In Abyei, Kiir Didn't Comply & Withdraw SPLA, New UN Report Says
By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, May 14, 2014-- The UN's new report on Abyei, to become
public under symbol S/2014/336, again mechanically paints a picture of
widespread violations by both Sudan and South Sudan, in the shadow of the
crisis in the latter.
To South Sudan, the UN report says UNISFA Commander Tesfamariam and envoy
Haile Menkerios went to meet Salva Kiir on February 25. Kiir said his
government would take measures to ensure withdrawal from the SPLA and SSNPS
forces by March 10.
The report continues that "on 11 March, with no progress in the withdrawal
of the SPLA and SSNPS forces," Tesfamariam again went to Juba. The report
does not mention Kiir.
There have been more agreements, like the one with Riek Machar in Addis
putting off elections for two or three more years, since the March 10
non-withdrawal. But the UN chugs along, with a head of UN Peacekeeping Herve
Ladsous who refuses to answer Press questions on any of this.
In its previously report the UN's all-Ethiopia UNISFA mission in Abyei
"observed the presence around 660 military elements of the SPLA and South
Sudan National Police Service... armed with AK-47 rifles and anti-tank
rocket propelled grenades; many of them have established military-type
settlements, including fire trenches."
This of course violates the June 2011 agreement; the UN adds that it
"poses security risks to Misseriya nomads migrating through the area."
Sudan, on the other hand, is reported also violate the agreement: "Sudan
oil police continued to maintain approximately 120 to 150 personnel inside
the Diffra oil complex in northern Abyei... about 30 Sudan oil personnel
were observed in the vicinity of the Beer Adrak oil pump station and in
Mekines, outside their usual area of deployment in the Diffra oil complex."
What now?
The last time the UN Security Council considered Abyei, back on November
25, 2013, Sudan's and South Sudan's ambassadors traded speeches about Abyei
in the Council, and things got personal.
While the Security Council urged against the unilateral referendum held in
Abyei, South Sudan's Francis Deng on Monday praised it. He said the Miseriya
had been out of the area "in their own homeland" 125 miles away when the
referendum was held.
Inner City Press has previously reported that Deng's family comes from
Abyei <
http://www.innercitypress.com/ban1dengs021011.html> , and has
questioned if he owns property there. It makes for a more dramatic story.
Sudan's Permanent Representative Daffa-Alla Elhag Ali Osman took the floor
to say Deng's speech was against the current tenor between Khartoum and
Juba, and was based on "personal interests" and not the interests of the
whole of South Sudan.
It's rare these days at the UN for arguments to turn personal in this way.
Relatedly, some in the Council note that soon after Ambassador Susan Rice
was promoted to Washington, there were no more twice a month meetings on
Sudan and South Sudan. In fairness we report that others say that's a
coincidence. Like Deng's personal story? Both are compelling.
Now on February 26, Daffa-Alla has moved on from his posting in New York,
and it is reported that Francis Deng has been recalled to Juba. Watch this
site.
****************************************************************************
UN Chides Afghans, CAR, Sudans, Chad, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Somalia, Myanmar
By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, May 14, 2014 -- When the UN's new report on Children and
Armed Conflict was circulated to members of the Security Council on May 14,
beyond the three countries that were immediately covered as news by Inner
City Press -- Syria,
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/syria2fsachildsoldiers051414.html> Nigeria
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/caac1bokoharam051414.html> and the
Democratic Republic of the Congo
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/caac1drcminova051414.html> -- there were
others on the Council's agenda.
These included Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire,
Iraq, Israel / Palestine, Lebanon , Libya, Mali, Somalia, Sudan and South
Sudan and even Myanmar.
(There were also situations not on the agenda of the Security Council
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/caac1tapdance051414.html> : Colombia, India,
Pakistan, Philippines and parts of Thailand -- these are the one's who most
push back against these reports.)
On Afghanistan, the UN says it "documented the recruitment and use of 97
children (all boys, some as young as eight years old."
On CAR, the UN says it "documented the recruitment and use of 171 boys and
17 girls and estimates that several thousand children have been and remain
associated with ex-Seleka and the anti-Balaka."
On Chad, the UN cites the "deployment of Chadian groups to" Mali and that
"border porosity and weak state authority in the CAR has resulted in the
inflow of approximately 80,000 refugees including unaccompanied children
into Chad."
Now that Chad's Idriss Deby has closed the border, what is the UN saying?
Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric on May 13, but by the
end of May 14, there was still no answer.
This report is set to be "issued as a document of the Security Council
under the symbol S/2014/339."
These advance copies have been known to be changed before "final" release,
in a process for which a description
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/syria1humspin042314.html> , and then
proposals for reform
<
http://www.beaconreader.com/matthew-russell-lee/from-advance-reports-to-unt
v-bans-from-western-sahara-to-access-un-lawless-gray-lady> , were provided
here <
http://www.innercitypress.com/syria1humspin042314.html> and then here
<
http://www.beaconreader.com/matthew-russell-lee/from-advance-reports-to-unt
v-bans-from-western-sahara-to-access-un-lawless-gray-lady> .
On Cote d'Ivoire, the UN says that in 2013 it "documented a total of 30
grave violations against children perpetrated by the FRCI. Four cases of
recruitment and use of children by the FCRI were documented."
On Iraq, the UN documented the most killings of children, 248, since in
2008.
On Israel / Palestine, the UN report says that "eight Palestinian children
(six boys and two girls) were killed and 1,265 injured in the occupied
Palestinian territories in 2013."
On Lebanon, the UN says in 2013 it documented "56 incidents of violations
against children, including the killing of 11 children and injury to 21
others."
On Libya, the UN says in 2013 it "documented the killing of 14 children
(12 boys and two girls) aged between four and 17 years, and injury to five
others."
On Mali, the UN among other things said that "despite the signing of a
protocol on the release and hand over of children between the government of
Mali and the UN on 1 July, nine boys remained detained in Bamako under
charges at the time of this writing."
On Somalia, the UN report says that "the arbitrary arrest and detention of
1,009 children by the Somali National Army, including during operations
against Al Shabaab, remained a grave concern in 2013."
On South Sudan, the UN report says "26 new incidents of military use of
schools and hospitals by SPKA (19) SSNPS (six) and non-state actors (one)
were documented."
On Sudan, the UN says it "recorded the recruitment and use of 42 children
in South Kordofan and Blue Nile, including two by the SAF."
On Myanmar, the UN report says "children used by the Tatmadaw continued to
be deployed to the frontline as combatants and in other roles, in particular
in Kachin State." That would be the government. Watch this site.
Received on Thu May 15 2014 - 18:48:46 EDT