Media & Spokesperson Unit, Communication & Public Information Office MEDIA MONITORING REPORT United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) MONDAY, 06 MAY 2013 SOUTH SUDAN, SUDAN • UN, US condemn Abyei killings (Radio Miraya) • Kiir calls for calm in Abyei (Radio Miraya) • Leaders call for calm and unity in Abyei (Gurtong) • South Sudan says Abyei will be reclaimed “at any cost” (Sudantribune.com) • South Sudan demands security increase in Abyei region (Gurtong) • Sudan’s ruling NCP calls for restraint in wake of Abyei killings (Sudantribune.com) • South Sudan welcomes UN decision over Abyei access (Sudantribune.com) SOUTH SUDAN • South Sudan’s newly appointed national reconciliation committee takes over (Sudantribune.com) • NGOs, civilians told to leave Kapoeta and Pibor towns amid safety fears (Sudantribune.com) • SSRRC boss warns army, communities over SPLM “internal problems” (Sudantribune.com) • South Sudan says death penalty remains until constitution amended (Sudantribune.com) • Jonglei community urges government to increase number of SPLA forces (Gurtong) • 500 policemen abandon posts over food shortage (Sudan Catholic Radio Network) • Government urged to act on media freedom violators (Radio Miraya) • Journalists must continue fighting for freedom (Sudan Catholic Radio Network) • Journalist bailed out after three days under arrest without charge (Sudan Catholic Radio Network) • Western Equatoria State governor acknowledges media, freedom of expression (Sudan Catholic Radio Network) • 27 children freed from army in Unity State (Radio Miraya) • Wau special court resumes hearings (Sudan Catholic Radio Network) • $270,000 to improve prison conditions in South Sudan (Radio Miraya) • Five killed, dozens injured in Cueibet County crossfire (Sudantribune.com) • Fresh attack on home of Lakes state political advisor in Rumbek (Sudantribune.com) • Hunger on the rise as seed shortage hits Payinjiar in Unity State (Sudantribune.com) • FM radio to be set up in Lainya County (Gurtong) OTHER HIGHLIGHTS • Sudan army closing in on a rebel-controlled area – sources (Sudantribune.com) OPINIONS/ EDITORIALS • A new country rises from the ruins of the world’s youngest country (The Economist) Headlines from the morning edition of the Media Monitor • SSLA rebels say their presence in South Sudan means peace not war (Sudantribune.com) • 11 Sudan traders killed in South Sudan (Associated Press) • At least 20 die in shootout in border area (Associated Press) • Tension, anger in Abyei after chief, peacekeeper killed (Agence France-Presse) • Ethiopian peacekeeper killed, two wounded in Sudanese clash (Reuters) • South Sudan holds Sudan responsible for killing of paramount chief in Abyei (Sudantribune.com) • Deputy Speaker: killing of Dinka Ngok chieftain not to affect relations (SUNA) • South Sudan’s Kiir to visit Sudan for oil flow (Reuters) NOTE: Reproduction here does not mean that the UNMISS Communications & Public Information Office can vouch for the accuracy or veracity of the contents, nor does this report reflect the views of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. Furthermore, international copyright exists on some materials and this summary should not be disseminated beyond the intended list of recipients. Highlights UN, US condemn Abyei killings Radio Miraya Juba, 05/05/13 - The United Nations and the United States have strongly condemned the killing of the Abyei Ngok Dinka Paramount Chief, Kuol Deng Kuol, and an Ethiopian UN peacekeeper. The deceased were killed when Misseriya militiamen waylaid a convoy they were traveling in, on return from an inspection visit to Koc area within Abyei on Saturday. UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon expressed deep condolences to the Ngok Dinka Community, the Ethiopian government and the families of the deceased and injured. In a statement, Ki Moon urged Sudan and South Sudan, as well as Ngok Dinka and Misseriya communities, to remain calm and avoid any escalation of the attack. US Ambassador to South Sudan, Susan Page, called on Khartoum and Juba to bring the perpetrators to justice. She also called for calm and restraint in the Abyei region. Kiir calls for calm in Abyei Radio Miraya Juba, 05/05/13 - President Salva Kiir has called for calm in Abyei following the killing of Paramount Chief Kuol Deng Kuol on Saturday. While addressing members of the Abyei community in Juba, Kiir said the incident was a security issue that will be handled by the country’s top leadership. The Paramount Chief of the Nine Dinka Ngok chiefdoms, Kuol Deng Kuol Arop (Kuol Aduol) was killed during a stand-off between the Misseriya tribe and UN peacekeepers in the Koc area of Abyei One UNISFA peacekeeper is said to have been killed and two others seriously wounded in the attack. Leaders call for calm and unity in Abyei Gurtong Juba, 05/05/13 - The people of South Sudan including the President of the Republic Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit gathered to mourn the death of the Paramount Chief of Abyei, Koul Deng Majok who was killed on Saturday. The chief was in the company of the United Nations Interim Security Forces for Abyei (UNISFA) protection after attending a meeting of the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee (AJOC). After the delegation from Sudan left to Khartoum and the delegation for South Sudan decided to remain in Abyei. Speaking to the press in his residence in Juba, the Minister for Cabinet Affairs in the government of South Sudan, Deng Alor said the Chief and the Ethiopian Forces went to Difra to hold a meeting and on their return they were ambushed. “The Ethiopian Commander tried to negotiate with the armed men because they wanted the Dinka in the convoy to be handed to them. Nobody was armed in the convoy. When the convoy was about to leave they shot the chief and he died instantly,” he said. “We will try to minimize any negative effects as a result of this incident to impact negatively on the referendum,” said Alor. Edward Lino broke into tears as he was addressing the media. Women and men during the press briefing equally broke into tears when Lino could not control his tears. 2 “It happened, and it has happened in Abyei. Am annoyed, am very annoyed, am very sorry, I think this is a simple issue, really do we want Abyei or not? If we want Abyei, we shall get it. Am annoyed, why? Because of the Misseriya, they think with all these time they can take away Abyei from the people of Abyei,” Lino said. “I hope I will get well. I want a small number of Abyei Youth and we have to go and stay in Abyei. This issue is not a joke. We did not play with them with more than 20 years because we were dealing with big issues. Now, we will have to fight for the rights of the people of Abyei,” he continued. “The government of Sudan is behind this attack,” he said. Speaking to residence of Juba and particularly the people of Abyei they are saying they need an end to President Omar al-Bashir’s provocations. But most importantly they want the people of Abyei to unite. South Sudan says Abyei will be reclaimed “at any cost” Sudantribune.com Juba, 05/05/13 - South Sudan said on Sunday that it will reclaim the oil- producing region of Abyei from the government of neighboring Sudan with which it has repeatedly failed to settle the region’s final status “at any cost”, and repeated accusation to Khartoum of “masterminding” the killing of paramount chief Kuol Deng Kuol on Saturday. Kuol was killed during following a standoff that lasted for several hours with armed members of the Misseriya who claimed that the Dinka Ngok chief was passing through their land without permission. However, Sudan’s interior ministry said in a statement today that the armed Misseriya demanded from Kuol that their cattle stolen by Dinka Ngok be returned to them. The tribal leader was being escorted in a convoy protected by the United Nations Interim Force for Abyei (UNISFA) in the presence of its Ethiopian commander Major General Yohannes Gebremeskel Tesfamariam. The ministry blamed Kuol for visiting northern Abyei region inhabited by the Misseriya without informing the monitors. It is not clear who fired the first shot but a Misseriya chief told Agence France Presse (AFP) that the clash happened when a UN peacekeeper shot one of the Misseriya who was readying his weapon. Sudan said that yesterday’s incidents resulted in 17 deaths and 12 injuries among the Misseriya. Two people were killed from the Dinka Ngok side including Kuol. One peacekeeper was killed on spot and two others seriously injured. Later one of the injured soldiers passed away. South Sudan president Salva Kiir Mayardit sprung up to his feet at a mourning function held in Juba today saying the issue should be left to the governments of Khartoum and Juba to handle but stressed that he was certain the region would one day return to the South “at any cost”. “This is sad. No one had expected this to happen at a time when we have accepted to give peace a chance. President Bashir and I have accepted and declared at the press conference here when he visited Juba to work together for peace. I know it pains but this should be left to the government to see what to do. And I only want to assure you that I am certain that Abyei will one day come to the south at any cost”, Kiir told thousands of mourners on Sunday. South Sudanese minister of information Barnaba Marial said the government condemned the attack in the "strongest term possible" and called on the international community, particularly the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and African Union to investigate and hold those responsible to account. 3 “The government of the republic of South Sudan condemns this unwarranted and unprovoked attack.