A weekly roundup from Peace Direct (www.peacedirect.org)
News Roundup:
•The SPLM-North and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), a Darfur Rebel group, have announced they will work together against the government of North Sudan. The SPLM-North is also believed to be in similar talks with the Sudanese Liberation Movement (SLM). The Sudan Tribune is reporting that North Sudan is thinking about banning the SPLM-North as a political party.
•The EU has criticised Chad for not arresting Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir during a recent visit. Chad is a signatory to the statutes of the International Criminal Court, al-Bashir is wanted on war crimes charges.
•The US failed to get the UN Security Council to condemn violence in South Kordofan. The resolution was blocked by China and Russia. The US special envoy to Sudan expressed concern that violence in South Kordofan could spread to South Sudan.•South Sudan has accused North Sudan of refusing to withdraw their troops from Abyei.
•The value of the Sudanese pound has fallen on the black market.
News in detail:
South Kordofan
AFP: US fears Kordofan violence contagion to South Sudan
11 Aug: The US special envoy to Sudan on Wednesday voiced fears that the violence in the South Kordofan region could spread and engulf the newly independent nation of South Sudan.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hQi27URRFH5Iu7OiHTbJPoU-alvA?docId=CNG.d1c504bf387227a7f8244a7ff8064da3.401
North Sudan
Sudan Tribune: SPLM-North and JEM agree to work against Sudan's NCP
08 Aug: Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) North and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) said today they agreed to work with all the Sudanese political forces to re-establish democracy in the country.
http://www.sudantribune.com/SPLM-North-and-JEM-agree-to-work,39775
Reuters: Sudanese pound falls further despite central bank support
10 Aug: The Sudanese pound has fallen further on the black market despite the central bank's pledge to provide banks with more dollars to meet rising hard currency demand following the secession of oil-rich South Sudan, traders said on Tuesday.
http://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFJOE77906S20110810
Sudan Tribune: SPLM-SLM alliance is not yet sealed; talks continue to include JEM
11 Aug: The recently announced agreement between the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) and two factions of the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) is the first step in the negotiations between the opposition forces, Sudan Tribune has learnt.
http://www.sudantribune.com/SPLM-SLM-alliance-is-not-yet,39801
Sudan Tribune: Sudan's NCP to slap ban on SPLM-North party
13 Aug: Sudan's ruling National Congress Party (NCP) is contemplating a move to ban the armed opposition party Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) in the country, according to Sudan Tribune's sources.
http://www.sudantribune.com/Sudan-s-NCP-to-slap-ban-on-SPLM,39821
South Sudan
Reuters: South Sudan central bank says has reserves for a few months
10 Aug: South Sudan has enough reserves to pay for the basic needs of the state for a "few months" even if it does not receive oil revenues, the central bank governor said on Wednesday.
http://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFJOE7790HR20110810
Sudan Tribune: South Sudan secures internet country domain
11 Aug: South Sudan on Wednesday announced that it has been assigned '.ss' as its internet domain code and 'SSD' as the alpha-3 numeric code.
http://www.sudantribune.com/South-Sudan-secures-internet,39798
Sudan Tribune: Forces loyal to Peter Gadet arrive to Unity state after South Sudan's deal
13 Aug: Some 1200 troops loyal to Pater Gatdet's South Sudan Liberation Army (SSLA) have arrived to the Unity state from South Kordofan state where they were based for the last few months.
http://www.sudantribune.com/Forces-loyal-to-Peter-Gadet-arrive,39820
International
Reuters: EU says Chad should have arrested Sudan's Bashir
08 Aug: The European Union expressed concern on Monday about a second visit to Chad by Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, saying he should have been arrested there under an International Criminal Court warrant.
http://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idAFTRE77741C20110808
Sudan Tribune: UN condemns attacks against peacekeepers in Sudan
08 Aug: The UN Security Council (UNSC) has strongly condemned attacks against peacekeepers in Sudan and urged the country's government to end "the impunity" enjoyed by those who perpetrate such crimes.
http://www.sudantribune.com/UN-condemns-attacks-against,39782
USA Today: US fails to get UN to condemn Sudan violence
13 Aug: Russia and China blocked U.S. attempts to get the U.N. Security Council to condemn Sudanese government bombing and other military activities in the South Kordofan region of Sudan, U.N. diplomats said Friday.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2011-08-12-sudan-violence_n.htm?csp=34news
Abyei
Sudan Tribune: SPLM accuses Khartoum of refusing to withdraw its troops in Abyei
11 Aug: Deng Arop Kuol, a senior member of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the former chief administrator of the contested border region of Abyei on Wednesday, accused the Khartoum government of refusing to withdraw its troops from the contested border town of Abyei.
http://www.sudantribune.com/SPLM-accuses-Khartoum-of-refusing,39799
