With eye on militants, Israel builds Africa ties

With eye on militants, Israel builds Africa ties
The Associated Press
Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, hosted the leaders of Uganda and Kenya earlier this week, following a meeting at the United Nations in September with the president of the newly liberated South Sudan, the mainly Christian and animist nation …

South Sudan – Hon. Kwong urges promotion of decent work environment in the states
Borglobe
He said the workshop has come at a crucial time when the Republic of South Sudan is only four months old and requires the collective effort of all the people to overcome the overwhelming challenges of reconstructing the nation. …

South Sudan Looks for Foreign Investors to Reopen Shuttered Factories
Voice of America (blog)
South Sudan’s undersecretary for commerce says the new country plans to reach out to international investors to refurbish and reopen a number of shuttered factories to help create jobs. Elizabeth Manoa Majok tells the Reuters news agency that the …

South Sudan: UN mission presses for all child soldiers to be released
UN News Centre
The United Nations peacekeeping operation in South Sudan today called on the country’s military to ensure that all child soldiers within its ranks are released after more than 50 teenage soldiers were let go earlier this week. Fifty-three soldiers aged ..

South Sudan Seeks Foreign Investors to Reopen Shuttered Factories
Voice of America
November 17, 2011 South Sudan Seeks Foreign Investors to Reopen Shuttered Factories VOA News South Sudan’s undersecretary for commerce says the new country plans to reach out to international investors to refurbish and reopen a number of shuttered …

Egyptian Islamist group admits sending fighters to South Sudan during civil war years

November 16, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – A leading figure in an Egyptian Islamist group revealed in an interview that they sent some of their members to fight with the Sudanese army during the civil war years.

Nageh Ibrahim, a co-founder of al-Gama’a al-Islamiyya in Egypt (.almorakeb.com)

Nageh Ibrahim, a co-founder of al-Gama’a al-Islamiyya and a member of its Shura council, told the Kuwait-based Al-Rai newspaper that some of the group’s members went to Sudan and joined arms with the army in the battle against rebels in south of the country.

But the official said the group regretted taking part in this war.

“This participation was a huge mistake that led to what is Sudan’s fate now,” Ibrahim said.

The people of South Sudan overwhelmingly voted to leave the north in a January referendum, promised in the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended more than two decades of civil war with the north which killed around 2 million civilians and displaced million others.

Last July South Sudan, where most follow Christian and traditional beliefs, officially became an independent state and gained swift recognition from most of the international community including Arab and Muslim countries that supported Khartoum during the civil war years.

Since coming to power in 1989 through a bloodless coup, analysts say that the government of President Omer Hassan al-Bashir has focused on mobilizing people domestically and externally by portraying the war as a foreign plot to strip the country of its Arab-Islamic identity.

Government media at the time reinforced an image of soldiers from Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and allied Popular Defense Forces (PDF) being backed by God and spoke of semi-miracles the fighters encountered during some of the battles.

The leading figure from al-Gama’a al-Islamiyya suggested that they were misguided in their backing of the war and blamed Bashir’s government for splitting up the country.

“The Sudanese regime focused its efforts on Islamizing the south and the Egyptian Islamists considered their participation in the war [was for the cause of] safeguarding Islam” Ibrahim said.

The Egyptian Al-Gama’a al-Islamiyya started originally as a group in the 1970’s that recruited heavily in universities and eventually became hugely influential among students. They grew more militant in nature and were accused of stoking violence in college campuses and later outside the academic institutions, particularly during the 1990s.

One of the group’s founders, Tarek al-Zumar, and his cousin Abboud, were convicted of involvement in the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat in 1981.

In 2003 the group officially renounced violence and the Egyptian government started releasing of its members from jail afterwards.

A court ruled last month that the Islamist group can form its own political party paving the way for its participation in the upcoming elections.

(ST)

http://www.sudantribune.com/Egyptian-Islamist-group-admits,40746

 

President Kiir in Nairobi

NAIROBI, 17 November 2011 – The President of the Republic H.E. Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit is in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. The President and the accompanying delegation left Juba yesterday afternoon for an official visit to the Republic of Kenya. H.E Kiir and his entourage arrived in Nairobi at round 5:00pm.

According to the minister in the Office of the President Hon. Emmanuel LoWilla, President Kiir is visiting Nairobi and will proceed to Uganda. The purpose of the trip is to hold consultative meetings with the leaders and authorities of these countries on the issues facing the region.

 

President arrives in Nairobi.
[Photo: Thomas Kenneth]
Hon LoWilla further said President Kiir intended to have consultations with leaders of the region for achieving peace and stability in the region particularly between the Republic of South Sudan and the Republics of Sudan, Kenya and Somalia.
President Kiir is expected to meet President of the Republic of Kenya H.E Mwai Kibaki today at the State House in Nairobi.

Sudan has ‘fundamental reservations’ on talks with South Sudan

Sudan has ‘fundamental reservations’ on talks with south
Al-Arabiya
President of Sudan Omar al-Bashir (Front) and President of South Sudan Salva Kiir. (File photo) By AFP Sudan has “fundamental reservations” with proposals by the African Union on key unresolved issues with the south, but is not refusing to negotiate, …

South Sudan: “Elected Government” and the Paradox of Dogmatic Gimmick About It
AllAfrica.com
The phrase “Elected Government” is generally quite controversial both in theory and practice in our political debate as far as South Sudanese are concerned in general and residents of Lakes State in particular. The phrase veils itself around the mantle …

Refugee from South Sudan recounts journey to US
The Herald-Mail
By Joe Crocetta, Staff Photographer Gabriel Bol Deng has come a long way since 1987 when militiamen attacked his village in South Sudan. At the time, the 10-year-old played dead to avoid being killed. When he finally raised his head, he saw dead bodies …

South Sudan: Four Killed, Five Wounded in Rebels Attack in Pigi County
AllAfrica.com
Juba — The militia forces suspected to be George Athor loyalists yesterday launched an attack on three villages in Pigi County, Jongeli state killing about four civilians and wounding five with a lot of huts burned down and numerous cattle looted. …

South Sudan: Appointment of Chairpersons of Commissions, Undersecretaries of …
AllAfrica.com
Although nothing is perfect made by human hands, but this appointment is relatively significant to us as it is for those who are optimistic about the future of this great Country, South Sudan. It is something potentially crucial at the moment to recall …

Refugees at Yida Refugee Camp in South Sudan, Sick, Hungry
Voice of America
November 17, 2011 Refugees at Yida Refugee Camp in South Sudan, Sick, Hungry Hannah McNeish | Yida, South Sudan A week after bombs fell near the Yida refugee camp in South Sudan, shortages of supplies are taking their toll on the more than 20000 people …

South Sudan President on two-day state visit to Uganda
New Vision
President Salva Kiir of South Sudan has begun his two day visit to Uganda at the invitation of President Yoweri Museveni. The visiting South Sudan President, who arrived in the country this afternoon, received a red carpet welcome plus a 21-gun salute …

Kenya and South Sudan leaders hold talks
Africa Review
By PPSPosted Thursday, November 17 2011 at 14:28 Kenya’s President Mwai Kibaki Thursday at State House Nairobi held talks with President Salva Kiir of South Sudan. During the meeting, President Kiir briefed his Kenyan counterpart on the implementation …

Refugee from South Sudan shares horrific experience
The Herald-Mail
By DAN DEARTH dan.dearth@herald-mail.com Gabriel Bol Deng has come a long way since 1987 when militiamen attacked his village in South Sudan. At the time, the 10-year-old played dead to avoid being killed. When he finally raised his head, …