United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Media & Spokesperson Unit Communications & Public Information Office MEDIA MONITORING REPORT WEDNESDAY, 08 JANUARY 2014 SOUTH SUDAN South Sudan rebels say no truce unless allies released (Khaleej Times/AFP) UNHCR assists over 23,000 S. Sudanese fleeing violence (Sudantribune.com) South Sudanese enter Uganda with bullets (Daily Monitor) South Sudan rebel Taban Deng eyes full reconciliation (En.apa.az) Food, water shortage hit Elegu refugee camp (Daily Monitor) Over 5000 South Sudanese seek refuge in neighbouring countries (Catholic Radio Network) MSF says people became more vulnerable (Catholic Radio Network) Yei needs humanitarian assistance (Easter Radio) Aweil west county commissioner condemns use of violence against government (Gurtong.net) South Sudan ‘hopeful’ on talks with rebels (Gurtong.net) Ugandans return to S. Sudan despite war (Daily Monitor) Christian leaders call for international intervention to end South Sudanese conflict (Catholic World News) Archdiocese Lukudu invites people for peace prayer (Catholic Radio Network) County seeks help to boost girl-child education (Gurtong.net) Tonj Wildlife Officer urges fishermen to have license (Don Bosco Radio) SUDAN/SOUTH SUDAN Oil ministers of Sudan, South Sudan affirm increased production from adariel field (BERNAMA-NNN-SUNA) Khartoum says oil flow from South Sudan’s Upper Nile state is stable (Sudantribune.com) OTHER HEADLINES Sudan’s NCP may delay 2015 elections: official (Sudanribune.com) ANALYSIS/OPINION/EDITORIAL South Sudan's terrified huddle in 'town' within city (Hindustan Times) Why Khartoum backs Kiir? (Thoughtsonthesudans.com) A Rebuttal to "The finger prints on genocide in South Sudan" (Sudantribune.com) Ambushed four times in South Sudan (Reddit.com/world politics) The way forward for South Sudan (Al-Jazeera.net) 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 South Sudan rebels say no truce unless allies released Khaleej Times/AFP, 8/1/2014 – South Sudan’s rebels indicated Wednesday that there would be no imminent truce in the country unless the government freed a group of suspected rebels currently being detained. A rebel spokesman said the 11 detainees, who were arrested in the capital Juba after fighting broke out more than three weeks ago, should be set free so they can take part in the peace talks under way in Ethiopia. “Our colleagues must be released so that they come and participate,” rebel spokesman Yohanis Musa Pauk told reporters in Addis Ababa. “You cannot go to negotiations while there are some people being detained. You need to release them so that they now have a positive role in the negotiations. We are just waiting for the release of our detainees, when they release them very soon we will sign the cessation of hostilities agreement,” he added. The fighting began on December 15 as a clash between army units loyal to South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and those loyal to ex-vice president Riek Machar, and has escalated into war between government troops and a loose alliance of ethnic militia forces and mutinous army commanders. The government is currently holding 11 of Machar’s allies, many of them senior figures and former ministers, but has been under pressure from IGAD — the East African regional bloc which is trying to broker a truce — as well as Western diplomats to release them as a goodwill gesture. The government, however, appears to have so far resisted the demands and maintains the detainees should be put on trial for their role in what the president says was an attempted coup. The rebel spokesman accused the government of “lying” to IGAD over the detainees by sending mixed signals, and asserted that the rebel side was acting in good faith. “We came here for peace, not just for talks, we came here to sign an agreement,” he said (Back To Top) UNHCR assists over 23,000 S. Sudanese fleeing violence Sudantribune.com Juba, 8/1/2014 – The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) says it was providing assistance to more than 23,000 South Sudanese refugees who fled to Uganda following violence outbreak in the new nation three weeks ago. Thousands of refugees, UNHCR said in a statement, were crossing in to Ugandan territories at a rate of up to 2,500 people daily. “As of Monday, 23,546 South Sudanese refugees had arrived in Uganda”, it noted, adding “We are grateful to the government of Uganda for recognizing all of them – as a group – as refugees”. With the help of its partners, UNHCR said it was struggling to provide enough water and adequate sanitation at transit and reception centres in Uganda’s districts of Arua and Adjumani. The UN refugee body, however, said it was over stretched given the influx of both South Sudanese and Congolese refugees in to Uganda as a result of violence in their regions. Staff Shortage Meanwhile, UNHCR said it was currently operating with a reduced staff of only 200 people because of the ongoing fighting and insecurity throughout much of the country. 2 “But we continue to supply services to some 230,000 existing refugees at 10 refugee camps in South Sudan – while we have also taking on increased responsibilities for the 57,000 civilians taking refuge in 10 UN compounds throughout the country”, the agency said. “We are helping lead efforts to protect especially vulnerable people like women and children. And we have brought in experts in areas such as site-planning and camp-management”, it added. In Upper Nile state’s Maban County, UNHCR said only four of its international staff and 11 nationals were working with partners and some refugees to serve 120,000 people in four camps. “They are making sure health services remain available, for example, and that water pumps are still working so refugees have access to both healthcare and clean water”, it said. Meanwhile, UNHCR further revealed it was preparing to return its personnel to Yida in Unity State, where three national staff and partners have been continuing to serve the 77,000 refugees in Yida and Ajuong Thok camps close to Sudanese border. It however said the plan was contingent on the deployment of additional UN peacekeepers. “Operating in Unity State remains dangerous and unpredictable”, UNHCR said, adding that also lost six pick-up trucks, fuel, water pumps and spare parts after looted raided Yida. South Sudan has now declared a state of emergency in Unity and Jonglei states, which remain under the control of rebels loyal to former vice-president Riek Machar. The UN estimates that more than 1,000 people died and nearly 200,000 were displaced during the recent violence, which started last year in the capital, Juba. (Back To Top) South Sudanese enter Uganda with bullets Daily Monitor, 8/1/2014 – South Sudanese fleeing war in their country into Uganda have been found with hundreds of bullets and army uniforms. The security personnel at the border, officials from the Office of the Prime Minister and UN refugee agency, UNHCR, which are coordinating the refugee settlement, said this posed a security threat to other refugees and locals, if the armed refugees are not properly screened and disarmed. At Dzaipi Reception Centre in Adjumani District where about 1,500 refugees were registered, 208 bullets were recovered from women. The women, whose names could not be revealed for security reasons, say some were abandoned by their husbands who have since joined the battlefield. A total of 58 army uniforms had been recovered at the centre by yesterday. In Koboko, a pair of army uniform of a captain and a pair of ceremonial uniform were discovered. A pair of trousers of the Republican Guard of South Sudan was also recovered from a woman, who claimed she found them on the way. Speaking to the Daily Monitor yesterday, the police spokesperson for West Nile region, Ms Josephine Angucia, said: “We managed to recover the ammunition and army uniforms from them through the checking process before registration to have them settled here” She added: “Ideally, it is a big security threat if there is laxity in checking them.” Ms Angucia said the refugees, who were found with the assorted ammunition, claim they were abandoned by soldiers fighting in South Sudan. (Back To Top) South Sudan rebel Taban Deng eyes full reconciliation En.apa.az, 8/1/2014 – Rebels in South Sudan are confident that "full reconciliation" can be achieved with the government, their chief negotiator has said, APA reports quoting BBC. Taban Deng's comments came as the two sides hold ceasefire talks in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa. Information Minister Michel Makuel said the government was committed to ending the conflict. (Back To Top) Food, water shortage hit Elegu refugee camp 3 Daily Monitor Amuru/Adjumani, 8/1/2014 – Inadequate food supply, water shortage and poor sanitation has hit Elegu refugee transit site in Amuru District. A total of 2,000 refugees from South Sudan are camped at Elegu Primary School in Atiak Sub- county. They have cried out to the donor community to come to their rescue. Ms Betty Lawino from Jongolei state and a mother of five, says the situation at the site is worrying. The Atiak Sub-county chairperson, Mr John Bosco Ochan, said the transit site is not suitable for the refugees since it lacks most of the necessary amenities. The only pit-latrine available has only five compartments compared to the population of the refugees.