in the province, and work the implementation of the extermination of other ethnic, especially after he fired the Khartoum regime with the people of the region the name of the southern neo-through an official letter was invited to recruit young heart to control them through the military orders, and pressure to displace the intellectuals and educated people of the province, with cut off all means of communication bout with the Diaspora.

After receipt of the fine details of the scheme of National Congress towards the Nuba Mountains held the sons of the Nuba Mountains, around the world and especially in America and Brtania, France, Netherlands, Norway, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Japan, Canada, Australia and some Arab and African countries a number of calls about the report the fate of the people of the Nuba Mountains as an option or the state of western Sudan, or regime change as fast as they are to maintained by the Taliban and Saddam Hussein to preserve what remains of Sudan, after being assured that the desire of the sons of South Sudan in the separation and independence, as well as could the possibility of half the people of the Nuba Mountains and Darfur and Kordofan and eastern Sudan, Blue Nile and the Nubians and the rest of the marginalized as long as this system continues in power and the extremist mentality.

People of the Nuba Mountains through the big move, which led them in circles in America last October gave the National Congress until mid-December to fulfill the implementation of the peace agreement, including security arrangements and the withdrawal of troops from the province and the elections and the achievement of the popular consultation and the exchange office of the Governor and to bring war criminals to justice global and other issues, and have handed over official letters to the U.S. administration and Congress and the UN and the EU Summit and a number of human rights organizations about it, including the right to self-determination and have the responses were positive and very encouraging.

And in the grand march expected in Washington on December 16, 2010 and which Sttov of Foreign Affairs and the White House and Congress, which will include a large number of people from the Nuba Mountains of all the United States, Canada, and Aruba, and along with interviews important for policymakers and the perpetrators of U.S. decisions, and all groups pressure, will the sons of the Nuba Mountains, the proposal has been discussed before with a number of officials the need for U.S. military intervention direct-flights with specific goals and painted to hit the Khartoum regime, and stressed the readiness of the 2000 youth of the sons of the Nuba Mountains, the Americans training Kqguat especially for landing in the capital Khartoum after air cover over the plan to remove its in less than ten hours, and the alliance with all forces of the margin and Democrats to build a democratic Sudan of values and the human rights internationally recognized, and to provide junta National Congress of the trials of domestic and international, and it is a last resort in light of the intransigence of National Congress and prevarication in the application of all the consensus reached. The continuation of this status quo will lead to a worst Sudan from Somalia. And the sons of the Nuba Mountains said they would not have been fighting in the parties because experience has shown that the problem is and Mspbhe in Khartoum and must be the change from Khartoum. He also noted the sons of the Nuba Mountains countries of the Diaspora that they did not migrate applications in finance or roaming and to reflect the issue but their own people, who sacrificed himself in order to keep the Nuba Mountains, next to the education of their children to carry the banner of struggle until we achieve justice, freedom and democracy.

He also stressed the sons of the Nuba Mountains, the long silence dictated by their wisdom, which are characterized by and is one of the tops of courage possessed by the people of the Nuba Mountains, and here they are sending out a message to those who did not read the history and civilization, and boldly and tournaments the people of the Nuba Mountains or readers mistake or are not in-depth , they read or re-read the history of old and its middle and modern and contemporary, as announced by the sons of the Nuba Mountains the patience and silence within, and here they are Ielnoha Adap either built the rest of the Sudan the foundations of new and re-structuring of the state and its wealth and either the flood. This generation is the strain of the same heroes who founded the country’s shift the great later known as the Sudan and they are able to bring those glory days and as they are descendants of Abdul Latif and wonder, and Almiraoy and Gboc and Joseph Koh, who canceled the concepts of fear and cowardice of the manifesto struggle and killed and their heads held high.

On the other hand that the youth of the mountains that prompted the implementation of the peace agreement did not mean the procedures and elections a sham or fake and discuss the popular consultation to see the center, but must check the expectations required for the people of the Territory all Otnyate colors and nice political calling for international monitoring actors of the electoral process, and perhaps the reality of Blue Nile, fully reflects the total disregard of Khartoum in the implementation of the popular consultation, as the region was elected Governor and Legislative Council, the regional since last April and that the Commission entrusted with the negotiations center around the vision and the demands of the people of the region, but Khartoum has turned a blind eye in the creation of the commission, should be proceed in negotiations with the Office of the Blue Nile.

And on the other hand, called former U.S. envoy to Sudan Andrew Natios last month hit the air if the Khartoum regime’s intransigence in implementing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, including the referendum for southern Sudan and Abyei and implementation of Bertokoly Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile. Also issued Sen. John Danforth and General Smboy two communities in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in a joint statement several months ago stern warning to the Khartoum government of the seriousness of the partial approach to the peace agreement and ignoring protocols is an important and Brtakul the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile and Abyei. He also urged last week, former U.S. envoy to Sudan, touch U.S. President Obama Pallaivae promise which he promised American voters in May 2008 put an end to genocide, ethnic in Sudan and make Darfur prohibited warplanes government and the implementation of all elements of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, and urged him to intervene military and air real-time if called it.

According to analysts, and military and international security that the change of the Khartoum regime militarily would be much easier of the two regimes of Saddam and the Taliban if the system Etsitr on the capital Khartoum just a security and any loss and rally popular support in all regions of Sudan, especially the margin, in addition to the political powers North opposition stands against him in Khartoum and the sites influence the other, as the system is isolated internationally, including from the surrounding countries, whether Arab or African, and all of which have special relations with the West, especially America, and that the unresponsiveness of the system in to bring war criminals to the International Tribunal and non-implementation of the peace treaty, signed by manipulating the issue of Darfur and to repress freedoms, especially press, along with its status as a sponsor of terrorism will make the implementation of the idea to change the international first choice if the situation continues as it is now.

Therefore appealed to the sons and daughters of the Nuba Mountains, USA and Canada all to participate actively in this important historical event, which will open new horizons for the people of the region and puts an end to the genocide planned by the National Congress, and restore the region and its people to signed the historic leadership. Attention is also invited the sons of the Nuba Mountains, each marginalized from the east and Darfur, Kordofan and Blue Nile and the Nubians of Southern Sudan and all political forces calling for diverse and democratic Sudan to participate in this important event. It also commends the people of the Nuba Mountains, the initiative forces the margin of the signing of a document of a joint work in sync with the grand march, in addition to the approval of many human rights organizations and some activists and pressure groups, the U.S. and some jurists who have expressed their desire to participate actively to support the cause of the people of the Nuba Mountains. As many of you will Aleclat and various media coverage of this important event.
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DARFUR'S JEM CALLS FOR A DECENTRALISED FEDERAL "UNITED STATES OF SUDAN" AS THE ONLY SOLUTION TO SUDAN'S PROBLEMS

#Darfur's JEM calls for a decentralized federal "United States of Sudan" as the only solution to Sudan's problems.
http://bit.ly/bZeIzy (AR)
Source: Twitter - http://twitter.com/simsimt/status/5941388235505665
Date: Saturday, 20 November 2010 via Twitter for iPhone
Author: simsimt Usamah
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http://www.sudanjem.com/2009/archives/37966/ar/
الولايات السودانية المتحدة: المخرج للمشاكل المعقدة
Source: SUDANJEM.COM website - www.sudanjem.com
Date: Saturday 20 November 2010, 11:27 am
Copy in full:

الولايات السودانية المتحدة
المخرج للمشاكل المعقدة

لا يمكن الوصول لبقيتنا ووجهتنا الصحيحة إلأ بالخروج من نفق النفاق السياسي والإعتراف بشجاعة عن العجز والتقصير ، والإبتعاد عن التخبط فى إ رتجال ردود الأفعال الآنـية ، ولابد من إشراك جميع المواطنين فى صنع القرار بمنتهى الحرية والشفافية والتى من شأنها رفع شأو المواطن والمحافظة على الوطن من التقلم والتشرزم وذلك بغض النظر عن الإعتبارات العرقية والدينية والثقافية ، وكل مواطن حــر ما لم يضـر ، هو مواطن صالح سيستجيب للواجبات مادامت حقوقه مستوفاه ، من صحة وتعليم وخدمات وحرية تعبير تؤدي لإصلاح أو كشف فساد رقم مهم فى تنمية البلاد الإيجابية يجب المحافظة عليها والتشجيع عليها مع التحفيز.
ومن المستحيل عمليآ حل مشكلة المشاركة السياسية عن طريق الإنتقائية وتجزئة الديموقراطية فى وطن مثل السودان متباين الأعراق واللهجات والثقافات والأعراف ، ومعظم النقابات والمجالس المحلية والنيابية والنقابية والإتحادات الطلابية واللجان على تباينها مجردة من أي سلطة فعلية ومشاركة واقعية إلا أن تمر بمصفاة البيروقراطية الحاكمة بإسم الديمقراطية أو بإسم الدين وبعدها تمرحل وترحل القرارات ووجهات النظر فماوافق منها قبل وماخالف منها زجر ومنجاهر برأي صائب لايتوافق معهم نكل به 00000000000 أو قُتـل .
كما لم تعد هنالك فائدة تُرجـى بالإستنجاد بالسلطة لحل وحسم المشاكل الناجمة عن التعقيدات فى التباين والتداخل الإجتماعى ، ولذا كان من الضرورى والحتمي الحث والتشجيع لحماية الحريات العامة وخاصة حرية التعبير ، وإستبدال الأطر القديمة والإنفتاح على العالم بروح المصالح المشتركة ومواكبة التطور أفقيآ ورأسيآ ، وقد غابت العوامل الأساسية فى ظل الوضع الحالى ، ومنها على سبيل المثال إفتقاد القدره على الفهم والتفسير فى كل لحظة أين وصل التطور الإجتماعى وما هى التغيرات التى طرأت على المجتمع فى حركته الموضوعية ، وبالتالى ما هى التغيرات التى حدثت فى ميدان العلاقات السياسية وفى وعـى وإستيعاب المواطنين ومدى إرتباطها بالعالم الخارجى وتاثيرها إيجابآ والفوائد التى جنيناها منها وكيفية معالجة السلبيات فى حينها ، وإنطلاقآ من هذا التحليل يتوجب علينا أن نفهم ماهية الحقيقة لمكاننا ودورنا المحلى والإقليمى والدولي وتحديد سياسة سلمية على ضوء تلك النتائج .
إن حياتنا الإجتماعية فى السودان تتطلب وجود منظمات سياسية وإقتصادية وعمالية وإدارية وفنية وإعلامية وزراعية وهندسية وصناعية وتربوية وطبية وعسكرية وتكنولوجية متخصصة ، ومن زبدتها نستخلص المعنى الحقيقى للمشكلات الإجتماعية وأعنى الإجتماعية لأن إنسان السودان هو الهدف والمعني بالتقدم او التخلف الإستقرار أو الإطّراب التوحد أو الإنفصال ، والهدف من ذلك وضع دولة السودان وولاياتها المتحدة فدراليآ على بداية الطريق الديمقراطي الصحيح والذى بدوره يمهد لنمو الإقتصاد مما ينتج عنه تحسن دخل مستوى الطبقة البروتارية وهى الغالبه والمقلوبة على أمرها حتى نصل لمرحلة الإستقرار الإقتصادى والمتنامي كي تلتحم لحمة التعايش السلمى بالتمتع والمشاركة فى السلطة والثروة والقرار ، ولايتمذلك إلا فى ظل نظام سياسى منتخب بحرية ونزاهة ، لتمكين أسس ومبادئ الحرية والعدالة والمساواة على أرضية حكم فدرالى حقيقى .
وجل مشاكل السودان إقتصادية وسياسية ودينية ، ولايمكن حلها إلا بتطبيق النظام الفيدرالى بحيث تكون كل الولايات فى وضعها الحقوقى مستقلة إستقلالآ كاملآ وذاتيآ على أساس اللامركزية إذ تساهم هذه الولايات فى تأليف الإدارة القومية المشتركة فى السلطة الإتحادية المركزية وتمتاز بالصفات الأتـية
1/ ذات دستور وتتمتع بالشخصية الحقوقية وبالسلطة العامة.
2/ تتم الرابطة بين الولايات التى تؤلف إتحادآ فدراليآ بواسطة دستور إتحادى Constitution fedrate
3/ السيادة الخارجية تمثلها حكومة الإتحاد المركزية ويبقى لكل ولاية إتحادية الحق فى ممارسة السيادة الداخلية المطلقة وذلك فى كل النظم السياسية والإدارية والإقتصادية ويتم إنتخاب النواب والحكام والوزراء من غير وصاية أو تدخل أو تعديل من حكومة الإتحاد المركزية .
4/ يحق لكل ولاية عمل دستور وقوانين محلية تتناسب مع طبيعة مجتمع الولاية .
5/ أن تتألف السلطة التشريعية الإتحادية من مجلسين الأول يمثل الولايات بممثلين دائمين فى المركز وبصورة متساوية لهم نفس الحقوق وعليهم نفس الواجبات إزاء الإتحاد ، والمجلس الثاني نيابي ويمثل الشعب عامة فيكون تمثيل جميع الولايات السودانية المتحدة فدراليآ ، أو كونفدراليآ فيه
6/ السلطة القضائية الإتحادية تتجلّى بمحكمة عليا Superme court ، وتكون ذات إختصاص شمولى وداخلى ودستورى كي تفصل فى النزاعات التى تنشأ بين الولايات فى بعضها أو بين الولايات وحكومة المركزويكون لها الحق المطلق والدستورى فى إستدعاء الرئيس أو الوزراء أو النواب فى حال وجود مظالم خاصة أو عامة أو فساد إدارى أو مالى بالنسبة للرئيس والحكام والوزراء وكل من يشغل منصب حساس أو رفيع فى القطاع المدني والعسكري وما يشمل التلاعب بالمال العام وضياع الحقوق بالرشاوي وإستغلال المنصب ، مع رفع كامل الحصانة حتى يكون الحق له أو عليه
7/ ينطلق نظام الإتحاد الفدرالي السوداني إستنادآ على الرئاسي عن طريق الإنتخاب الحر النزيه والذى ينطلق من حيث التقاليد نظام الحكم الإجتماعية والأخلاق السودانية الأصيلةوالقوانين المرعية فيه .
8/ أي نظام حكم يتم بطريقة غير شرعية يعتبر حكمآ باطلآ ويتم وئده فى مهده بالعصيان المدني الشمولي ومحاكمة منفذيه .
9/ بالنسبة للثروة فلكل ولاية الأولوية فى ثروتها بالإكتفاء والتنمية الرأسية ، وفائضميزانية المركز تركز على الولايات الأقل نموآ لإستثمار ثروتها والإعتماد على نفسها فى شكل معونات مالية مستردة بغير فوائد والعائد من أرباح رأس المال يعود للولاية نفسها .
10/ يحق لكل الحكومات الولائية الفدرالية بعقد الصفقات مع الشركات العربية والأجنبية دون إستثناء وخلق قنوات إستقطاب لتدفق رأس المال الأجنبي للإستثمار فى تلك الولاية مع تبسيط قوانين الإستثمار المشجعة والمحفزة للغير .
11/ القاعدة الثابته فى التعيين لتولى المناصب السياسية والإدارية والتشريعية تنطلق من ثلاثة محاور
أ/ الكفآءة
ب/ الترشيح أو الإنتخاب المباشرمن الشعب
ج/ الولأء للوطن
12/ يعد غياب التنظيمات النسائية المتخصصة والتى هى شريحة مهمة وأساسية وحساسة فى تحريك دولاب الحياة برفوفها المتباينة ، يعتبر خسارة عظمى وتأخر للأمـه ، فإذا لم تحوز المرأة على حقوقها كاملة فليس هنالك إذآ مجالآ للحديث عن
الديموقراطية وحقوق النساء الإنسانية للوصول للتطور والمساواة .
13/ لغرب الوطن المنهك والمنتهك حقوقآ مسلوبة لم تؤدى إليهم فى مجالي السلطة والثروة وحريةإتخاذ القرار فى ظل معمعة الحلول الجزئية والمؤقتة ، ونطالب بحق ممارستهم الكاملة لحقوقهم الوطنية والإنسانية من غير وصاية أو إستقطاب أو ضغط ، للخروج من العمليات غير الإنسانية والإنطلاق لرحاب العدل والإيثار والمساواة ، وذلك لخلق أجيال آمنة مؤمنة ومواكبة للحضارة الإنسانية تأثيرآ وتطورآ .
14/ الإهتمام بتنمية الإنسان قبل تنمية الجيوب والنظام .
15/ نؤمن بأن السودان ملئ بالكفآءآت المخلصة من الجنوب والغرب والشرق والشمال فواجب دستوري ووطنى المحافظة عليهم وتكريمهم والإستئناس برأيهم كل فى تخصصه .
16/ أي نظام لم يستطع حل مشاكل السودانيين حلآ سلميآ وعادلآ فهو نظامآ فاشيآ وفاشلآ يجب أن يزول ويسلم كل زول .
17/ ندعو لسيادة القانون وحرية الرأي وإرجاع الحقوق التى سلبت بغير وجه حق لأهلها أو البدل المجزي لحياة كريمة .
18/ لضمان أن يكون جميع السودانيين مشاركين فى الحكم الرئاسى يتم إنتخاب رئيس للسودان كل أربع أو خمس سنوات من ولاية تمثل اهلها ويتم ذلك بالقرعة ، فمثلآ إذا وقعت القرعه للأربع سنوات الأولى على شرق السودان فيتم تعيين الرئيس منها
بترشيح المجلس النيابي ، وتكون القرعة التالية على ثلاثة أو أربع ولايات تمثل الغالبية وذلك على التوالى فتارة رئيس من الجنوب والغرب والشمال والوسط ، وبذا يكون جميع أهل السودان معنيين بتقاسم السلطة والثروة والتعايش السلمى تحت مظلة العدالة الشمولية .
19/ إلغاء عرف عفى الله عما سلف فى نهب المال العام ويتم إسترداده لخزينة الولايات السودانية المتحدة .
20/ والمتوقع فى حالة دفن الرءؤس فى الرمال سنجد السودان تجزأ الى خمس دول بفعل التهشيم والتعتيم، شئنا أم أبينا .
na_313@hotmail.com

تعليقات حول الموضوع

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From SUDANJEM.COM website - www.sudanjem.com
Copy of current About page:

The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) is a rebel group involved in the Darfur conflict of Sudan. It is led by Khalil Ibrahim. Along with other rebel groups such as the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), they are fighting against the Sudanese National Islamic Front government. The JEM is also a member of the Eastern Front, a rebel coalition formerly active in the east of Sudan along the Eritrean border. After the Eastern Front signed a peace deal with the central government, the JEM lost access to its funding from Eritrea.

The JEM traces its foundation to the writers of the Black Book, a manuscript published in 2000 that details the structural inequity in the country. JEM espouses an Islamist ideology, and the government links the group to Hassan al-Turabi, although leaders of the group and Turabi himself deny the claim.[1] However, al-Turabi blames the government for “aggravating the situation.”

On January 20, 2006, the Justice and Equality Movement declared a merger with the Sudan Liberation Movement, along with other rebel groups, to form the Alliance of Revolutionary Forces of West Sudan. However, the JEM and SLM negotiated as separate groups with peace talks with the government in May 2006.

In October of 2007, the JEM attacked the Defra oilfield in the Kordofan region of Sudan. The Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Company, a Chinese-led consortium, controls the field. The next month, a group of 135 Chinese engineers arrived in Darfur to work on the Defra field. Ibrahim told reporters, “We oppose them coming because the Chinese are not interested in human rights. It is just interested in Sudan’s resources.” The JEM claims that the revenue from oil sold to China funds the Sudanese government and the Janjaweed militia.[2]

On the morning of December 11, 2007, Khalil Ibrahim claimed that JEM forces fought and defeated Sudanese government troops guarding a Chinese-run oilfield in the Kordofan region. Khartoum officials, however, denied that any oil fields had come under attack. Ibrahim said that the attack was part of a JEM campaign to rid Sudan of Chinese-run oilfields and stated that “[The JEM] want all Chinese companies to leave. They have been warned many times. They should not be there.”[3]

On May 11, 2008 JEM attacked the Sudanese capital of Khartoum. The government declared victory, saying that the attack had been repelled and leading members of the group had been killed, although the JEM said that the attack was successful. Eltahir Elkaki, the General Secretary of JEM’s legislative council, vowed that the war would henceforth be fought across the country, saying that “We haven’t changed our tactics. From the beginning, Jem is a national movement and it has a national agenda.”[4] Khalil Ibrahim declared that “This is just the start of a process and the end is the termination of this regime”.[5]

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UPDATE 2 - Wednesday, 24 November 2010

SLM chief travels to Kenya for meetings on Darfur peace
Source: Radio Dabanga website
Date: Wednesday, 24 November 2010

(NAIROBI) - Abdel Wahed Mohamed Ahmed Al Nur, founder and president of the Sudan Liberation Movement, held consultations with other leaders of his movement in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. Al Nur arrived there from Paris at the start of a tour to a number of African capitals, including Juba, to conduct wide-ranging consultations on the peace process and its future for Darfur.

The rebel leader told Radio Dabanga from Nairobi that the goal of the tour is to have meetings and consultation for peace and unity of the movement. He said that the consultations would also involve Sudanese political forces. He said that such meetings would culminate in a consultative meeting to be held in the beinning of next month in Paris.

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Interview: Minawi lashes out at NCP, proposes new Sudan regime
Source: Radio Dabanga website
Date: Wednesday, 24 November 2010

(Juba, S. Sudan) - Minni Arko Minawi, ex-rebel faction leader of the Sudan Liberation Army, lashed out at the National Congress Party and its leadership, describing them as corrupt and racist. The president of the Sudan Liberation Movement and the former chief aide to the president – a position he held as part of a peace deal – said the NCP wants to destroy Sudan and divide it into different states. Minawi called on all Sudanese to bring about the end of the National Congress Party and replace it with a new transitional government to save the Sudan. He proposed that the new government should consist of all parties and said that the task of this interim government would be to solve the problems of Sudan of development, form a new constitution for the country, and organize elections.

Minawi also replied to a group of ex-rebels, claiming to be from his faction, who had announced his ouster earlier this month. Those who issued the statement of his dismissal had already been separated from the movement, he said. They were prompted by their handlers in the National Congress Party and security services, he suggested.

In an effort to implement the security protocols of the Abuja Peace Agreement, SLM officials in El Fasher last month signed a deal with a government committee headed by Lieutenant General Mohamed Al Dabi. However, this week in an interview with the Al Sahafa daily, Minawi said he rejects the deal. He did not explain why his subordinates had signed it. He told Radio Dabanga yesterday that security arrangements should be the last items in the implementation of the Abuja Agreement, and not the reverse. He said the government and its forces did not stop fighting against the movement since the signing of the Abuja Agreement. He said that the movement will stand by idly if the government chooses to go in this direction [of force]. He also described the ‘model villages’ that the Arab League claimed to have set up in Darfur as mere lies.

Minawi was speaking to Radio Dabanga from Juba where he has taken up residence.

Sudanese in Kenya register for referendum

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid J. Jones) — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 16:11:00 +0000

REGISTRATION is ongoing for Sudanese nationals residing in Kenya in readiness for the Southern Sudan Referendum.

The exercise organized by the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission (SSRC), a body independent from the governments of both Sudan and Southern Sudan started on Monday and will continue till 1 December 2010.

Full story below.

Sudanese in Kenya register for referendum
Source: KBC - Kenya Broadcasting Corporation - www.kbc.co.ke
Author: Rose Kamau
Date: Saturday, 20 November 2010

Registration is ongoing for Sudanese nationals residing in Kenya in readiness for the Southern Sudan Referendum.

The exercise organized by the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission (SSRC), a body independent from the governments of both Sudan and Southern Sudan started on Monday and will continue till 1 December 2010.

The organization has opened six referendum centres and two sub-centres in Dadaab, Eldoret, Kakuma, Kitale, Nairobi and Nakuru.

The SSRC Representative for Kenya, Mr. Achouth Philip Deng who is in the country encouraged eligible voters register in large numbers "to exercise their rights".

"The referendum is a determining event for the people of Southern Sudan; it is an opportunity for us to influence our future. All of the Referendum Centres in Kenya are open. The process is inclusive and progressive," said Deng.

"I believe that the Southern Sudanese population in Kenya will take advantage and come out to register this weekend. I urge all Referendum staff to double efforts to register as many Sudanese as possible, especially students, while they have the chance to be away from their classes," he added.

Deng said the organization has received assistance from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in facilitating the exercise to ensure many Sudanese residents register and participate in the referendum.

Southern Sudan will hold a referendum on whether or not it should remain as a part of Sudan on 9 January 2011.

This is part of the 2005 Naivasha Agreement between the Khartoum central government and the Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M).

A simultaneous referendum will be held in Abyei on whether the region should become part of Southern Sudan.

Kenya's ICJ moves to court to seek Bashir’s arrest

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid J. Jones) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 16:56:00 +0000

NOTE to self for future reference. Weird timing on ICJ's part. Who is behind it and why? Today, this blog's parent site Sudan Watch has received quite a few visitors searching for news re tanks shipped by MV Faina. Check out Sudan Watch, 19 July 2009 - MV Faina cargo: 100 tanks were ordered by Government of South Sudan - and, at the end of the story, click on FAINA label to view a series of news reports filed 02 October 2008 - 19 February 2010.
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Kenya's ICJ moves to court to seek Bashir's arrest
Source: The East African - www.theeastafrican.co.ke
Author: Jillo Kadida
Date: Thursday, 18 November 2010 at 18:44

Photo: President Al Bashir arrives for the promulgation of Kenya's new constitution at Uhuru Park, Nairobi on August 27, 2010. His visit sparked outrage among Kenyan leaders and the international community. Photo/STEPHEN MUDIARI

The Kenyan Section of the International Commission of Jurists has moved to court seeking a warrant of arrest against Sudan president Omar Al Bashir.

The commission filed a case at the High Court in Nairobi yesterday seeking a provisional arrest warrant against Al Bashir.

Mr Al Bashir has been indicted by the International Criminal Court for genocide crimes committed in Sudan. The court also issued two warrants of arrest which have never been effected.

The jurists’ organization says Al Bashir is likely to visit Kenya in November or near future and his presence in the country would be a violation of the law.

ICJ also wants the court to order Ministry of Internal Security to effect the arrest warrant when Al Bashir sets foot in Kenya.

The ICJ Kenyan Chapter blames the Kenya Government for failing to arrest Al Bashir when he visited Kenya on August 27 2010 during the promulgation of the new constitution.

The organization says the Government in utter disregard of its obligation under international law failed to arrest Al Bashir despite the existence of two warrants of arrest issued by ICC.

Last month President Al Bashir was expected to visit Kenya to attend the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (Igad) meeting but this was moved at the last minute following fears that he might be arrested.

The meeting was transferred to African Union headquarters in Ethiopia following a letter from the ICC to the government of Kenya.

In its letter the court called for arrest of Mr Al Bashir in the event he turned up for the conference.

A statement from the ICC Registrar, Ms Silvana Arbia, had said: “The International Criminal Court requested the Republic of Kenya to inform the Chamber, no later than 29 October, about any problem which would impede or prevent the arrest and surrender of Omar al-Bashir in the event that he visits the country on 30 October, 2010.”

Yesterday after hearing the case filed by ICJ High Court Judge, Nicholas Ombija directed that the suit papers be served on the Attorney General.

The parties will appear before him for hearing next Tuesday.

Sudan: Why Citizens Should Encourage Sudan Unity and Not Disintegration

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid J. Jones) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 18:18:00 +0000

The concept of joining ranks and formation of regional and continental blocks is gaining momentum and support throughout the entire world (e.g. the European Union, the Russian Federation and the US), among them the most wealthy and powerful nations.

So why should we turn against this global trend and preach for separation and disintegration of our least developed of African countries into smaller and weaker states, while real empowerment and development lies in unity and more unity?

Full story below.

Sudan: Why Citizens Should Encourage Sudan Unity and Not Disintegration
Source: The Nation (Nairobi) - www.nation.co.ke
Opinion piece by Sonaya Abdelsadig
Date: Friday, 29 October 2010

Nairobi — A recent trend in Kenya and East Africa in general tends to favour the partitioning of Africa's biggest nation into two parts, claiming that the emerging "independent" state in the South should be purely African and Christian and that East Africans should enjoy the oil wealth of Southern Sudan.

Firstly, speaking about independence for Southern Sudan is fallacy because historically, the South has never been a colony to the North, but an integral part and parcel of one country regardless of disparity in development standards resulting from many historical factors and political mistakes committed by various actors.

These errors are being addressed and sorted out in numerous conferences and meetings with one culminating in the signing of the historical Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in Nairobi in 2005.

Ethnic and religious diversity was never the cause of the civil war but a mix of multiple factors.

It is misinformation to claim that since East Africa, and especially Kenya, is predominately a Christian society, the views of an estimated 4.3 million Muslims in the country, whose point of view was not taken into consideration in this regard should be ignored.

The same criteria should be applied on South Sudan Muslims.

Somalia, for instance, is an ethnically and religiously unified country; nevertheless that unity did not protect the state against total collapse and continuous bloodshed between brother and sister.

The belief that in order to achieve full benefits from the oil wealth in South Sudan the country should be disintegrated contradicts reality and solid figures.

Since the signing of the CPA in Nairobi that brought an end to hostilities between the warring parties, an estimated number of Kenyans ranging between fifty and seventy thousand, with a sizeable fraction of them in Juba, are working and doing business throughout Southern Sudan and within the unified Sudan, without the slightest objection from the North.

Kenya does not need to disintegrate the million square-mile neighbour in order to sustain her growing benefits.

The number of Kenyan companies and banks operating in the South is the highest outside Kenya and the number is growing at a rapid rate.

The famous Nakumatt Supermarket has announced plans to venture into the region by the end of the year.

The training of civil servants, military personnel and people from other spheres of life is done in Kenya while some Kenyan experts are doing the same on the ground in the South.

To claim that Kenya is not in need of the friendship of the North is to ignore the realities of history, geography and the strategic interests of the Kenyan people as was clearly stated by the esteemed government when justifying the receiving of President Al-Bahsir last August during the promulgation of the new Constitution.

Economically speaking, North Sudan is an important and promising market for Kenyan products and industries with the former currently importing seven per cent of Kenyan tea.

The population in the North is four times that of the South. Great human and financial resources, including vast virgin lands and huge rivers are available, offering big economic prospects for all kinds of investments and business ventures.

The Kenyan Government's stand was strong, logical and straightforward while defining those interests and highlighting the historical role played by Kenya as a custodian, guardian and guarantor to the peace process in Sudan, which culminated in the historical CPA -- a noble role that should be continuous and sustainable till the realisation of the whole agreement, including safeguarding, defending and protecting the sovereignty, integrity and unity of Sudan.

The concept of joining ranks and formation of regional and continental blocks is gaining momentum and support throughout the entire world (e.g. the European Union, the Russian Federation and the US), among them the most wealthy and powerful nations.

So why should we turn against this global trend and preach for separation and disintegration of our least developed of African countries into smaller and weaker states, while real empowerment and development lies in unity and more unity?

Hat tip: Allafrica.com

ICC Ocampo: Violence it is not a ticket to power, but to The Hague

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid J. Jones) — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 08:14:00 +0000

THE ICC is working towards using the Kenyan case as a deterrent to other African countries against use of violence as a means of getting into power.

Already, officials from the ICC have been to Guinea, which is planning its elections, and Cote d'voire to impress upon the leaders to hold peaceful elections.

"Kenya's case is a signal that if you produce massive violence it is not a ticket to power, but to The Hague," the ICC prosecutor said.

Mr Ocampo, however, admitted that he is working against 'strong elements' who still perpetuate the idea that committing atrocities is a way of gaining power.

Full story below.

Kenya: Four to Stand Hague Trial Over Poll Violence This Year
Report by Daily Nation, Nairobi (reprinted at AllAfrica)
Written by Cosmas Butunyi and Peter Leftie
Originally published on Friday, 22 October 2010. Copy in full:

Nairobi — ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo said on Friday that at least four ODM and PNU officials would appear before him by the end of the year.

"I will present my first two cases this year against two to three individuals from the two different sides," Mr Ocampo said in an interview with the France24 international news channel.

Mr Ocampo said the cases, which would be based on evidence, could involve senior government officials. The ICC is working towards using the Kenyan case as a deterrent to other African countries against use of violence as a means of getting into power.

Already, officials from the ICC have been to Guinea, which is planning its elections, and Cote d'voire to impress upon the leaders to hold peaceful elections.

"Kenya's case is a signal that if you produce massive violence it is not a ticket to power, but to The Hague," the ICC prosecutor said.

Mr Ocampo, however, admitted that he is working against 'strong elements' who still perpetuate the idea that committing atrocities is a way of gaining power.

On the claims by critics that the ICC has focused more on the continent, instead of its global scope, Mr Ocampo said that he took up some of the cases he is handling, such as Uganda, Congo and the Central African Republic upon invitation by the country's leaders.

Mr Ocampo described the case of Sudan President Omar Al Bashir as the 'most complicated' that he is handling. He added: "When the international community is united, it is part of the solution. When it is divided, it is part of the problem."

Record statements

Meanwhile, top security officials in charge of post-election violence hot spots will have to wait a little longer before they can appear before the ICC investigators, it has emerged.

Lawyers representing PCs, DCs and provincial police bosses on Friday said their clients would only appear before ICC detectives once the rules governing the recording of statements are published and the registry set up.

One of the lawyers, Mr Evans Monari, noted that the advocates will need time to consult with their clients before recording statements after the registry is set up.

He said the lawyers expect to have a meeting with the judge appointed by the government to preside over the recording, Justice Kalpana Rawal. "We expect her to call us for a meeting to discuss house keeping issues," the lawyer stated.

The rules state how evidence from witnesses, in this case the top security chiefs, is to be gathered and how notices summoning them to appear before the ICC detectives are to be made.

Justice Rawal is expected to witness the recording of statements from the security chiefs before certifying and handing them to the Attorney-General.

Re post-election violence in Kenya: ICC Ocampo to prosecute six suspects

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid J. Jones) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 20:06:00 +0000

THE 2007/08 post-election violence in Kenya left more than 1,000 people dead and thousands others displaced from their homes.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the International Criminal Court chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo said that he will present two separate cases to judges before the end of the year charging between four and six people he believes "bear the greatest responsibility for the most serious crimes."

In April, Moreno Ocampo said he had a list of 20 possible suspects that included PNU and ODM leaders.

Full story below.

Ocampo to prosecute six post-election suspects
From The Standard (www.standardmedia.co.ke)
Wednesday, 22 September 2010:

The International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo reiterates that he will present two cases against four to six individuals suspected of instigating post-election violence in Kenya.

The 2007/08 post-election violence left more than 1,000 people dead and thousands others displaced from their homes.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Ocampo said that he will present two separate cases to judges before the end of the year charging between four and six people he believes "bear the greatest responsibility for the most serious crimes."

The statement did not mention the names of potential suspects or give more detail on when Ocampo would file the cases to judges at the court, who would have to authorise any arrest warrants.

In April, Moreno Ocampo said he had a list of 20 possible suspects that included PNU and ODM leaders.

Kenya’s commitment to cooperate with ICC was called into question last month when it invited Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir during a visit. Al-Bashir has been indicted for genocide for allegedly masterminding atrocities in Sudan's Darfur region.

Moreno Ocampo underscored in his statement that both Kibaki and Odinga — political rivals in the disputed election that led to the violence — had publicly expressed support for his investigation.

He also said he hopes "the Kenyan justice system will ultimately deal with the many perpetrators that the ICC will not prosecute."

The international tribunal is a court of last resort that takes on cases only when a country is unwilling or unable to bring to justice perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Judges at the court publicly rebuked Kenya in August for failing to arrest al-Bashir, saying the country had "a clear obligation to cooperate" in enforcing arrest warrants.

Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula defended inviting al-Bashir to celebrate Kenya's new constitution, saying the Sudanese president is the "head of state of a friendly neighbour state."

Kenya tells ICC why Bashir was not arrested

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid J. Jones) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 13:49:00 +0000

Kenya's Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetang'ula told the President of the assembly of state parties to the Rome statute of the ICC, Mr Christian Wenaweser that Kenya was bound by African Union's decision not to arrest Bashir.

Photo: Kenya's Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetang'ula

Kenya tells ICC why Bashir was not arrested
From Daily Nation (www.nation.co.ke) by Lucas Barasa
Sunday, September 19 2010 at 13:11

Kenya has explained to the International Criminal Court why it did not arrest Sudan President Omar Bashir when he attended the promulgation of new constitution.

Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetang'ula told the President of the assembly of state parties to the Rome statute of the ICC Mr Christian Wenaweser that Kenya was bound by African Union's decision not to arrest Bashir.

“The minister clarified that the decision not to arrest Bashir was a resolution by the African Union, of which Kenya is also a member, and due to the complexity of the crisis in Darfur, AU was in agreement that arresting Bashir during this critical period towards a referendum would jeopardize the peace process,” a statement from Ministry of Foreign Affairs communication’s chief, Judith Ngunia, said.

The minister explained that following the issuance of the arrest warrant for Bashir, the AU, noting the complexity of the Sudan in relation to Darfur, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the relationship between the North and the South, invoked a clause of the ICC and asked the UNSC to suspend the warrant to allow the African efforts to resolve the crisis.

The UNSC never came back to Africa following which the AU summit in Sirte in July 2009, in Addis in January 2010 and in July Kampala 2010, took a decision that its member states were not obliged to cooperate on the case of Bashir, and invoked a Sanctions clause in the Constitutive Act, for non-compliance.

The AU position was also guided by recommendations of its Panel of Eminent Persons led by President Mbeki that urged the solving of the Sudan problem within a comprehensive framework of peace, security, justice and stability.

The minister who is attending a UN General Assembly in New York added that Bashir’s visit “was in the wider context of good neighbourliness and peace in the region as Kenya was a strategic partner of Sudan, and also the custodian of the comprehensive peace agreement and therefore had a mandate to safeguard the peace process towards a successful referendum in January 2011.”

The minister who met Mr Wenaweser in New York assured him of Kenya’s commitment in fighting impunity and that Kenya will defend the Rome statute as witnessed in the recent signing of the agreement with the ICC registrar in Nairobi.

The agreement gives the court independence to fully and efficiently discharge its mandate and fulfill its purpose within the country.

Mr Wenaweser is also the permanent Representative of Lichestien to the UN in New York.

He supported Kenya’s effort to continue engaging both parties in Sudan’s Comprehensive Peace Agreement for a successful referendum in 2011 and to ensure that peace, security and stability prevails in Sudan during and after the referendum.

Mr Wenaweser also supported the recent political developments in Sudan with regard to the CPA, and following talks between Presidents Kibaki and Bashir of Sudan in Nairobi in which the two parties agreed that the referendum must go on as scheduled for January 9.

Mr Wenaweser said Africa had the biggest membership within ICC and therefore should not be ignored, and pledged to support Kenya’s effort to have more funds directed towards peace keeping in the region and in particular in Somalia.
Mr Wetang'ula was accompanied by Kenya’s ambassador to Ethiopia Dr Monica Juma among others.

Kenya got a backlash from among others US President Barack Obama for hosting Mr Bashir during the promulgation ceremony.

Mr Bashir is wanted by the ICC over atrocities committed in Sudan’s region of Darfur.

AU in new legal thinking over Sudanese President Al-Bashir's visit

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid J. Jones) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:49:00 +0000

NOTE, the below copied article explains that:

"There is no single body that creates international law.

It is developed and agreed upon by those that make up the international community.

Sources of international law include, among other things, local custom, state practice (how states behave in practice), general principles of law, equity, and reason."

Kenya: African Union Dares the West in New Legal Thinking Over Al-Bashir's Visit
From Daily Nation On The Web - Friday, 3 September 2010
Op-ed by Peter Mwaura

Nairobi — Kenya and the African Union have challenged the world with new jurisprudence on the applicability of international law over Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir's visit to Kenya. The legal thinking is grounded on the rules of conflict of laws.

The challenge should not come as a surprise to international law experts and jurists because there is no single body that creates international law. It is developed and agreed upon by those that make up the international community.

Sources of international law include, among other things, local custom, state practice (how states behave in practice), general principles of law, equity, and reason.

And international law must continue to evolve and must be applied, as the AU says, without "pretensions and double standards." Kenya and the AU, in their challenge to the world, are on pretty firm ground as they are using the same rules of legal reasoning used by Western jurists to settle conflict of laws.Conflict of laws occurs when two or more laws could apply to a situation.

In this case, there are two laws which are now in opposition to each other.

There is the Rome Treaty setting up the International Criminal Court, which obligates state parties to cooperate with the court. There is Constitutive Act of the AU, which obligates all AU members to comply with its decisions and policies.

Kenya is a member of both the ICC and the AU, and normally there is no conflict. A conflict has arisen because the ICC, which has indicted President al-Bashir on war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, has issued a warrant of arrest against him and obligates members of the ICC to arrest him.

The AU has appealed to the Security Council to defer the ICC proceedings against President al-Bashir for one year. The Union argues that arresting him would be counter-productive and would not advance peace in Darfur.

The Security Council has ignored the request. Consequently, the AU has passed a resolution obligating all its members to ignore the warrant of arrest.

Is the AU contravening international law? No, says the Union, it has adopted another law. If anything, it is a conflict of laws.And it has been resolved using the rules.

The rules have been developed to help decide which lawmaking body has the strongest interest in resolving a matter, and therefore which law applies. Leave aside the morality of inviting President al-Bashir to witness the 27 August promulgation of Kenya's new Constitution, notable for its protection of fundamental rights and human rights.

Kenya acted within international law using the rules of conflict of laws.When two laws are in opposition to each other, it becomes necessary to decide which law is to be obeyed.

Kenya chose the AU law, rightly so it might say. Darfur is an African problem. Sudan is Kenya's neighbour. As the AU said in its press release of August 29, Kenya has "an abiding interest in ensuring peace and stability in Sudan."

Peace, justice and reconciliation in Sudan can only be achieved through continuous engagement with the elected government of that country, the AU said.

Neighbouring countries do this as a matter of survival as they bear the brunt of instability or insecurity in neighbouring states, it went on to say. "Kenya as a member of IGAD and a guarantor to the peace process in Sudan, arising from the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the impending referendum in South Sudan, has a duty and obligation to continuously engage with President al-Bashir."

The AU argues that engagement with the elected leaders of Sudan is vitally and strategically essential and unavoidable for the countries of the region as well as the entire continent.

Because of their proximity to the problem, they are better able to understand and take into account the local realities and dynamics. The situation in Darfur is complex, says the AU.

It requires a fine balance between peace and justice and the AU "shall oppose any attempt to coerce African countries to undermine the common African position." And that is the new international law, for you, made in Africa.

(Hat tip AllAfrica.com)

Kenya allows the ICC to open office - China to support Kenya at the UN over Bashir

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid J. Jones) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:00:00 +0000

TODAY, according to a report just in from the Associated Press, Kenya granted the ICC immunity from legal challenges, tax exemptions and other privileges in a letter signed by Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula. The report says:

The move comes only a week after Kenya hosted Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir during a ceremony for Kenya's new constitution.

The ICC registrar has been in Kenya since Wednesday to seek government assurances it will cooperate with the court and educate the public about how it operates.

Full story here below. Note the word I have highlighted in red and the following Quote of the Day from this site's parent blog, Sudan Watch, 21 July 2010 - Ocampo announces ICC's verdict before indictment:

"According to my understanding of the decision, the [International Criminal] Court did not find [Sudanese] President Bashir guilty of these crimes. Rather, it considered that there were reasonable grounds to suppose that he might be guilty. This is an important distinction. While the Prosecutor will argue, in court and in public, that Bashir is guilty, I am surprised that he is announcing a verdict of the Court before there has been an indictment (so far we have an arrest warrant — any indictment will follow a confirmation of charges hearing) let alone a trial." - Dr. Alex de Waal OBE, Making Sense of Sudan, 18 July 2010

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Kenya allows Int'l Criminal Court to open office
By TOM MALITI (AP) – Friday, 03 September 2010

NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya on Friday allowed the International Criminal Court to open an office in the country, a development that comes after Kenya's commitment to the court came into question when the nation hosted Sudan's indicted leader last week.

ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo is investigating top Kenyan leaders and businesspeople for their roles in the country's December 2007 to February 2008 post-election violence that killed more than 1,000 people.

On Friday, Kenya granted the ICC immunity from legal challenges, tax exemptions and other privileges in a letter signed by Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula.

The move comes only a week after Kenya hosted Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir during a ceremony for Kenya's new constitution.

Al-Bashir faces charges of genocide and crimes against humanity at the ICC stemming from the violence in Sudan's Darfur region. Despite being a party to the statute that created the ICC, Kenya did not arrest al-Bashir, arguing that such a move would destabilize Sudan.

That decision provoked an international outcry, including words of rebuke from President Barack Obama, and it raised doubts about the country's willingness to hand over Kenyan suspects expected to soon be charged by the ICC.

The ICC does not have its own police to enforce arrest warrants and it relies on member states such as Kenya to execute them.
Kenyan Cabinet leaders, including Wetangula, met with ICC Registrar Silvana Arbia on Friday.

"We have agreed to comply with every aspect of the (ICC) request for the privileges and immunity which their officers require to be able to undertake their work," said Minister of State for Internal Security George Saitoti, who chairs the Cabinet subcommittee on the ICC.

"I trust that the government of Kenya will fully respect its obligations under the Rome Statute," which established the ICC, Arbia said after receiving the letter.

The ICC registrar has been in Kenya since Wednesday to seek government assurances it will cooperate with the court and educate the public about how it operates.

Moreno Ocampo has said he believes crimes against humanity were committed during Kenya's political violence.

The court allowed him to open an investigation in April and he has said he expects the investigation to conclude by the end of this year. Moreno Ocampo has said he expects to charge up to roughly a half-dozen people who allegedly directed the violence.

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China to shield Kenya at the UN over Bashir
Report from PPS Capital FM - 03 September 2010 - excerpt:

NAIROBI, Kenya - China on Friday declared support for Kenya's decision to invite Sudanese President Omar al Bashir to attend the promulgation of the new constitution in Nairobi last week.

During talks with President Mwai Kibaki, visiting vice Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Congress (NPC) Chen Zhili pledged China's support for Kenya if the country is subject of discussion at the United Nations Security Council over the issue.

"Kenya as a neighbor and guarantor to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) on the Sudan require the support and not condemnation by the international community in her efforts to broker peace between the Southern and Northern Sudan.", Ms Zhili said.

She expressed appreciation to President Kibaki and the Kenya government for the pivotal role played in brokering peace in Sudan and the horn of Africa.

Zhili who is also the NPC Chairperson of all Women's Federation, assured President Kibaki that China would provide the necessary support towards peace and stability in the horn of Africa. [...]

Kenya was perfectly right to invite Sudan's president - Bashir's arrival brought Kenya airport to a standstill

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid J. Jones) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:38:00 +0000

Quote of the Day

"It is clear that the attempt by the Pre-Trial Chamber and some of the UN Security Council members to create a controversy totally fails to appreciate the context of the Horn of Africa region." -Thuita Mwangi (Source: see op-ed here below)

Kenya:
Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania
Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Nevada
Land: total: 3,477 km
Boundaries: border countries: Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km
Population: 33,829,590
Languages: English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages

Kenya was perfectly right to invite Sudan President Omar al-Bashir
The Nation (Kenya) - 29 August 2010 at 16:58
By THUITA MWANGI

In the last two days, a lot of heat has been generated around the visit of Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir during the promulgation of our new Constitution.

The unfortunate statements attributed to some members of the UN Security Council as well as the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber cannot go without a response. The statements, and the decision, assert that African Union member states have “a clear obligation to co-operate with the Court in relation to the enforcement of such warrants of arrest. . . .’’ to which Kenya is a State Party.

It is quite curious that the decision by the Pre-Trial Chamber was made strangely in respect of the “expected attendance of Omar Al Bashir at the celebration scheduled for Friday 27 August”. Anyone conversant with the proper role and mandate of the ICC must be dismayed by the manner in which this decision was arrived at, let alone the substance and implications.

It is clear that the attempt by the Pre-Trial Chamber and some of the UN Security Council members to create a controversy totally fails to appreciate the context of the Horn of Africa region. First, Kenya’s stability is linked to that of its neighbours and the region. Indeed, Kenya has an abiding interest in ensuring peace and stability there by promoting peace, justice and reconciliation.

This can be achieved through continuous engagement with the Sudanese Government. Kenya has remained seized with Sudan, supporting the process that led to the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, as well as its implementation. Kenya continues to bear the negative consequences of the civil war that it helped negotiate to end.

For this reason, the country remains keen to pursue any measure that would encourage Sudan to attain sustainable peace. Furthermore, as a member of IGAD and a guarantor to the peace process in Sudan arising from the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the impending referendum in South Sudan, Kenya has an absolute duty and obligation.

The objective of having representation from the region, particularly Sudan, at Kenya’s most historic political event was therefore, to share a positive national development and to encourage Sudan as it moves towards its own historic referendum in early 2011.

The enthusiasm of the ICC to involve the UN Security Council is not only a reflection of its failure to appreciate the intricate reality on the ground, but also an indicator of yet another effort to force African countries to support the ICC.

This is irrespective of the complex dynamics that require striking a balance between peace and justice, which Kenya believes is not only necessary for Sudan, but essential for stabilising the region. In inviting President Bashir, Kenya is acting in alignment with the African Union decisions on this matter.

Interestingly, both the statements and the decisions grossly ignore the obligations of Kenya to the AU, arising from decisions of Assembly/AU/Dec. 245(XIII) adopted by the 13th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, wherein the Assembly “decide[d] that in view of the fact that the request by the African Union has never been acted upon (by UN Security Council), the AU Member States shall not co-operate pursuant to the provisions of Article 98 of the Rome Statute of the ICC relating to immunities, for the arrest and surrender of President Omar El Bashir of The Sudan”.

Also, the statements did not take cognisance of the obligations of AU member states arising from Article 23 (2) of the Constitutive Act of the African Union, which obligates all members “to comply with the decisions and policies of the Union”. To this extent, the decisions adopted by the AU policy organs are binding on Kenya.

Kenya strongly believes that sustainable peace and security anywhere must be underpinned by the three interconnected, mutually interdependent pillars of peace, justice and reconciliation.

It will be recalled that the repeated appeals to the UN Security Council by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union as well as the AU Peace and Security Council to defer the proceedings against President Bashir for one year, and to allow for the peace process to make irreversible progress, have never been acted upon by the UN Security Council.

Mr Mwangi is permanent secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

- - -

Khartoum regime leader arrival brings Kenya airport to a standstill
eTurboNews.com - 02 Sepember 2010
By WOLFGANG H. THOME, ETN

(eTN) - Last week’s promulgation of the new constitution in Kenya saw several heads of state grace the occasion with their presence, including Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, and they all landed with full protocol at Nairobi’s main airport Jomo Kenyatta International. In stark contrast, however, the Khartoum’s regime leader, Bashir, snuck into Kenya through Wilson Airport from where he also left the country later on under a shroud of secrecy.

Air operators and passengers normally using Wilson Airport were reportedly irate over the closures of the airport for all traffic between arrival and departure of the tyrant, and three regular sources minced no words over this event - none of the comments, however, are fit to be repeated in the public domain, probably in itself a hint about how strong the sentiments were and what words were flying. Flights in and out of Wilson, East Africa’s busiest airport, were halted and then long delayed, scheduled flights to and from the national parks were disrupted, and charters had to be halted as passengers could either not get into Wilson Airport or because all commercial operations were grounded for the duration.

It appears that many of the leading politicians in Kenya did not know of his presence, and subsequently squabbles arose in Kenya’s political establishment over the wisdom of inviting an alleged war criminal and alleged genocidaire, wanted by the International Criminal Court in the Hague. Kenya is a signatory country to the ICC Convention and will be facing not just tough questions by the ICC but has already incurred the wrath of US President Obama and many other world leaders, who sharply condemned the invitation and presence of Bashir in Nairobi for the event. It is also understood that the ICC referred Kenya’s decision and behavior to the United Nations Security Council where the case is due to be discussed and a possible reaction and response will be prepared.

The ICC is also drafting indictments against perpetrators and promoters of the post 2007 election violence and instead of reveling in the newly-found world attention and spotlight, the day was by all accounts spoiled by Bashir’s presence. The alleged war criminal, brought to the venue by tourism minister Balala – a visitor Balala would also rather like to forget soon considering the negative publicity it brought to Kenya – had, according to a reliable source in Nairobi’s foreign ministry, secured guarantees beforehand that the arrest warrant would not be executed against him, and he only traveled to Nairobi after these assurances were given in writing. Subsequently, some government mouthpieces tried to defend the presence of Bashir in Kenya for the big day but were rubbished by the comments of many Kenyans posted on blogs and social websites, who openly questioned the sanity of the invitation.

The fallout has also reached the Southern Sudan, where regular high-ranking sources, on condition of strict anonymity, expressed their anger and disappointment with Kenya, having fully expected to see the First Vice President of the Republic of the Sudan, who is also the President of Southern Sudan, Gen. Salva Kiir, represent their country. In fact, some opinions proffered to this correspondent spoke of unspecified consequences for Kenya in their dealings with Southern Sudan. It appears that Gen. Kiir was all set to fly to Nairobi but was apparently told at the last moment that his presence would, after all, not be required as regime chief Bashir would travel himself.

Upon probing if they would have wanted Bashir, their former arch enemy, arrested, they were all the more guarded, with one claiming "it would not have helped us with the independence referendum" before adding "we know that hardliners in Khartoum and their backers abroad are not happy with Bashir for permitting us to move to independence. We are aware that there is [an]underground movement about this, but we hope all stays in place until January 9, 2010 when we will vote to become an independent country. After that the North can do what they want about Bashir, it is no longer our concern then."

Kenya’s "Second Republic" was launched with glitz and glamour in a grand ceremony at Uhuru Park, where in 1963 the late founder president Jomo Kenyatta took the oath of office as he led his then nascent and young nation into independence, but the presence of Bashir has shaken many international observers and friends of Kenya who now ask what, if anything, has really changed so far as several laws seem to have been broken by the Kenyans’ responsible for the invitation and with absolute impunity.

Tourism stakeholders meanwhile, while appearing somewhat unsettled over the huge controversy the Bashir presence caused in the country and worse for them across the world, were still jubilant over the fashion the referendum was held, the votes counted, and the new constitutional requirements are now unfolding, and that it will ensure lasting peace and reconciliation among leading political opponents, giving hope for free and fair elections in 2012 and allowing the tourism industry to prosper and grow, at last fulfilling Kenya’s enormous potential along the Indian Ocean beaches and in their national parks and game reserves.

- - -

Kenya Watch - Editor's Note:
Who are the hardliners in Khartoum and their backers abroad?

New envoy to U.S. defends Bashir visit - Kenya's President Kibaki breaks silence on Sudan leader’s visit

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid J. Jones) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:52:00 +0000

Quote of the Day

If Kenya had arrested Mr Bashir, "Sudan would erupt in a civil war that is going to be bigger and more devastating than the civil war [that began] 20 years ago," Kenya's new ambassador to the U.S., Elkanah Odembo, declared. "I'm willing to put my money on it."

Source: see report below.

President Barack Obama participates in a credential ceremony in the Oval Office, Aug. 10, 2010. The President greets Ambassador Elkanah Odembo Absalom of Kenya. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

Kenya: New Envoy to U.S. Defends Bashir Visit
Report from The Nation, Kenya (hat tip: allAfrica.com)
Wednesday, 01 September 2010
By KEVIN J KELLEY

In a talk in Washington on Tuesday sponsored by the international arm of the US Democratic Party, Kenya's new ambassador to the United States vigorously defended the recent visit to Nairobi by Sudan's indicted president.

Ambassador Elkanah Odembo did not explicitly say why President Omar al-Bashir had been invited to take part in the August 27 constitution promulgation ceremony.

But the envoy justified Kenya's willingness to let him travel unimpeded on the grounds that it conformed with Kenya's interest in promoting stability in neighbouring Sudan.

If Kenya had arrested Mr Bashir, "Sudan would erupt in a civil war that is going to be bigger and more devastating than the civil war [that began] 20 years ago," Ambassador Odembo declared.

"I'm willing to put my money on it."

Kenya's envoy, who presented his credentials to President Barack Obama six weeks ago, said "it is certainly important Sudan holds together" until southern Sudan decides in a scheduled January referendum whether to become an independent state.

"I say that as someone who condemns in the strongest possible way the crimes committed against the people of Darfur," Mr Odembo added.

President Bashir has been charged at the International Criminal Court with war crimes arising from the Sudanese government's actions in the country's Darfur region.

Kenya, as a signatory to the treaty establishing the ICC, is obligated to cooperate with the court.

The country's welcome to Mr Bashir drew criticism from President Obama and from human rights groups.

Ambassador Odembo noted on Tuesday that Kenya is the temporary home to many refugees from Darfur who have offered evidence to ICC prosecutors regarding atrocities in Darfur.

The envoy also said Kenya is playing a crucial role as guarantor of the peace agreement that put an end to the war between north and south Sudan that took an estimated two million lives.

He assured the audience at the National Democratic Institute that Kenya's defiance of the ICC in regard to President Bashir does not suggest that Kenya will refuse to cooperate with the ICC's investigation of those thought responsible for the post-election violence.

- - -

President Kibaki is officially received by King Mswati III of the Kingdom of Swaziland on his arrival to the country for the 14th COMESA summit of Heads of State and Government. PHOTO / PPS

Kibaki breaks silence on Sudan leader’s visit
Report from The Nation, Kenya
Wednesday, 01 September 2010 at 22:00
By WALTER MENYA wmenya@ke.nationmedia.com

IN SUMMARY

President asks trade bloc and leaders to support country ahead of referendum

President Kibaki has pointed out that because of the fragile situation in Sudan ahead of the January referendum, the international community should embrace leaders of the oil-rich Eastern Africa state.

In an apparent response to criticism after Kenya hosted Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir during the promulgation of the new law last Friday, the president asked the international community to support the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

“It is my wish that the international community would appreciate the delicate situation of Sudan and act proactively. We should not isolate the people of Sudan. Let us encourage them to play their rightful role in the community of nations,” President Kibaki told the 14th Comesa summit of heads of state and government in Ezulwini, Swaziland.

He added: “I call upon all Comesa member-states to support and encourage the people of Sudan to resolve the outstanding issues in the agreement as we look forward to the holding of a peaceful referendum in the Sudan.”

The president said he was impressed with the leaders in the Sudan – President al-Bashir and first Vice-President Salva Kiir — for agreeing to work together.

President Kibaki met Mr al-Bashir at State House Nairobi after the Uhuru Park celebrations where he asked him to stick to the January 9, 2011 referendum date.

And at a meeting with Kenyans living in Swaziland, the President said the new constitution would enable Kenyans in the diaspora enjoy dual citizenship.

Speaking at his Royal Villa presidential suite, President Kibaki said the new constitution would open up many opportunities for Kenyans both at home and abroad.

“Dual citizenship is good because it will enable Kenyans in the diaspora to enjoy the benefits of their country of residence while at the same time make their contribution in the development of their country of birth,” he said.

Kenyans in Swaziland, through their chairman, Mr Haroun Wambua, commended President Kibaki and all Kenyans for the historic promulgation of the new constitution.

Additional reporting by PPS

Sudan summons EU envoy over Bashir's Kenya visit

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid J. Jones) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 22:42:00 +0000

Sudan summons EU envoy over Bashir's Kenya visit
Report from Reuters - Tuesday, 31 August 2010 9:26pm GMT

(KHARTOUM) - Sudan summoned the EU ambassador on Tuesday to protest against a European Union statement criticising Kenya for hosting President Omar Hassan al-Bashir last week, Sudanese state media said.

The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Bashir for war crimes and genocide in Sudan's western Darfur region during a counter-insurgency campaign.

The African Union has told its member states not to cooperate with the warrant. ICC judges reported Kenya, which is a member of the court, to the U.N. Security Council because Kenya did not arrest Bashir who attended the signing of the new Kenyan constitution.

Sudan's foreign ministry said a statement by the EU's high representative for foreign affairs, Catherine Ashton, raising concern at Bashir's Kenya visit was "totally unacceptable".

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the EU to end its double standard of giving immunity from legal proceedings to certain nationalities while targeting African countries alone," state news agency SUNA said.

Relations between Sudan and Western nations which support the ICC have been strained since the warrant for Bashir was issued in March 2009.

Bashir's movements have been restricted to nearby Middle Eastern and African allies since the warrant was issued and he was forced to cancel a visit to Turkey last year after EU pressure on Ankara.

His visit to Kenya on Friday was his second to a full African member of the ICC and a media coup for Bashir. He travelled to Chad last month.

Rights groups censured Kenya which has its own case pending in the ICC over post-elections violence. South Africa and Botswana are among the few African nations who have defied the AU and said they would implement the ICC warrant. (Reporting by Opheera McDoom; Editing by Peter Graff)

Kenya in vigorous defence of Bashir's visit

Daily Nation - Njeri Rugene - ‎Tuesday, 31 August 2010

Kenya's minister for foreign affairs Mosses Wetangula addresses a press conferences at his office. The minister on Tuesday gave a spirited defence in ...

Al-Bashir visit to Kenya was in order, says AU

Daily Nation - ‎‎Tuesday, 31 August 2010

Hezron Njoroge | NATION Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir (centre) speaks to an aide after attending the historic promulgation of the new Constitution at ...

Kenya defends Bashir's visit
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation -‎‎Tuesday, 31 August 2010
The government's commitment to cooperate with the Intrnational Criminal Court to prosecute post election violence suspects was put to question in parliament ...
Kenya, African Union defend Bashir visit
CNN International - ‎- ‎‎Tuesday, 31 August 2010
By the CNN Wire Staff Al-Bashir, right, alongside Comoros President Ahmed Sambi Abdallah, center, and Rwandan President Paul Kagame, left. ...
Kenyan Lawmaker to Demand Answers about Sudan Leader's Visit
Voice of America - Peter Clottey - ‎22 hours ago‎
Photo: AP A Kenyan lawmaker told VOA he will demand answers from the foreign minister in parliament Tuesday about the controversial invitation of Sudan's ...

Sudan: UN Protests Over Al-Bashir's Visit to Nation
AllAfrica.com - ‎‎‎Tuesday, 31 August 2010
The President of Sudan has committed crimes against humanity-crimes against Africans and yet the African Union is prepared to keep quiet about it. ...

EU: Statement by the spokesperson of HR Catherine Ashton on Sudanese President Al-Bashir's visit to Kenya

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid J. Jones) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:53:00 +0000

HERE below, followed by some related news reports, is a copy of a statement issued on Friday, 27 August 2010 from the European Union (EU) in Brussels by the spokesperson of High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the Commission Catherine Ashton.

EU raps Kenya over Bashir visit
From KBC (Kenya Broadcasting Corporation)
By Rosalia Opondo/Millicent Awuor
Monday, 30 August 2010

The European Union on Monday warned Kenya to tread carefully to avoid violating international laws.

This follows the presence of Sudanese President Omar El Bashir in last Friday's constitution promulgation ceremony despite there being a warrant of arrest for him by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The EU urged the country to stick to its mandate and obligation under the Rome statute that she is a signatory to.

The Sudanese President is being sought by ICC for crimes against humanity committed in the Darfur region where thousands have died and millions others displaced in a conflict pitting the country's military and police against rebel groups.

In a statement, the spokesperson of the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton said Kenya should respect its obligations under international law to arrest and surrender those indicted by the ICC.

The EU asked Kenya to continue to cooperate with the ICC in its investigation into the 2007-2008 post-election violence in the country where several people are being investigated by the court.

"The European Union is a staunch supporter of the ICC as a valuable instrument of the international community to combat impunity for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole; genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes must not go unpunished and their prosecution must be ensured by measures at both domestic and international level, " Ashton said.

On Sunday former UN Secretary General and chairperson of the Eminent African personalities Kofi Annan said he was surprised to see Bashir in Nairobi.

Annan who brokered the National Accord to end a bloody conflict following the disputed results of the 2007 presidential elections and who attended the ceremony on Friday demanded that the Kenyan government clarifies its position, commitment and cooperation with the International Criminal Court.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has however defended Bashir's visit saying Kenya has no apologies to make as it placed regional integration and security above international laws.

- - -

EU urges Kenya to arrest Bashir, hand him to court
Report from AFP and EU Business - Friday, 27 August 2010, 18:19 CET

(BRUSSELS) - European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton urged Kenya on Friday to arrest Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and hand him over to an international court to face genocide charges.

"The high representative is concerned by the visit of President Omar Al-Bashir to Kenya, a State party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC)," Ashton's office said in a statement.

"She urges Kenya to respect its obligations under international law to arrest and surrender those indicted by the ICC," it said.

Bashir was among several African leaders who attended a ceremony in Nairobi in which Kenya's President Mwai Kibaki signed a new constitution into law.

The Sudanese president is subject to two arrest warrants issued by the ICC for atrocities committed by his forces in Sudan's western province of Darfur.

Kenya, as a signatory to the treaty which set up the ICC, is obliged to cooperate with the court and arrest Bashir.

It was Bashir's second visit to a signatory of the Rome Statute following a trip to Chad last month. At the time, Ashton had also urged Chad to arrest Bashir, but Chad ignored her plea.

The chief EU diplomat said the ICC was a "valuable instrument of the international community to combat impunity for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole."

She added that "genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes must not go unpunished and their prosecution must be ensured by measures at both domestic and international level."

In her statement, Ashton also urged Nairobi "to continue to cooperate with the ICC in its investigation into the 2007-2008 post-election violence" in Kenya.

Text and Picture Copyright 2010 AFP. All other Copyright 2010 EUbusiness Ltd. All rights reserved. This material is intended solely for personal use. Any other reproduction, publication or redistribution of this material without the written agreement of the copyright owner is strictly forbidden and any breach of copyright will be considered actionable

Related reports:

- - -

Statement by the spokesperson of HR Catherine Ashton on President Al-Bashir's visit to Kenya
Source: EUROPEAN UNION
Brussels, 27 August 2010
A 169/10 - Copy in full:

The spokesperson of High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the Commission Catherine Ashton issued the following statement today:

"The High Representative is concerned by the visit of President Omar Al-Bashir to Kenya, a State party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

She firmly recalls the importance of all Member States of the United Nations abiding by and implementing the resolutions adopted by the Security Council under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, in this case, UNSCR 1593 (2005). She urges Kenya to respect its obligations under international law to arrest and surrender those indicted by the ICC.

She calls upon Kenya to continue to cooperate with the ICC in its investigation into the 2007-2008 post-election violence.

The European Union is a staunch supporter of the ICC as a valuable instrument of the international community to combat impunity for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole; genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes must not go unpunished and their prosecution must be ensured by measures at both domestic and international level."

PRESS
FOR FURTHER DETAILS:
Maja Kocijancic +32 498 984 425 - +32 2 298 65 70 - Maja.Kocijancic@ec.europa.eu
Darren Ennis +32 498 963 293 - +32 2 296 32 93 - Darren.Ennis@ec.europa.eu
COMM-SPP-HRVP-ASHTON@ec.europa.eu
www.eeas.europa.eu

ICC issues Press Release about Sudanese President Bashir’s visits to Kenya and Chad

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid J. Jones) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:43:00 +0000

Press Release: 27.08.2010

عربي

Pre-Trial Chamber I informs the Security Council and the Assembly of States Parties about Omar Al Bashir’s visits to Kenya and Chad

ICC-CPI-20100827-PR568

Case: The Prosecutor v. Omar Hassan Ahmad Al Bashir
Situation: Darfur, Sudan

Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued two decisions informing the Security Council of the United Nations and the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute about Omar Al Bashir’s visits to the Republic of Kenya and the Republic of Chad, “in order for them to take any measure they may deem appropriate”.

The Chamber had learnt that Al Bashir was invited by the Government of Kenya to attend today’s celebrations for the promulgation of the new Kenyan Constitution and was in Chad from 21 to 23 July. The Republic of Kenya and the Republic of Chad have an “obligation to cooperate with the Court” to enforce the warrants of arrest issued against Al Bashir by the ICC, according to the Chamber.

The ICC Registrar was ordered to immediately transmit these decisions to the Security Council and to the Assembly of States Parties. Previously, pursuant to the Pre-Trial Chamber decisions issuing two warrants of arrest against Omar Al Bashir, the ICC Registrar had issued and transmitted requests for arrest and surrender of Mr. Al Bashir to all States Parties to the Rome Statute, including the Republic of Kenya and the Republic of Chad.

On 4 March, 2009, Pre-Trial Chamber I of the ICC issued a first warrant of arrest against Mr. Al Bashir considering that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the suspect is criminally responsible for five counts of crimes against humanity and two counts for war crimes. A second warrant of arrest was issued against Mr. Al Bashir, on 12 July, 2010, for three counts of genocide.

The situation in Darfur was referred to the International Criminal Court by the United Nations Security Council’s resolution 1593, on 31 March, 2005. In this situation, four cases are being heard: The Prosecutor v. Ahmad Muhammad Harun (“Ahmad Harun”) and Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman (“Ali Kushayb”); The Prosecutor v. Omar Hassan Ahmad Al Bashir; The Prosecutor v. Bahar Idriss Abu Garda and The Prosecutor v. Abdallah Banda Abakaer Nourain and Saleh Mohammed Jerbo Jamus.

Decision informing the United Nations Security Council and the Assembly of the States Parties to the Rome Statute about Omar Al-Bashir's presence in the territory of the Republic of Kenya

Decision informing the United Nations Security Council and the Assembly of the States Parties to the Rome Statute about Omar Al-Bashir's recent visit to the Republic of Chad

For further information please contact Sonia Robla, Chief of Public Information and Documentation Section, at +31 (0)70 515-8089 or +31 (0) 6 46 44 87 26 or at sonia.robla@icc-cpi.int

25,000 Kenyans living in southern Sudan can not vote on constitutional referendum

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid J. Jones) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 23:36:00 +0000

Report by Radio Miraya - Wednesday, 04 August 2010 20:57
Last Updated Thursday, 05 August 2010 09:58:

Kenyans living in S Sudan can not vote on constitutional referendum

The Kenya Consul in Juba, Ibrahim Khamis, has said that over twenty five thousand Kenyans living in Southern Sudan can not vote on a constitutional referendum process which started on Wednesday.

Khamis said that the Kenyans living in southern Sudan could not participate in the voting process because the consulate is not legally registered as a polling station. He added that some of the Kenyans have traveled home in order to vote.

Kenya Airways starts flights to Juba, S. Sudan

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid J. Jones) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 12:56:00 +0000

Report by Radio Miraya - Tuesday, 08 June 2010 14:32:

The Kenya Airways has made its first flight to Southern Sudan on Tuesday. In an official launch ceremony attended by senior officials of Southern Sudan, the Vice President Riek Machar Teny said that Kenya Airways operation in Southern Sudan will boost economy of the region. Machar said that Juba airport still lacks landing safety, security, water, and lighting on the runway.

The Southern Sudan Caretaker Minister of Roads and Transport, Anthony Lino Makana said that the coming of Kenya Airways to Juba is a landmark towards development of Southern Sudan.

Makana said Juba airport at the moment receive average of seventy planes every day. He also said there are plans to improve Juba international airport.

Kenyan donor money and firms helping build S. Sudan

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid J. Jones) — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 16:25:00 +0000

Sudan: Donor Money And Firms Helping Build South
Report from Daily Nation On The Web (via AllAfrica) by Murithi Mutiga - Saturday, 5 June 2010:

(Nairobi) - Kenya is accustomed to being a recipient of aid. But in its relationship with Southern Sudan, it is playing a new and unfamiliar role: That of donor country.

The government is investing millions of shillings to set up new administrative structures in the South, underscoring the importance it attaches to its relationship with the government in Juba.

Kenya has given US$5 million (Sh400m) to boost the capacity of the South's civil service and has sent dozens of its own experienced public officials to train their counterparts across the border.

Most of this assistance is motivated by strategic calculations based on the expected outcome of a referendum on self-determination expected in Southern Sudan next year.

Opinion polls and Sunday Nation interviews with key leaders in the region indicate the referendum is overwhelmingly likely to result in the breaking up of Sudan, continent's biggest country, to establish Africa's 54th state.

Such an outcome would have a major impact on the economies of neighbours Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia. The three are locked in a race to cement their influence in Southern Sudan and are working to position themselves to benefit from the likely emergence of the new state.

Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetang'ula said the government would respect the outcome of the referendum.

"Kenya has always played a neutral role. Down the years, we hosted the Sudan embassy and the offices of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM). That is why we were chosen to host the peace talks. As part of the deal that ended the fighting, both parties were supposed to work to make unity attractive. The referendum is a key component of the peace agreement, and we will be happy to recognise a result that endorses unity or one that leads to separation," he said.

While Kenya has long been criticised for punching below its geopolitical weight in its approach to foreign policy in the region, it is employing an unusually muscular approach in Southern Sudan. It has spent millions of shillings and expended considerable diplomatic capital to take advantage of the opportunities opening up in the region.

According to a new report by the International Crisis Group titled Regional perspectives on the prospect of southern independence, Kenyan investment in Southern Sudan is substantial.

A Southern Sudan Liaison Office has been set up at the Office of the President in Nairobi. The unit, the report says, is "dedicated to supporting the Government of South Sudan (GoSS) and the SPLM. Led by diplomats with knowledge of the Sudan file, its mandate includes monitoring the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, advising President Kibaki and serving as the principal liaison for the majority of official interaction with Juba. It also advises Kenyan business interests and facilitates commercial links between investors and the GoSS."

The Kenya Institute of Administration, which is the traditional training centre for civil servants in Kenya, has set up a campus in Juba to contribute to training programmes in the region.

According to the ICG, Kenyan civil servants are taking part in a separate training programme run by the United Nations Development Programme.

Legal experts from Nairobi are working with the parliament in Juba to help in drafting legislation, while Southern Sudan "regularly sends senior ministry officials to Nairobi where they shadow their Kenyan counterparts".

Military ties

The report says there are also significant and growing military ties between the two partners.

"The Kenyan army trains SPLA (Sudan People's Liberation Army) officers and provides other technical support, including several de-mining classes at the International Mine Action School in Embakasi. It also maintains a rotating battalion of peacekeepers in the South as part of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS)."

Mr Wetang'ula says this deep relationship is explained by historical circumstances.

"Kenya hosted more than 100,000 Southerners during the civil war. Most leaders of the SPLM maintain their homes in Nairobi, and their children study here. The people in the South also feel a greater affinity to people in the East African region because of shared roots, perhaps more than they do with their brothers in the Arab North."

The minister said the relationship is not driven solely by Kenyan economic interests in the South as ties between the two will be "mutually beneficial".

Economists say the potential benefits for Kenya in the event the South votes for separation are staggering. "This is a potential game changer," said investment banker and analyst Aly-Khan Satchu.

"Kenya's economy rides on the coattails of its neighbours, and two events in the recent past will mean the economy will never be the same again. Uganda's expected revenue from oil is 20 times more than their current Gross Domestic Product while Southern Sudan presents massive opportunities."

Mr Satchu said the South's potential should not just be viewed through the lens of potential oil revenue, which has hovered between the US$1.5 billion (Sh120 billion) and US$ 2 billion (Sh160 billion) mark in the last five years.

"It is widely thought that the South is not getting its fair share of oil revenues from the North under the current agreement, so they may end up getting far higher income after the separation. But there is far more potential in the region. There are vast untapped gold deposits, and there is great potential for agriculture.

The South needs a route to sea, and Kenya will be able to offer that. The question is whether we can complete the infrastructure programmes necessary fast enough to take advantage."

The centrepiece of Kenya's efforts to take advantage of the looming independence of the South is the Lamu port, which is expected to cost about Sh1.2 trillion.

The Chinese-built facility would ease dependence on the port of Mombasa, which has been criticised as inefficient by officials in many neighbouring countries that depend on it.

A railway line from Juba through Isiolo and Lamu is also planned as is a 1,400-km pipeline from Juba to the Lamu port. Japanese firm Toyota Tsusho has expressed an interest in building the $1.5 billion (Sh120 billion) line, which would provide Southern Sudan with a more attractive export route than the existing 1,600km line to Port Sudan in the North.

These ambitious projects have been billed as having the potential to treble Kenya's export income. But a familiar challenge stands in the way.

Demands by senior government officials for large bribes before they commission many of the projects have delayed implementation, to the frustration of officials in Southern Sudan and other governments in the region.

Several western diplomatic sources and a number of government officials with knowledge of the matter who requested anonymity said Kenya has a direct interest in completing the projects, but corruption was stalling implementation.

While Uganda has nearly completed repairs of the Gulu-Juba road which is an important transport link to the region, Kenya is still in the commissioning stages for its railway projects and a feasibility study on the Lamu port is only now being undertaken.

Cohesive team

Mr Satchu says government officials must work in concert to implement these initiatives.

"We need more proactive management on a day to day basis. We don't seem to have a cohesive team on the ground working to advance Kenya's economic interests. We have major infrastructure deficits. Considering how clear the economic benefits of implementation of these projects are, we should be working far more proactively."

Like Uganda, Kenya has sent thousands of skilled workers to Southern Sudan, and it will have to work to avoid creating the impression that it is benefiting disproportionately from the economic opportunities in the South to the exclusion of locals.

The weak level of non-oil exports from Southern Sudan is partly blamed on the resource curse which diminishes productivity in other sectors in some Third World countries.

The prominent academic and blogger John A. Akec has lamented this situation.

"In the last five years, establishing a system to collect taxes has been slow. Development of other means of income has not started. We imported everything from chicken, to tomato, to razor, to toilet rolls from Uganda and Kenya; and exported nothing to them. We sent our children to Uganda and Kenya for their education, and rushed there ourselves when not feeling well to buy the medical services from these countries or travel further afield in quest for medical treatment. Seventy per cent of South Sudan income was paid out as salaries in the public sector, while getting nothing back by the of way economic output."

Kenyan officials say they are trying to help the South diversify its economy by investing heavily in manpower development and training programmes.

Mr Wetang'ula pointed out that Kenyan educational institutions do not charge a higher fee for students from the South, which is the practice for students from outside the East African Community.

The efforts to boost cultural ties, he said, were also demonstrated by the opening of a University of Nairobi campus in Lokichoggio on the Kenyan border with the South. The biggest population of students there is Southern Sudanese.

But all the bets on a major leap in economic ties may fall through, however, if the North and the South do not respect their obligations under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

So far, both sides have largely respected the deal. But some southern ministers have warned that they will demand a unilateral declaration of independence if anything happens to disrupt the referendum, something which Kenya has cautioned against.