AFRICOM Related-Newsclips 22 Dec 2011

8/3/2019 AFRICOM Related-Newsclips 22 Dec 2011

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U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs Office +49(0)711-729-2687 [email protected]

United States Africa CommandPublic Affairs Office22 December 2011

USAFRICOM - related news stories

Good morning. Please find attached news clips related to U.S. Africa Command andAfrica, along with upcoming events of interest for December 22, 2011.

Of interest in todays clips:

y Violence in the Congo stemming from the recent elections by Reuters and AlJazeera

y All Africa reports that the organizers of Rwanda's 1994 genocide have beensentenced to life in prison sentences by a UN tribunal.y The Horn of Africa continues to battle famine as the BBC reports of tons of food

aide being sent there by the UK.

y According to AllAfrica.comKhartoum & Juba will resume oil talks in January.Provided in text format for remote reading. Links work more effectively when thismessage is viewed as in HTML format.

U.S. Africa Command Public AffairsPlease send questions or comments to:[email protected] (+49-711-729-2687)

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Top News related to U.S. Africa Command and Africa

Congo forces kill 24 since vote results: HRW (Rueters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/22/us-congo-killings-report-

idUST

RE7BL00J2011122221 December 2011By Jonny Hogg(Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo security forces have killed 24 people sincePresident Joseph Kabila won a disputed presidential election, Human Rights Watch saidon Thursday.

DR Congo troops 'killed civilians' after vote (Al Jazeera)


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http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2011/12/2011122241113903851.html22 December 2011Rights watchdog says security forces tried to hide evidence of the killings which took

place after disputed election.

Senegal: 13 Dead in Casamance Attack (All Africa.com)http://allafrica.com/stories/201112211194.html21 December 2011The Senegalese army says separatist rebels attacked its Digoune barracks in the southernprovince of Casamance on Tuesday.

Somalia: Fighter Jets 'Kill 10' in Air Raid (All Africa.com)

http://allafrica.com/stories/201112211072.html21 December 2011Fighter jets pounded rebel-held southern Somalia killing at least 10 people and woundingseveral others, the majority reportedly civilians, witnesses and Islamist militia

commanders said on Wednesday.Rwanda: Key Organizers of Genocide Jailed for Life By UN Tribunal (All

Africa.com)

http://allafrica.com/stories/201112211275.html21 December 2011Two key organizers of the Rwandan genocide in 1994 were today sentenced to life inprison by the United Nations tribunal dealing with war crimes in the country whichresulted in the deaths of some 800,000 people in just 100 days.

Congo-Kinshasa: Measles Immunization Campaign Targets 1.7 Million Children

(All Africa.com)

http://allafrica.com/stories/201112211024.html21 December 2011Nairobi Amid rising measles and polio cases, tens of thousands of children are beingtargeted for immunization in health campaigns in affected regions of the DemocraticRepublic of Congo (DRC), according to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).

Somalia: Constitutional Conference Opens in Puntland Capital (All Africa.com)

http://allafrica.com/stories/201112211226.html21 December 2011Garowe A well-organized event attended by the top leaders of Somalia openedWednesday in the capital of Puntland State, in northern Somalia, Radio Garowe reports.

Horn of Africa famine: UK sends 9,000 tonnes of food aid (BBC)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-1629684922 December 2011Millions remain in danger as a result of drought and famine in the Horn of Africa, UKInternational Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell has said.


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West Africa: Climate Change Killing Trees Across the Sahel, Says Study (All

Africom.com)http://allafrica.com/stories/201112210821.html19 December 2011By Busani BafanaT

rees throughout Africa's Sahel region - vital to peoples' livelihoods - are dying as aresult of long-term drought linked to climate change, according to a study.

Sudan: Khartoum & Juba to Resume Oil Talks in January (All Africa.com)

http://allafrica.com/stories/201112210802.html20 December 2011Khartoum Sudan and South Sudan are due to enter in mid-January a new round ofnegotiations aimed at resolving their dispute over oil, AU mediators have announced.

Senegal: Top Journalist Joins Presidential Race (All Africa.com)

http://allafrica.com/stories/201112210177.html

20 December 2011By Tamba MatthewDakar A leading Senegalese journalist has accepted nomination to head an oppositioncoalition for the presidential race in February next year.

Ethiopian court convicts 2 Swedish journalists on terrorism charges (CNN)

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/12/21/world/africa/ethiopia-swedish-journalists/index.html?hpt=iaf_c221 December 2011By the CNN Wire StaffDecember 21, 2011 -- Updated 1643 GMT (0043 HKT)Sweden's prime minister wants two Swedish journalists who were found guiltyWednesday of supporting terrorism in Ethiopia to be freed and returned home as soon aspossible, saying they were on a "journalistic mission."

Is the Dragon Threatening the Eagles Lunch in Africa?

America or China: who wins the New Scramble for Africa? (The Liberian

Journal.com Guest Commentary)

http://www.theliberianjournal.com/index.php?st=news&sbst=details&rid=2388&comesOfTheHome=121 December 2011By Ahmed K. SirleafThe growing influence of China in Africa poses significant threats to United Statesinterests on the continent. Unless the U.S. moves fast, it will lose the influence war inAfrica to the Chinese

Libya: 10 months of imperialist war leave chaos (Workers World)

http://www.workers.org/2011/world/libya_1229/22 December 2011By Abayomi Azikiwe, Editor, Pan-African News Wire


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On Feb. 17, the enemies of Col. Moammar Gadhafi began their rebellion against theLibyan government. Immediately, the United States, Britain, France and other NATOallies declared the unrest a democratic uprising and warranted his removal inside this oil-rich, North African state.

South Sudanese 'press-ganged' by rebels in Khartoum (BBC)http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-1628797221 December 2011By James CopnallYoung South Sudanese men living in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, are being forciblyconscripted by militia groups, numerous sources have told the BBC.

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UN News Service Africa Briefs

http://www.un.org/apps/news/region.asp?Region=AFRICA

Egypt: UN official deplores reported attacks against female protesters

21 December The head of the United Nation entity tasked with promoting genderequality today voiced concern over reports of attacks against female protesters in Egyptwho turned up to exercise their freedom of assembly and expression.

Central African Republic: Security Council extends mandate of UN office

21 December The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nationspeacebuilding office in the Central African Republic (CAR) for another year, stressingthe need to ensure effective coordination of the work of UN agencies, funds andprogrammes in the country.

Security Council extends mandate of peacebuilding office in Guinea-Bissau

21 December The Security Council today renewed the mandate of the United Nationsoffice that is assisting Guinea-Bissau to consolidate peace and stability, and called on theGovernment and all political actors to work together towards this goal.

Key organizers of Rwandan genocide jailed for life by UN tribunal

21 December Two key organizers of the Rwandan genocide in 1994 were todaysentenced to life in prison by the United Nations tribunal dealing with war crimes in thecountry which resulted in the deaths of some 800,000 people in just 100 days.

UNs regional African offices meet to discuss common security issues

21 December The United Nations political offices in West Africa and Central Africahave held a joint meeting on common cross-border threats, such as piracy in the Gulf ofGuinea, the aftermath of the Libyan crisis on security across the Sahel and the activitiesof the notorious rebel Lords Resistance Army (LRA).

(Full Articles on UN Website)


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Upcoming Events of Interest

The Department of State currently has no major events listed before the new year.

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Whats new on www.africom.mil

U.S. Marines and Djiboutian GIGN forces exchange "Warrior Ethos"

http://www.africom.mil/getArticle.asp?art=7502&lang=019 December 2011By Supunnee Ulibarri

CHEIK MOUSSA, Djibouti For a small contingent of U.S. Marines assigned to the

22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard the USS Bataan (LHD 5), a respite from themetal confines of the ship allowed for an exchange of warrior skills and tactics withmembers of Djibouti's premier reactionary force, the Groupe d'Intervention de laGendarmerie Nationale (GIGN), at Cheik Moussa, Djibouti, November 13 to December2, 2011.

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Congo forces kill 24 since vote results: HRW (Rueters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/22/us-congo-killings-report-idUSTRE7BL00J2011122221 December 2011By Jonny Hogg

(Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo security forces have killed 24 people sincePresident Joseph Kabila won a disputed presidential election, Human Rights Watch saidon Thursday.

The rights group said all but four of the victims were killed in the capital Kinshasa, wheremain opposition rival Etienne Tshisekedi is popular. It said there was evidence securityforces had tried to hide the killings.

Among the victims, a 21-year-old woman was shot dead and her 8-year-old niece shot inthe throat on the day of the election results, as police fired on crowds of oppositionsupporters in the capital according to HRW, which said its information came fromfieldwork, local human rights activists and witnesses.


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Security forces appear to have tried to hide the killings by quickly removing corpses, thereport said, while sections of the military, including the presidential guard, are accused ofdetaining people in military camps in the capital.

"These bloody tactics further undermine the electoral process and leave the impression

that the government will do whatever it takes to stay in power," HRW's senior Africaresearcher Anneke Van Woudenberg said in the statement.

A government official was not available to comment.

Congo's opposition has rejected Kabila's victory in the November 28 poll over allegationsof fraud, triggering some street protests. The election process has also drawn widecriticism from international and local observers for irregularities.

The election commission issued the results on December 9, giving Kabila 49 percent ofthe votes cast to Tshisekedi's 32 percent.

These latest death figures follow an earlier report by HRW saying that 18 people hadbeen killed by security forces in the run up to the polls, claims strongly disputed by thegovernment, which launched an inquiry but said there was a lack of evidence.

Security has been visibly tight since polling day, particularly in key opposition areasincluding the Kasai provinces and Kinshasa, where heavily armed police and militaryhave been on patrol since the beginning of the month.

On Tuesday heavily equipped riot officers forcibly removed around 40 female protesterswho had been staging a sit-in outside the US embassy in Kinshasa, a Reuters witnesssaid.

Congo is still recovering from a 1998-2003 war that killed more than five million people,but a flawed election process and the opposition's refusal to acknowledge the results haveled to fears of a protracted political crisis.

There are fears that plans by Tshisekedi to hold his own swearing in ceremony on Fridaycould spark further clashes.

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DR Congo troops 'killed civilians' after vote (Al Jazeera)http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2011/12/2011122241113903851.html

22 December 2011

Rights watchdog says security forces tried to hide evidence of the killings which tookplace after disputed election.


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Security forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been reponsible for the deathsof at least 24 people since President Joseph Kabila's contested re-election on December 9,Human Rights Watch has said.

"At least 24 people were killed by security forces between December 9 and 14, including

20 in Kinshasa, two in [eastern] North Kivu, and two in [central] Kasai Occidentalprovince," HRW said in a statement on Thursday.

"Human Rights Watch also documented an incident in which local youth in Kinshasathrew rocks at a priest who later died from his injuries," the group said.

Since the election commission issued results on December 9 showing Kabila had won theNovember 28 presidential vote, "security forces have been firing on small crowds,apparently trying to prevent protests against the result," saidAnneke Van Woudenberg, senior Africa researcher at HRW.

T

he victims include a 21-year-old woman who was shot dead as police fired on crowds ofopposition supporters in the capital, according to the group. The woman's eight-year-oldniece was also shot in the throat and is undergoing hospital treatment, it said.

HRW said its information came from fieldwork, local human rights activists andwitnesses.

Security forces appear to have tried to hide the killings by quickly removing corpses, theHRW report said, while sections of the military, including the presidential guard, wereaccused of detaining people in military camps in the capital.

"Several sources informed Human Rights Watch that the government had instructedhospitals and morgues not to provide information about the number of dead or any detailsabout individuals with bullet wounds to family members, human rights groups, or UnitedNations personnel, among others," the group said.

"The UN and Congo's international partners should urgently demand that the governmentrein in its security forces."

'Bloody tactics'

Van Woudenberg said: "These bloody tactics further undermine the electoral process andleave the impression that the government will do whatever it takes to stay in power."

The human rights watchdog said after interviewing 86 victims and witnesses it hadreceived "dozens of reports of other killings and attacks by security forces which it isseeking to confirm and is continuing its investigations".

The latest death figures follow an earlier report by HRW saying that 18 people had beenkilled by security forces in the


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run up to the polls, claims strongly disputed by the government.

DR Congo's opposition has rejected Kabila's victory in the poll over allegations of fraud,triggering some street protests. The election process has also drawn wide criticism frominternational and local observers for irregularities.

The country's election commission issued results that gave Kabila 49 per cent of the votescast while main opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi took 32 per cent.

Tshisekedi, 79, is challenging the outcome of the vote which the country's supreme courtand election commission said Kabila had won by a large majority.

Kabila was sworn in for another five-year term on Tuesday. There are now fearsTshisekedi's plans to hold his own swearing-in ceremony on Friday could spark furtherclashes.

###Senegal: 13 Dead in Casamance Attack (All Africa.com)

http://allafrica.com/stories/201112211194.html21 December 2011

The Senegalese army says separatist rebels attacked its Digoune barracks in the southernprovince of Casamance on Tuesday.

A large number of Casamance Democratic Forces Movement fighters carried out theattack at 6:45 in the morning, the army said.

Local people say casualties were compounded by a vehicle being forced off the road.

Eye-witnesses' assessments of the number of dead varied between 13 and 15.

It is the second such attack in a matter of days.

The army says it killed five rebels and wounded six others in exchanges of fire. Itadmitted two casualties, one fatal. A third solder is reported missing.

A local inhabitant told RFI that the casualty numbers were in fact much higher becausean army vehicle speeding reinforcements to the scene was ambushed by the rebels as itentered Digoune village.

The vehicle was forced off the road and crashed into a building, killing twoschoolchildren. Seven more soldiers were also killed.

The army says these seven soldiers were killed in a "serious road accident".


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This attack follows only a few days after one in Kabeumb.

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Somalia: Fighter Jets 'Kill 10' in Air Raid (All Africa.com)


Fighter jets pounded rebel-held southern Somalia killing at least 10 people and woundingseveral others, the majority reportedly civilians, witnesses and Islamist militiacommanders said on Wednesday.

Military jets targeted several locations in Hosingow in the Lower Juba region, close tothe Kenyan border late Tuesday, local elders said.

"There were at least three military planes that dropped bombs on Hosingow, and one hit a

house killing civilians", said Abdi Isak, a witness."There were 11 people, most of them civilians, killed in the raid."

"One of the bombs struck near a street where people were running their businesses -- theydropped bombs and went away without knowing who they have killed," Ahmed Yusuf,another witness told AFP.

"More than ten have died and 13 others are injured, some of them seriously," he added.

It was not immediately clear where the airplanes were from, but neighbouring Kenya hascarried out several bombing raids in the region since launching an offensive against theAl-Qaeda-linked Shebab rebels two months ago.

The hardline insurgents, who control large parts of southern Somalia but are facingincreasing pressure from regional armies and government forces, condemned theairstrikes.

"The cowardly enemy has targeted civilians in Hosingow and killed more than 10innocent civilians after their military jets bombed houses," regional Shebab officialSheikh Abukar Ali said.

"They have targeted civilian areas and committed crimes, but we will not let them gowith the innocent blood of our people they have spilt... They will regret this, themujahideen fighters will avenge the attack," he added.

The Horn of Africa country has been ravaged by a nearly uninterrupted civil war sincethe 1991 ousting of president Mohamed Siad Barre sparked vicious bloodletting by rivalmilitias fighting for power.


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Kenyan military officials vowed last week to carry out further air strikes deeper intorebel-held territory, claiming to have already killed several Shebab fighters in earlierraids. - ANP/AFP

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Rwanda: Key Organizers of Genocide Jailed for Life By UN Tribunal (All

Africa.com)


Two key organizers of the Rwandan genocide in 1994 were today sentenced to life inprison by the United Nations tribunal dealing with war crimes in the country whichresulted in the deaths of some 800,000 people in just 100 days.

douard Karemera and Matthieu Ngirumpatse, both senior members of the ruling party in

Rwanda during the genocide, were found guilty of genocide, direct and public incitementto commit genocide, extermination as a crime against humanity, rape and sexual assaultas crimes against humanity, and killings as causing violence to health and physical ormental well-being.

Mr. Ngirumpatse was the chairman of Rwanda's then-ruling National RevolutionaryMovement for Development (known by its French acronym, MRND) party while Mr.Karemera was his deputy at the time.

The International Criminal Tribunal of Rwanda (ICTR) delivered its judgment afterfinding that both men were members of a "joint criminal enterprise" to destroy the Tutsipopulation of Rwanda, and consequently liable not only for their own criminal acts andomissions, but also for those committed by others within the common purpose of theenterprise.

In addition, the tribunal, which is based in Arusha, Tanzania, ruled that they bearextended liability for the widespread rapes and sexual assaults ofTutsi women and girls,which were a foreseeable consequence of their joint criminal enterprise.

In a news release issued by the ICTR, the tribunal described the crimes, committedbetween April and July 1994, as being "of the utmost gravity" and found the accusedresponsible for the crimes carried out by the Interahamwe militia unit members in thecities of Kigali and Gisenyi. These include the crimes committed by Colonel ThonesteBagosora, who has also been sentenced to life imprisonment.

The tribunal also ruled that Mr. Karemera, who was also interior minister in the interimgovernment in 1994, bears superior responsibility for the criminal activities of thecivilians who participated in the civil defence programme, and local officials who werepart of the territorial administration during the genocide.


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The trial chamber dismissed the count of complicity in genocide because it was pleadedas an alternative to the count of genocide. Although it found the accused guilty ofconspiracy to commit genocide, the chamber did not convict them of this count, notingthat the conviction for genocide fully accounted for their criminal responsibility.

Created in December 1994, the ICT

R tries those alleged responsible for crimes againsthumanity and other offences committed during the genocide.

To facilitate the tribunal's ongoing work, the Security Council adopted a resolution todayextending the terms of office of four permanent judges and eight "ad litem" judges of thetribunal until 30 June 2012 or until the completion of the trial to which they are assigned,stressing the importance of the ICTR being "adequately staffed to complete its workexpeditiously."

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Congo-Kinshasa: Measles Immunization Campaign Targets 1.7 Million Children(All Africa.com)


Nairobi Amid rising measles and polio cases, tens of thousands of children are beingtargeted for immunization in health campaigns in affected regions of the DemocraticRepublic of Congo (DRC), according to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).

At least 128,965 measles cases, with 1,573 deaths, have been recorded in the DRC in2011, and 89 wild polio-virus type 1 cases had been reported up to 13 December,UNICEF said.

The current campaign against measles in Kinshasa is targeting at least 1.7 millionchildren aged 6-59 months.

Alphonse Toko, UNICEF's immunization specialist in the DRC, said: "Vaccination is themost efficient tool to protect children from epidemics that kill or paralyze".

On 16 December, Health MinisterVictor Makwenge Kaput urged parents to get theirchildren vaccinated.

A door-to-door polio vaccination initiative using mobile health teams, which started on19 December, will end on 21 December in the provinces of Bandundu, Bas-Congo, KasaOriental, Katanga, Maniema and South Kivu, where at least 1.1 million children underfive are being targeted.

The polio virus re-emerged in the DRC in 2006, with 13 cases being recorded at thattime, before peaking at 100 cases in 2010.


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Somalia: Constitutional Conference Opens in Puntland Capital (All Africa.com)


Garowe A well-organized event attended by the top leaders of Somalia openedWednesday in the capital of Puntland State, in northern Somalia, Radio Garowe reports.

The event marking the opening of the Somali National Consultative ConstitutionalConference in Garowe was attended by TFG President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, TFG PrimeMinister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gas, TFP Speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden,Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole and Vice President Abdisamad AliShire, and Galmudug leader Mohamed Ahmed Alin.

Representatives from pro-government Ahlu Sunna group, based in central Somalia, were

also present as signatories of the Roadmap adopted byT

FG,T

FP, Puntland, Galmudugand Ahlu Sunna.

Foreign dignitaries included UN Special Envoy to Somalia, Augustine Mahiga, and hisdeputy, Mr. Christian Manahl.

Puntland government forces have secured Garowe airport, where the delegations fromMogadishu, Galkayo and Nairobi have flown in since Monday.

The conference is being held at the conference hall of Puntland State University inGarowe.

Abdirahman Farole, Puntland's leader, offered the opening remarks and his speechfocused on efforts to restore Somalia's dignity.

President Farole welcomed all the delegations to Puntland State and thanked theconference organizers and participants.

"Today is a historic day. The Somali people are waiting for us to deliver a meaningfuloutcome for this important conference," said Puntland's leader. He urged parliamentaryreforms to be implemented, in accordance with the Roadmap timeline, in order to end thetransition by 20 August 2012.

President Farole emphasized the importance for federalism in Somalia, saying:"Federalism, as ordained by the Transitional Federal Charter, is a pre-condition for therenaissance of the long-awaited Third Republic of Somalia."

The Puntland leader talked about the political developments in Puntland State, saying thatPuntland was advancing towards a multi-party political system.


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President Farole praised the African Union peacekeeping force (AMISOM) in Mogadishuand called on the AU and the UN Security Council to approve the deployment ofAMISOM peacekeepers in Galkayo, Puntland State.

Further, Puntland's leader once again welcomed the Kenyan Army's intervention in Jubba

regions of southern Somalia, while commending the visit to Mogadishu earlier this monthby UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon.

On piracy, President Farole announced today that the Puntland Government is planningto resume a training program for the Puntland Maritime Police Force.

Resuming the training program is "in line with the TFG-Puntland CooperationAgreement of 29 August 2011, which called for the establishment of a Somali MarineForce," said President Farole, adding: "The formation of the PMPF is in direct responseto multiple U.N. Security Council Resolutions and urgent calls from the internationalcommunity, calling on Somali authorities to build security and law enforcement

institutions to address the piracy problem."UN Special Envoy

Ambassador Mahiga, the UN Special Envoy to Somalia, offered brief remarks anddelivered a message from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon.

"The Secretary-General has a message for Somalia: 1) implement the Roadmap; and 2)complete the Federal Constitution," said Ambassador Mahiga, who announced that hewould fly to Addis Ababa and return to Garowe tomorrow.

"The Secretary-General has delegated me to attend a meeting in Addis Ababa wherediscussions are focused on expanding AMISOM forces to areas outside of Mogadishu,"said Ambassador Mahiga.

TFG Prime Minister

Somalia's Prime Minister, Dr. Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gas, offered a prepared statementin both Somali and English languages.

He expressed his thanks to the government and people of Puntland State for hosting theconference and for taking full responsibility for the security.

Prime Minister Gas stressed the importance of federalism in Somalia and urged allSomalis to work out differences peacefully and lawfully.

The TFG Prime Minister highlighted the Roadmap as a document that leads towardsending the transitional period on time, in August 2012. He expressed hope that theconference will produce a positive outcome for Somalia.


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"The Somali people are expecting us to agree to a Constitution. This is the time to act,"said the TFG Prime Minister.

TFP Speaker

Parliament Speaker Sharif Hassan thanked the people of Puntland State who welcomedthe delegations and thanked the Puntland Government for hosting the conference.

The Speaker's speech focused on forgiveness and tolerance. He urged Somalis to forgiveeach other and to work together towards saving Somalia.

"Our country has suffered and continues to suffer. We must work together to save ourpeople," said the Parliament Speaker.

He underlined that the Somali stakeholders are committed to implementing the Roadmap.

T

FG President SharifThe TFG President, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, thanked the people and government ofPuntland State for hosting the conference.

"I am very proud of Puntland State for maintaining security. I am happy to take part ofthis conference," said the TFG leader.

He spoke about federalism, saying: "Somalia undergone different phases. In our currentphase, federalism is a must. The debate could be 'what type of federal system.' Theconference delegates will debate such issues."

Continuing, he said: "Security, political and social developments must run parallel toeach other. We can see the light of hope. This is the time to continue our efforts and tostrengthen our unity."

TFG President Sharif spoke about the renewed dispute in the TFP, as dissident MPsstormed into parliament hall in Mogadishu earlier Wednesday. "It is unfortunate thatdisputes continue to emerge, as our plan is to move forward. Somalia needs a constitutionbecause there can be no government without a constitution."

TFP Speaker Sharif Hassan and TFG Prime Minister Gas stood next to TFG PresidentSharif as he delivered his speech, in a sign of solidarity among the leaders fromMogadishu.

The Somali Constitutional Conference was delayed a number of times but has opened inGarowe. The Conference is slated for Dec. 21 - 23, 2011, and organizers hope theoutcome will lead to the emergence of an agreed-upon Somali Federal Constitution, inorder for the transitional period to end by 20 August 2012.


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In September 2011, the Roadmap was formally adopted at the National ConsultativeConference in Mogadishu, attended by the Somali stakeholders who signed the Roadmap.

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Horn of Africa famine: UK sends 9,000 tonnes of food aid (BBC)http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-1629684922 December 2011

Millions remain in danger as a result of drought and famine in the Horn of Africa, UKInternational Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell has said.

Mr Mitchell said the latest estimate is that up to 100,000 people may have died betweenApril and August.

More than 9,000 tonnes of UK-funded aid is due to arrive in the region over Christmas,

which is expected to feed some 800,000 people.The minister said millions will "face a fight for life in the New Year".

As well as food, the UK's aid will also fund vaccines and other medical supplies to treatmore than 75,000 refugees.

Britain is also providing clean water for more than half a million people in the Horn ofAfrica as the area struggles to recover from the effects of its worst drought in 60 years.

Based on data collected by the UN, latest UK estimates show that of the 50,000 to100,000 people who may have died due to drought-related causes, more than half werechildren aged under five.

The full extent of deaths caused by the drought may never be known, the Department forInternational Development said.

Mr Mitchell said there were some signs that the situation was improving, but that thesituation remained desperate for people who remained malnourished and stuck in camps.'Fight for life'

Famine status has been lifted in three of the six areas of Somalia but many familiesremain without sufficient food.

Mr Mitchell said: "Britain can be proud that we have got emergency aid to millions ofpeople during the last six months.

"In many cases, this has been the difference between life and death.


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"Millions across the region remain in danger and will face a fight for life in the New Yearas they struggle to recover from the drought.

"But British aid is arriving as we speak so that families have enough to eat today and inthe weeks ahead, providing hope that there can be a better future."

Mr Mitchell also praised the generosity of the British public, who have donated morethan 72m to the Disasters Emergency Committee's East Africa appeal.

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West Africa: Climate Change Killing Trees Across the Sahel, Says Study (All

Africom.com)http://allafrica.com/stories/201112210821.html

19 December 2011By Busani Bafana

Trees throughout Africa's Sahel region - vital to peoples' livelihoods - are dying as aresult of long-term drought linked to climate change, according to a study.

It found that one in six trees in the region has died since the 1950s, whilst a fifth ofspecies has disappeared locally, because of rising temperatures and lower rainfall linkedto climate change.

At some sites, average temperatures rose by 0.8 degrees Celsius and rainfall decreased by48 per cent. Trees have shifted southward towards wetter areas.

This shift in the vegetation zones could have a severe impact on the lives of the Sahel'spopulation warned Patrick Gonzalez, a climate change scientist from the University ofCalifornia, Berkeley, in the United States, and lead author of the study, published onlinein the Journal of Arid Environments last week (17 December).

"People in the Sahel depend on trees for maintaining soil fertility and for firewood, hutpoles, food and other essentials of life ... so the loss of trees directly harms people'slivelihoods," he told SciDev.Net.

The researchers combined aerial photographs captured between 1954 and 1989, field datafrom 2000-2002 relating to tree size and numbers and high-resolution satellite imagesfrom 2002 to show how tree distribution has changed across the region. Statisticalanalysis that compared this information with factors such as temperature, rainfall, humanpopulation and soil fertility showed that climate outweighed all other factors in drivingthis change, said Gonzalez.


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Farmers in the region are already being forced to alter their techniques in response tochanging climate. Many already practise natural regeneration - where they select, prune,and raise small trees to maturity in their fields - as an adaptation to climate change.

Farouk El-Baz, research professor and director of the Centre for Remote Sensing at

Boston University, United States, said that, although the observations sounded credible,he found it difficult to believe that rising temperatures alone could be responsible for thelack of rain.

"The rain that reaches the Sahel does not originate there but it is part of the monsoonsystem. Thus a local rise in the temperature [would have] no effect on rain clouds," hesaid.

El-Baz, well known for his studies on arid landscapes - particularly deserts - said cyclicalvariation in rainfall as shown by previous drought periods must be considered, explainingthat dry spells in the Sahel fluctuated drastically almost every seven years.

The study was partially funded by NASA (the National Aeronautics and SpaceAdministration) and the US Geological Survey.

References: Journal of Arid Environments doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2011.11.001 (2011)

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Sudan: Khartoum & Juba to Resume Oil Talks in January (All Africa.com)


Khartoum Sudan and South Sudan are due to enter in mid-January a new round ofnegotiations aimed at resolving their dispute over oil, AU mediators have announced.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the AU High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP),which has been mediating talks between the recently separated countries, set out atimetable for a new round of talks from 17th to 23rd January in the Ethiopian capitalAddis Ababa. The AUHIP said that the proposed timetable was made followingconsultation with both parties.

The new round of talks is hoped to bring the two countries to reach a settlement to theirlong-standing dispute over the fees ought to be paid by the landlocked South Sudan forthe use of pipelines owned by Sudan to bring the former's oil to export terminals in thelatter's main sea outlet of Port Sudan.

The former round of talks collapsed in late November after the AUHIP failed to bridgethe gap between the two neighbors, leading to an open exchange of hostilities withKhartoum threatening to take 23 percent of the south's oil exports and Juba warning itwould suspend production should Sudan makes such move.


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An AUHIP-proposed compromise for Juba to pay Khartoum an annual percentage of oilexports has failed as Sudan rejected the south's offer of US$5.4 billion offer anddemanded US$7.4.

In its statement, the AUHIP revealed that the two parties "will be invited to attendmeetings in Addis Ababa from 17th to 23rd January."

"During that week," the statement added, "there will be concurrent meetings concerningthe issues of oil and of arrears. There will also be a meeting on banking and tradepayments during this period."

Sudan says its southern neighbor Sudan has not paid any fees since it gainedindependence in July, taking with it three quarters of Khartoum's oil production.

On the other hand, South Sudan argues that the transportation fees demanded by

Khartoum, US$32.2 per barrel, are too steep, saying it is ten times over the internationalstandard.

The AUHIP said that Sudan will send it a full list of the claims it intends to raise on thearrears issue.

On the front of commercial oil negotiations, the panel said it might ask representatives ofoil companies to attend the meetings to provide information and inputs.

The inclusion of oil companies in the talks was proposed by South Sudan, according to itschief negotiator Pagan Amum.

Amum said on Monday that the move would help in overcoming the "principle ofdiscrimination" and give all parties a platform to follow discussions on tariffs and costsbeing put forward.

"We feel that since discussions on the oil fees and tariffs are in the interest of the oilcompanies as well, the Government of South Sudan has suggested that oil companies beinvolved in the next round of the negotiations," said Amum.

The upcoming round of talks will be crucial in view of continued threats and the policy ofbrinkmanship adopted by both sides over the issue of oil.

Amum last week said that Khartoum sent a letter to South Sudan's government warningthat no vessel carrying Juba's crude oil will be permitted to leave Port Sudan unlessUS$32.2 per barrel is paid.

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Senegal: Top Journalist Joins Presidential Race (All Africa.com)


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http://allafrica.com/stories/201112210177.html20 December 2011By Tamba Matthew

Dakar A leading Senegalese journalist has accepted nomination to head an opposition

coalition for the presidential race in February next year.Mr Abdou Latif Coulibaly on Sunday accepted the nomination by 'Benno Alliance 2012',a splinter opposition coalition that comprises about eight political parties.

The investigative journalist and managing editor of the weekly La Gazette was amongthree other candidates shortlisted to head the coalition which broke away from themainstream Benno Siggil Senegal.

Mr Coulibaly, in his late 50s, is also the director of a journalism training institute inDakar and a writer who has published about eight books.

But his most renowned investigative reports hinge around President Abdoulaye Wade.

The latest report unveils a dubious contract the Senegalese government awarded aFrance-based aeronautic company to repair the presidential carrier.

Declaring the journalist as the favourite candidate to head Benno Alliance 2012, thechairman of the selection committee explained that Mr Coulibaly's choice was based onhis "unimpeachable character and popularity".

Professor Babacar Guye said Mr Coulibaly was closely followed by one of the threefemale presidential candidates, Prof Amsatou Sow Sidibe, and MrTalla Sylla, whoseparties are among the strongest in the coalition.

Accepting his nomination, Mr Coulibaly expressed optimism of winning the polls iforganised freely and fairly by the electoral commission.

When elected president, he said his government would seek to protect and guarantee theconstitution from any form of manipulation and thereby promote social cohesion.

Prominent on his agenda will also be to give free reins to the civil society and encouragesocial and political dialogue while giving consideration to the situation of Senegalese inthe diaspora.

Mr Coulibaly is among 15 other candidates, including President Wade, if declaredlegitimate by the Constitutional Council, as well as three former premiers and four formerforeign affairs ministers who will contest the polls on February 26, 2012.

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Ethiopian court convicts 2 Swedish journalists on terrorism charges (CNN)

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/12/21/world/africa/ethiopia-swedish-journalists/index.html?hpt=iaf_c221 December 2011By the CNN Wire Staff

December 21, 2011 -- Updated 1643 GMT

(0043 HKT

)Sweden's prime minister wants two Swedish journalists who were found guiltyWednesday of supporting terrorism in Ethiopia to be freed and returned home as soon aspossible, saying they were on a "journalistic mission."

The pair could face more than 18 years in prison. Their next court appearance isscheduled for December 27 and sentencing could occur then.

Ethiopian troops captured Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye in July during an exchangeof gunfire with a rebel group in the Ogaden, a prohibited region along the nation's border

with Somalia, according to state media.Ethiopians officials have accused the journalists of being accomplices to terrorism afterthe government declared the Ogaden National Liberation Front a terrorist group in June.

"Our starting point is and remains that they have been in the country on a journalisticmission," Swedish Prime Minister Frederick Reinfeldt said in a statement. "They shouldbe freed as soon as possible and be able to rejoin their families in Sweden."

Reinfeldt said his government was examining the guilty verdict in consultation with thejournalists and their families.

"But we are already making high-level contact with the Ethiopian government in thismatter," the statement said.

But presiding judge Shemsu Sirgaga said the two "have not been able to prove that theydid not support terrorism."

"They have shown that they are esteemed journalists, but we cannot conclude thatsomeone with a good reputation does not engage in criminal acts," Sirgaga said.

Press freedom groups say the two were embedded with the rebels while working on astory about the region.

Journalists and aid workers are prohibited from entering the Ogaden, which human rightsorganizations say is rampant with human rights abuses against ethnic Somalis by rebelsand Ethiopian troops.


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"The Ethiopian army's answer to the rebels has been to viciously attack civilians in theOgaden," said Georgette Ganon of Human Rights Watch. "These widespread andsystematic atrocities amount to crimes against humanity."

Persson and Schibbye were convicted on two counts: entering the country illegally and

providing assistance to a terrorist organization, according to the Committee to ProtectJournalists (CPJ).

Prosecutors are recommending 13 years for the terrorism charges and an additional five-and-a-half years for entering the country illegally.

Both journalists pleaded guilty to entering the country illegally through Somalia withoutaccreditation, according to the CPJ, which says Ethiopian officials deny media accesswithout government minders.

"We have documented violations of due process and the politicization of their trial," the

CPJ said, complaining that the government pronounced the two guilty even before thetrial started.

Amnesty International also called for their release.

"There is nothing to suggest that the two men entered Ethiopia with any intention otherthan conducting their legitimate work as journalists. The government chooses to interpretmeeting with a terrorist organization as support of that group and therefore a terroristact," said Claire Beston with the human rights group.

Both Persson and Schibbye are contributors to the Sweden-based photojournalism agencyKontinent.

"This was the worst thing that could happen. We were hoping for a trial," the agency toldCNN on Wednesday.

In a statement issued in September, Kontinent said that its journalists do not take sides orparticipate in any conflict and report under international rights regarding freedom of thepress, which it believes should be upheld by any government.

The trial against the journalists turned into a fight for press freedom in Ethiopia,according to international journalists' organizations. In a letter sent to the United Nations,Reporters without Borders accused Ethiopia of desecrating its anti-terrorism law to lessenpress freedom and penalize free speech.

"In the name of the fight against terrorism, the government muzzles dissident and criticalvoices, thus abusing human rights and fundamental freedoms," wrote the secretarygeneral of Reporters without Borders, Jean-Francois Julliard.

On Wednesday, the group expressed outrage.


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"This verdict is absurd and demonstrates the stubbornness of the Ethiopian authorities,"Julliard said. "Instead of proving their guilt, the judge accuses them of failing to provetheir innocence."

T

uesday the government freed three Ethiopian journalists who had been in custody forseveral days after criticizing the government, according to the Committee to ProtectJournalists.

The number of journalists imprisoned worldwide has increased by more than 20 percentto its highest level since the mid 1990s according to an annual report by the organization.

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Is the Dragon Threatening the Eagles Lunch in Africa?

America or China: who wins the New Scramble for Africa? (The Liberian

Journal.com Guest Commentary)http://www.theliberianjournal.com/index.php?st=news&sbst=details&rid=2388&comesOfTheHome=121 December 2011By Ahmed K. Sirleaf

The growing influence of China in Africa poses significant threats to United Statesinterests on the continent. Unless the U.S. moves fast, it will lose the influence war inAfrica to the Chinese

Chinas burgeoning influence on the continent comes with serious consequences forAmericas interests in Africa. National security, rule of law, human rights anddemocratic governance interests are at risk.

Undoubtedly, China is not new to Africa. However, it is evident today that China hasmade a strategic move to prioritize trade and foreign direct investments on the continent.

Since the mid 1990s, Chinas influence in Africa has exponentially grown. In 2009 Chinasurpassed the United States as Africas leading trading partner. China-Africa (exports andimports) totaled $127 billion dollars in 2010. This is in comparison to the U.S.-Africatrade value of $113 billion dollars during the same time period. While there are hugetrade deficits between the U.S. and Africa, Chinas trade balances with most Africancountries are virtually deficits free.

The simple explanation for the notable trade deficits between the U.S. and Africa can beattributed to the huge oil imports from Africa, while there are hardly any considerableexports from Africa into American markets. For example, in 2010, the U.S. importedabout $85 billion worth of oil from African markets, while the U.S.s total exports to thecontinent amounted to a mere $28 billion dollars.


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The opposite is true with Sino-Africa trade and diplomatic relations. While America hastrade deficit with Africa, China, had trade surpluses with most African countries. InAfrica, China is not just interested in the extractive sector.

Contrarily, Sino-Africa investments have extended to apparel, textile, food and agro

processing, retail ventures, fisheries, sea food farming, commercial real estate,transportation, construction, tourism, power plants, banking and financial services,telecommunications, higher education, to name but a few.

Of course, the two countries approach Africa differently. China sees Africa as a strategicinterest for raw materials to fuel its manufacturing industries as well as for hydrocarbonfuels for its growing energy needs. The US is interested in issues of good governance anddemocracy. The U.S. believes that a prosperous Africa will encourage open marketpolicies. This is all about ensuring that freedom and democracy flourish on the continent.

China adopts a policy of non- interference in which it does not attach any strings to its

development aid or investment packages as long as African governments embraceChinas one-China policy. For instance, China does business with countries likeZimbabwe and the Sudan (despite human rights violations in Darfur, and Mugabesoppression of his people).

Furthermore, the Chinese practice of staffing infrastructure and construction projects withChinese labor not only does not spur local capacity building but also drives localindustries out of business.

In sum, China has encroached upon traditional areas of economic and diplomaticcooperation once coveted purviews of OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operationand Development) countries, including the United States.

For America, one of its recent strategies had centered on security for Africa: the so-calledAfrica Command (AFRICOM) was initiated to serve as a multifaceted initiative.AFRICOM had been designed as a conglomerate of military, security and humanitariancoordination unit solely for Africa from the United States. Aside from Liberia, however,no other African countries had been willing to host this U.S. military base, which wasalso meant to serve as counter to the war on terror in the region.

AFRICOM is currently based in Stuttgart, Germany instead of in Africa. It coordinates anumber of U.S. interests in Africa, including U.N. peacekeeping operations, civilian andState Department projects, drones and counter terrorism operations on the continent.Drone operations in East Africa are a prime example.

Unless the United States moves quickly and adopts policies that would stop the rapidgrowth of Chinas influence, it risks losing its influence in Africa. Losing influence in anincreasingly critical region is tantamount to losing access to strategic interests in that partof the world.


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Editor's Note: Sirleaf is an independent Africa policy and conflict analyst, who holds anMA in International Law and a MPA in Public Leadership and International PolicyAnalysis from the University for Peace and the University of Minnesotas HumphreySchool of Public Affairs. He can be reached at: [email protected] or (651) 208-0463.

###Libya: 10 months of imperialist war leave chaos (Workers World)

http://www.workers.org/2011/world/libya_1229/22 December 2011By Abayomi Azikiwe, Editor, Pan-African News Wire

On Feb. 17, the enemies of Col. Moammar Gadhafi began their rebellion against theLibyan government. Immediately, the United States, Britain, France and other NATOallies declared the unrest a democratic uprising and warranted his removal inside this oil-rich, North African state.

Ten months later, U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta visited Libya to reassure theNATO-installed National Transitional Council (NTC) that Washington would fully backthe new regime. Although Panetta told the unelected and undemocratic leadership therethat they would face formidable challenges, he said he was confident they would succeedand bring all the groups together and be part of one Libya and one defense system.(Reuters, Dec. 19)

A major challenge facing the Western-backed government is the failure to rein in thearmed militia groups that have terrorized the population for months. One day prior toPanettas visit, two sons of Khalifa Haftar, the purported commander of the anti-Gadhafiground forces, were wounded in an ambush by a rival militia group that still controls theairport outside Tripoli.

A week ago, Haftar, who had lived in Virginia for 30 years under Central IntelligenceAgency sponsorship, was involved in clashes with militiamen near the airport. NTCPrime Minister Abdurrahim El-Keib and Defense Minister Osama Al-Juwali have againordered the militias to vacate the city by Dec. 22.

The militia groups have refused to leave Tripoli and other areas of the country, and saythat their fighters will not disarm until they are given political and economic authority.These disparate forces were only united around the imperialist-driven aim of regimechange in Libya. There has never been ideological or political cohesiveness among theNTC interim regime and their supporters.

After 10 months of sanctions, a naval blockade, the destruction of the infrastructure bymilitia attacks and U.S.--NATO bombing operations, the once prosperous and stable statehas been nearly destroyed. Even among the NTCs political leadership, profounddifferences have prevented the regime from developing a coherent policy to govern thecountry.


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Unblocking stolen funds

During the imperialist-led war against Libya, the imperialist states not only imposedsanctions but also froze more than $160 billion of Libyas national wealth. There was no

justification for those actions, which constituted an act of war designed to assist inGadhafis overthrow.

On Dec. 16, the U.N. Security Council announced that it would lift sanctions on Libyascentral bank and a subsidiary that will supposedly provide tens of billions of dollars tothe rebel regime. The U.S. said it is releasing $30 billion in funds for NTC use.

The regime admits that there is a cash crunch inside the country. Funds are needed topay public sector workers and hire contractors to rebuild the countrys infrastructure.

However, the Wall Street Journal reports that the Treasury Department says, Assets in

the U.S. of the Gaddafi family and former regime members remain frozen as are fundstied to the Libyan Investment Authority and entities named as being owned or controlledby it. (Dec. 19)

U.N. tries to deflect criticismof role in Libya war

The U.N. Security Councils passage of Resolutions 1970 and 1973 provided thepseudolegal rationale for the obliteration of the Libyan government and military attacksagainst its people. After the resolutions passed, the U.S. and NATO began bombingLibya. The 26,000 sorties and 10,000 airstrikes resulted in thousands of deaths and thedisplacement of at least 1 million people.

During the bombings, there were voices of condemnation throughout Africa andworldwide. The African Union, a 54-member continental organization of sovereignstates, developed its own road map for peace, which was totally ignored by the U.N. andthe imperialist countries that were bombing Libya.

Additionally, Russia, China, India and Brazil have accused the U.S. and NATO ofutilizing the U.N. resolutions as a cover to destroy Libya and overthrow its government.

Since the NTCs installation, criticism of the U.N. role continues. Secretary General BanKi-moon falsely claims the U.N. was innocent. On Dec. 14, he said, Security CouncilResolution 1973 was strictly enforced within the limit, within the mandate. (Reuters)He further claims, These changes of regime were done by the people, not by theintervention of any foreign forces, including the United Nations. The reality is that theNTC rebels were on the verge of total defeat until the U.S.-NATO forces began to bombthe country.


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U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was in Libya just two days beforeGadhafis brutal execution on Oct. 20 by the NATO-backed rebels in Sirte. During thisvisit, she called for Gadhafi to be captured and killed.

A U.S. predator drone along with French fighter planes had identified the convoy

carrying Gadhafi and other government officials for liquidation. Gadhafi was killed whilein the custody of the U.S.-backed rebels.

Despite these blatant crimes, the U.S., the other NATO countries and the U.N. have allrecognized the NTC as Libyas legitimate government. Now, the U.N. secretary generalis calling for similar actions to be taken against Syria.

ICC is hated in Africa

The Netherlands-based International Criminal Court is loathed in Africa since it hassolely focused on persecuting government leaders there. Recently, however, the ICC

announced that Gadhafis extrajudicial killing would possibly be investigated as a warcrime. In fact, though, the high court indicted Gadhafi, his son Seif al-Islam andintelligence head Abdullah al-Senussi.

Clearly, the ICC is in no position to pursue real justice in Libya since it played a majorrole in supporting the imperialist war against Libya.

After Gadhafi was killed, ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo visited Libya andsaid that the political situation was conducive to holding a trial there to prosecute Seif al-Islam. But international lawyers hired by the Gadhafi family havent been able to meetwith Seif and other political prisoners being held inside Libya.

Thousands of Africans from Libya and other neighboring states are incarcerated inLibyas prisons. In their campaign of torture, imprisonment and lynching, the NTC forcesspecifically targeted dark-skinned people who were accused of being Gadhafi loyalists.

Only 13 African states have recognized the NTC because it came to power through animperialist-imposed war of regime change.

Solidarity with the African people

It is important for anti-imperialist and anti-war forces worldwide to express theirsolidarity with the suffering masses in Libya. The war against that sovereign country wasillegal from the start and was based on false accusations of human rights violations. Infact, Libya had been cited for human rights advances by the U.N. Human Rights Councilin a glowing report released one month before the U.S.-NATO war began, unleashingmassive death and destruction.

Africa is a focal point for expanding U.S. imperialist intervention with another war nowunderway in the Horn of Africa nation of Somalia. U.S.-sponsored drone attacks have


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killed hundreds of civilians there, while the CIA maintains a field operations center inMogadishu.

U.S. military advisers and Special Forces units have been in four countries in Centraland East Africa since October. Military expenditures for the United States Africa

Command (Africom) have increased under the Obama administration.U.S. military efforts must be halted to guarantee the independence and sovereignty of theAfrican people. The workers tax dollars here should be rechanneled back to providejobs, housing, health care, pensions, social services and public services for the people. n

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South Sudanese 'press-ganged' by rebels in Khartoum (BBC)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-1628797221 December 2011

By James CopnallYoung South Sudanese men living in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, are being forciblyconscripted by militia groups, numerous sources have told the BBC.

It is alleged they are forced to fight for rebels in South Sudan, which split from the northin July.

South Sudan's information minister believes Khartoum is directing the rebel groups andthe kidnappings.

A senior official in Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir's party told the BBC theaccusation was "nonsense".

It is feared the alleged abductions will worsen the already fragile relationship between thetwo countries.

'Training camps'

According to South Sudanese community leaders, church workers in Khartoum andpoliticians in South Sudan, men have been snatched from universities, the streets andeven their homes by armed gangs.

"The attitude of recruiting South Sudanese university students into the military by theKhartoum regime is an irresponsible exercise," South Sudan's Minister of InformationBarnaba Marial Benjamin has said.

Continue reading the main story Start QuoteWe have heard that there is a possibility ofpaying a ransom, so that those who pay a ransom are released.End Quote Philippa Candler UNHCR


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Rabbie Abdelattie, a senior official in Sudan's ruling National Congress Party, denied thecharges.

He told the BBC that the Sudanese government was providing lots of humanitarianassistance to South Sudanese.

But numerous South Sudanese living in Khartoum told me they believed the authoritiesin the city are at the very least condoning forced conscription.

One man said his uncle had been snatched: "He is not a soldier, and he has no militaryexperience, so I am worried he won't know how to fight or protect himself."

He assumes his uncle has been sent to a training camp, before he is sent into battle,perhaps never to be seen again.

Like almost everyone else, he was too scared to allow his name to be used.

Others spoke of a priest, his assistant and a driver who had gone missing. Some men arenow too scared to seek the casual work they need to pay their bills.

'Lies'

Rebels active in some part of the south have laid land minesThe UN's refugee agency, UNHCR, has good contacts with the South Sudanesecommunities in Sudan and believes there are 700,000 South Sudanese still living in thenorth, nearly six months after the southern region seceded.

It has no independent confirmation of the abductions, but is worried by what its sourcesare reporting.

"They describe that there have been house-to-house searches in some areas," saysPhilippa Candler, UNHCR Sudan's head of protection.

"We have heard that there is a possibility of paying a ransom, so that those who pay aransom are released."

UNHCR says it has raised the matter with the Sudanese government.

All the South Sudanese sources - official and unofficial - accuse rebel groups of carryingout the kidnappings.

The name that comes up most often is the South Sudan Liberation Army (SSLA), whichmainly operates in oil-rich Unity state.

Continue reading the main story Start QuoteWhy would we forcibly recruit the citizens?Everyone supports me


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End Quote General Bapiny Monytuil A SSLA commanderGeneral Bapiny Monytuil, the SSLA's deputy commander, called the accusations "lies".

He says bus loads of South Sudanese men going to the border are his fighters returningfrom Khartoum where they had been for rest or to have injuries treated.

"We have wounded men who come for treatment in Khartoum, then we send a mission tocome to send them back to the border," he told the BBC.

"Why would we forcibly recruit the citizens? Everyone supports me."

Other South Sudanese rebel groups fight in Upper Nile and Jonglei states. Anger inUpper Nile against the rebels runs deep.

"Their objective is survival, and self-interest. They are fighting for nothing, and they arekilling innocent civilians," Simon Kun Pouch, the governor of Upper Nile state told the

BBC."They go and collect people by force, and send them to the front line by force. I don'tknow what God will do for these people."

In Khartoum, fear has gripped many South Sudanese.

But one old woman was determined to talk - though she, too, did not want her name to beused.

"We heard that some of the people who were taken have already been killed in the warthere," she said, in a soft voice.

"We got a message from other people. The names of the dead have already reached here.So we are warning all the South Sudanese people here in Khartoum."

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END OF REPORT

Documents

AFRICOM Related-Newsclips 22 Dec 2011