Sudan

May 14, 2008 (Abyei NSV) - Violence broke out between SPLA and South Sudan militia forces on Tuesday evening at Tiok, 10km north of Abyei.

"Shops are closed and civilians are fleeing the town. SAF and SPLA are battling within the town," an eyewitness told The New Sudan Vision.

The South Sudan’s militia is believed to be aided by SAF's 31st Brigade in Abyei. The clashes have claimed five lives so far, according to sources. However, civilian casualties are yet to be known. It is reported that members of south Sudan militia loyal to Thomas drove in a SAF's vehicle and fired at South Sudan Police at Tiok. On Wednesday 14th, , at 7am NSV is told they attacked SPLM HQ compound where newly appointed secretaries are stationed. Continue reading »

May 11, 2008 (Khartoum NSV) - The opposition leader of Popular Congress Party (PC), Hassan Turabi has been arrested on Monday with four other officials of PC, Reuters reports.

"Security forces came early this morning and arrested Turabi," Awad Babiker, Turabi's private secretary, told Reuters.
On Saturday, the Darfur Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebels waged an attack on Khartoum, marking the first time any rebel has ever penetrated the Sudan’s capital.
Turabi was arrested just an hour after returning from his party’s meeting, his son Siddig al-Turabi has said to a news agency.
"They want to blame the party for what has happened," said Siddig al-Turabi.
Turabi, the Islamic idealogue and brain behind the National Islamic Front that brought Omar Bashir to power, after he ousted Saadig Al Mahdi in a bloodless coup in 1989. Turabi was then arrested in 1999-2000 in a bitter fight for power.

May 11, 2008 (Boulder, Colorado) - Micklina Peter Kenyi says that her mother was the one who encouraged her to get an education. Mama Rose always said, "I missed my chance to go to school. Don't be like me." Kenyi took her mother's words to heart. She is part of the group of refugees known as the Lost Girls of Sudan, girls who have spent more time in refugee camps than in their home communities. After years of enduring heat, dust, and minimal food rations in Kenya's Kakuma refugee camp, Kenyi eventually escaped to Sister Luise Radlmeier's Nairobi-area compound where she convinced the German Catholic nun that she had to get an education. Continue reading »

May 6, 2008 (Juba NSV) - The president of the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) his Excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit has expressed doubts on air safety in Southern Sudan following tragic plane crash on May 2, 2008 that killed all 21 people on board.

The president said southern Sudan has experienced cases of air crash repeatedly and that something must be done to curb more deaths resulting from air crash.

Kiir said air planes being operated in southern Sudan are the types that are "not allowed from entering any national capital".

The plane that killed all passengers on board on May 2, 2008 identified as A Beech 1900 is registered in Kenya. The Kenya civil aviation authority is yet to produce report on the plane.

President Kiir said "Southern Sudan is becoming a dumping ground of all forms…" and that people are enchanted by the beautifully colored imported old vehicles which do not measure up to the required stands.

Kiir also expressed concerns on the increasing number of motorcycles in the hands of youngsters. He said such motorcycles are killing young people. Young people in Juba have resorted to buying motorcycles to use as Boda-Boda with the hope of making a quick buck. A Boda-boda cyclist can charge a maximum 10 Sudanese Pound ($5) within Juba. Continue reading »

May 6, 2008 (Juba NSV) - The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) started a three-day training workshop on Monday at Zara Hotel Juba to build capacities of various Southern Sudanese community based organizations (CBOs).

The UNDP Access To Justice (ATJ) Program manager, Mr. Nelson Mbu said the workshop is just a curtain raiser and that some capacity building projects for the CBOs are in the pipeline.

He said the philosophy behind the project is to strengthen the CBOs to assume the role of community watchdogs by keeping the government in check and to act as voice for the voiceless.

Access to Justice Program is a project of the UNDP geared at reducing poverty and to strengthen democratic governance. Continue reading »

May 4, 2008 (Kordofan NSV) - A Sudan Railway Corporation cargo train got in a deadly accident on Saturday evening at Beja Station in Kordofan.

Report emerging from the area indicates bodies of 12 passengers were collected from the scene on Sunday morning. The dead include students from southern Sudan who were going to Khartoum for holidays after completing exams from West Kordofan University in Babanusa where the train took off from.

Unclaimed bodies are still in Fulla mortuary while six seriously injured passengers are in Fulla Hospital.

The director of the railway corporation in Babanusa has confirmed the death of 12 passengers. Continue reading »

May 3, 2008 (Juba Miraya) - The Southern Sudan government officials and hundreds of citizens gathered today at the Juba international airport to pay tribute to caskets of the late Presidential Advisor on Decentralization, Dr. Justin Yac Arop and the Minister of the SPLA Affairs in the government of southern Sudan, Lt. General Dominic Dim Deng.

The President of the government of South Sudan Salva Kiir headed the mourning ceremony at the airport, but did not make any public statement. The SPLA Chief of Staffs Lt. General Oyai Deng described the incident as tragic and added that he believes “there was no human hand involved in the incident”.

Other bodies that were also brought to Juba included the two crew members of the crashed plane and the wives of the Presidential Advisor and the Minister. The governor of the Lakes State, Daniel Awet Akot, said that the other people who died in the plane crash will be transported to Wau and later to different counties for burial.

Burial of the Presidential Advisor and the Minister of the SPLA Affairs is expected to take place on Sunday in Juba. The government of southern Sudan declared three day public mourning in the south for the victims of the plane crash. Continue reading »

May 2, 2008 (NSV) - Tragic news coming from Southern Sudan confirmed that an aircraft carrying 21 passengers crashed in Rumbek on Friday on its way to Juba.

"We have a tragic aircraft crash which was carrying 21 passengers; they were coming from Gogrial, Wau and they fell somewhere near Rumbek on their way to Juba," SPLM Secretary General Pagan Amum told The New Sudan Vision.

The Secretary General Pagan Amum said that Minister for SPLA Affairs Dominic Dim Deng and Dr. Yaac Arop, adviser to the president of Southern Sudan, are amongst the 21 passengers in the plane.

No survivors are reported at this stage and names will be released later, said Pagan.

Authorities in Southern Sudan are not able to say the exact cause of the tragedy.

May 2, 2008 (Juba NSV) - Property worth millions of Sudanese Pounds was destroyed Thursday when Juba town council demolished Customs Market in Juba.

Business came to a stand still as the police and the powerful bulldozer reduced kiosks, cluster of shops, lodges, and hotels to rumble in Juba Customs market. Shop owners struggled under the baking heat of Juba to salvage any of their belongings in shortest time possible dodging the police and the Merciless Bulldozers.

Some traders in the Market said they were not informed of the planned demolition by the Juba town council. Others are said to have heard of the demolition but were reluctant to leave till the last minute due to booming business in the area. Continue reading »

April 27, 2008 (Bentiu) - For the last three days, SPLA military camp in Kharasan, between Keilak and Bentiu has come under serious siege by Misseriya gunmen. On the evening of Saturday 26 Misseriya gunmen fought fiercely with SPLA detachment stationed near Kharasana market.

"Children and women are starving, for the last three days we have not drank water nor eaten food," said a traveler holed up within the SPLA camp. NSV tried to reach the SPLA commander in the area. He was arranging rescue for the civilians within the camp. There are some cars and buses caught between Kharasana and Bentiu. Continue reading »