---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: John Ashworth <[email protected]> Date: Fri, Nov 9, 2012 at 7:15 PM Subject: [sudan-john-ashworth] War-related humanitarian disaster continues in Sudan To: Group <[email protected]>
1. Tripartite partners voice concern over Sudan’s rejection to renew humanitarian deal November 7, 2012 (KHARTOUM)— The three parties of the humanitarian initiative for South Kordofan and Blue Nile has voiced its concern following statements by a Sudanese officials saying his government will not extend a three month deal to reach civilians in the rebel held areas. Sudanese government and the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement - North (SPLM-N) failed to implement a deal brokered by the African mediators signed with the UN agencies, African Union and Arab League last August. The three-month-agreement provides to deliver food and other humanitarian needs to the civilians in the areas held by the SPLM-N in South Kordofan’s Nuba Mountains and some areas in Blue Nile. Khartoum. however, refused to involve the rebels in the delivery process as the SPLM-N called for aid to be transported through South Sudan and Ethiopia. Last Tuesday, the Agence France Presse reported statements by Suleiman Abdel Rahman, Sudan’s humanitarian commissioner, confirming the expiry of the humanitarian memorandum. He further denied the humanitarian crisis in the rebel controlled areas saying the situation "is at the natural level". "The United Nations, the African Union and the Arab League are concerned by reports in the media, which cite the Sudanese Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs saying that the tripartite memorandum of understanding on humanitarian aid will not be extended," UN Spokesperson Martin Nesirky on Wednesday in reaction to these statements. Mesirky disclosed that the Tripartite members have requested an extension of the humanitarian deal so that they can continue working on the initiative with the Sudanese government and the SPLM-North to deliver aid to the affected civilians in the war zones in the two states. He further reaffirmed the readiness of UN agencies to provide "life-saving assistance to all in people affected by the conflict, when the security situation permits." The three partners said they are waiting to get a response from the SPLM-N over their final proposal to start the operational phase of the humanitarian deal. Also, Khartoum objected the security arrangements proposed in the plan. (ST) http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article44464 END1 2. UNHCR prepares for massive influx of refugees into S. Sudan November 8, 2012 (JUBA) - The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) on Thursday said it has embarked on measures to cope with a likely influx of Sudanese refugees into South Sudan’s Upper Nile state. Between 30,000 to 40,000 people, the agency says, could arrive into the young nation due to escalating conflict in Sudan’s Blue Nile and South Kordofan, before the end of the year. In the last week of October, UNHCR staff reportedly registered 72 new arrivals in Gendrassa, mostly women and children. These numbers, according to the agency, is highest weekly arrival figure since the rainy season began in May. Mireille Girard, UNHCR’s representative in South Sudan, said more refugees are likely to cross the border if fighting between the Sudanese armed forces and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-North (SPLM-N) rebels escalated during the coming dry season. “Food shortages would also be a push factor,” she said in a statement. Girard, however, said UNHCR had started preparing a contingency plan to meet the most pressing needs of up to 30,000 new refugee arrivals in Maban County between now and the end of the year. “It covers key areas such as shelter, health care, food rations and non-food items such as plastic sheeting, blankets, sleeping mats, hygiene sets and kitchen items,” she emphasized. UNHCR currently works in four refugee camps in Upper Nile state’s Maban County, including Gendrassa, which reportedly hosts some 14,300 refugees and is the only one that has not yet reached full capacity. Last week, UNHCR called for immediate relocation of nearly 63,000 Sudanese refugees currently living in South Sudan’s Unity state, citing insecurity concerns along its border with neighboring South Kordodan state. Adrian Edwards, the spokesperson for the High Commissioner for Refugees said the agency was assessing several alternative sites, with a view to relocating people as soon as rainy season conditions allowed. An estimated 520,000 people, according to a recent UN report, have been displaced or severely affected by conflict in South Kordofan besides some 205,000 refugees from South Kordofan and Blue Nile, who are now in South Sudan and Ethiopia. Meanwhile, the refugee agency says it urgently needs an additional $20m before January next year, to deal with an expected influx of between 30,000-40,000 people into South Sudan from neighboring Sudan. (ST) http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article44475 END2 3. Sudan rebels say downed Antonov plane, no confirmation Thu Nov 8, 2012 9:17am GMT KHARTOUM Nov 8 (Reuters) - Rebels in Sudan's main oil state said on Thursday they had shot down a government Antonov military aircraft after it had bombed targets in the Nuba mountains, part of South Kordofan state. Sudan's armed forces spokesman did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Insurgents of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N) said in an emailed statement they had downed the aircraft around 5 p.m. (1400 GMT) on Wednesday in South Kordofan's Jau area, near the border with South Sudan. It was not immediately possible to verify the claim. Sudan restricts access for journalists to South Kordofan, where fighting between rebels and government forces broke out shortly before South Sudan seceded last year. "Before it was downed, it (the Antonov) carried out air strikes on various areas in the Nuba mountains," the SPLM-N statement said, referring to an area in South Kordofan. Rebels in South Kordofan fought alongside southern insurgents during Sudan's civil war but were left in Sudan when South Sudan seceded under the 2005 peace deal that ended that long-running conflict. They say they are fighting to protect their ethnic minority from persecution. Khartoum accuses them of trying to sow chaos at South Sudan's behest. (Reporting by Alexander Dziadosz; Editing by Alistair Lyon) http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/08/oukwd-uk-sudan-rebels-aircraft-idAFBRE8A70DO20121108 END3 4. Sudanese Rebel Group Says It Shot Down Government Antonov By Jared Ferrie - Nov 8, 2012 1:23 PM GMT+0300 Bloomberg A Sudanese rebel group said it shot down a government Antonov plane that had been carrying out bombing raids in the oil-rich state of Southern Kordofan. The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North group said its fighters shot down the Antonov at 5 p.m. yesterday and it crashed near the Jau area close to the border with South Sudan. Sudanese army spokesman al-Sawarami Khaled didn’t answer calls to his mobile phone seeking comment. The plane carried out bombing missions in the state that killed at least two civilians, including a child, rebel spokeman Arnu Lodi said in an e-mailed statement. Clashes started more than a year ago in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states between President Umar al-Bashir’s government and rebels who fought during a two-decade civil war alongside the forces of South Sudan, which gained independence in July last year. More than 175,000 people have fled the violence into South Sudan, according to the United Nations. In May, New York-based Human Rights Watch said indiscriminate bombings and abuses against civilians by government forces in the Nuba Mountains area of Southern Kordofan may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-08/sudanese-rebel-group-says-it-shot-down-government-antonov.html END4 5. "ERASING THE NUBA" a Portobello Film Festival 2012 Official Selection and 21st UN Human Rights Council Screening For months the government of Sudan has been bombing the state of South Kordofan, forcing nearly half a million people to flee into caves and thousands into South Sudan as refugees. This is the story of the resilience of those people. Thursday 29th November at 7.30pm Frontline Club 13 Norfolk Place, London W2 1 QJ Guest speakers: Dr Mukesh Kapila, Former head of UN in Sudan in 2004 Yoletta Nyange, Rwandan-born journalist and director of Erasing the Nuba Zaki Samwii, Chairperson, Nuba Mountains Solidarity Abroad Ezzeldine Rahma, Founder of HUDO, a human rights organisation in the Nuba Mountains RSVP: [email protected] END5 ______________________ John Ashworth Sudan, South Sudan Advisor [email protected] +254 725 926 297 (Kenya mobile) +211 919 695 362 (South Sudan mobile) +27 82 050 1235 (South Africa mobile) +44 750 304 1790 (UK/international) +88 216 4334 0735 (Thuraya satphone) PO Box 52002 - 00200, Nairobi, Kenya This is a personal e-mail address and the contents do not necessarily reflect the views of any organisation -- -- The content of this message does not necessarily reflect John Ashworth's views. 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