A Voice for the Voiceless

Former Sudanese Rebels to Rejoin Government

By Elizabeth Costner
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Africa

KHARTOUM, Sudan – After a two-month absence, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) have said they will rejoin the national unity government in Sudan.  In October, the SPLM withdrew amid accusations that President Bashir’s National Congress Party was failing to implement the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement which ended the 21-year civil war. 

The SPLM has agreed to end the boycott following a meeting between their leader, First Vice President Salva Kiir and Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir.  The parties agreed to funding for a census and a timetable to pull troops out of the north-south border.  The government will also move to the southern capital of Juba every three months.

Although there is still no agreement regarding the oil-rich Abyei region, SPLM’s Secretary General Pagan Amum said most issues had been resolved. Abyei “is a complicated question whose resolution requires a lot of efforts and we hope that it will be resolved by December 31 [or] that there will be an agreement on how to resolve it” said a member of Bashir’s National Congress Party. 

The Comprehensive Peace Agreement ended Africa’s longest running civil war that resulted in 2 million deaths and 4 million displaced.  It was largely between Khartoum’s Islamist government and Christian and animist rebels.  The agreement provides for a six-year transition period, which allows the south to retain autonomy and participate in the national government.  A national referendum is scheduled for 2011 on whether to create a separate southern state.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – Sudanese peace deal back on track – 12 December 2007

AFP – Former Sudanese rebels to rejoin unity cabinet – 12 December 2007

Reuters Africa – Sudan moves parliament south to heal rift – 12 December 2007

VOA News – Southern Ministers Set to Rejoin Sudan Government – 12 December 2007

BRIEF: Bomb Kills a High-Ranking General in Lebanon

BEIRUT, Lebanon – On the morning of December 12, a car bomb exploded and killed General Francois al-Hajj.  He had left his home in Baabda, a suburb of Beirut, minute earlier and was on his way to the Ministry of Defense when a parked car, filled with explosives, was triggered.  The Explosion left a crater two meters across and a meter deep and set fire to several cars nearby.  Hajj, his bodyguard, and his driver were killed in an explosion, which left a crater two meters across.

Hajj is the eighth assassination in Lebanon since former Prime Minister Hariri was killed in 2005.  However, this is the first attack on a high ranking member of the military.  The military is seen as neutral and as the only institution capable of maintaining peace and stability in Lebanon.  The attack has caused outrage amongst both pro-government and the Pro-Syrian opposition and both sides have condemned the attack.  So far no group has claimed responsibility for the attack; however, one suspect has been detained.

Hajj was the chief of operations during this summer’s fifteen week battle against the Islamist militants in Nahr al-Bared refugee camp.  If General Suleiman is elected president, it was thought that Hajj would succeed Suleiman as the army’s chief of staff.

For more information, please see:
Al Jazeera – Lebanon Blast Kills Army General – 12 December 2007

The Associated Press – Car Bomb Kills General in Lebanon – 12 December 2007

BBC – Blast Kills Lebanon Army General – 12 December 2007

The Daily Star – General Among Four Killed in Lebanon Car Bomb – 12 December 2007

The Guardian – Lebanon Bomb Kills Senior General – 12 December 2007

Middle East Times – Bomb Strikes at Core of Lebanon Army – 12 December 2007

The New York Times – General Killed in Bomb Attack in Lebanon – 12 December 2007

BRIEF : Rebels in DRC Seize Critical Town of Mushake

MUSHAKE, DRC –  Reports confirm that the rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo have recaptured the strategic eastern town of Mushake, which they lost to the national army last week. A UN spokesman confirmed that “Nkunda’s troops have taken up positions around Mushake and Mushake itself. The regular army is no longer present there.”

Presently, United Nation forces in the town of Sake, are threatening force against the rebels if the rebels continue to fight. Government officials also fear that the rebels have captured the town of Karuba.

The Defense Minister of the National Army, says that the army is currently planning a counter attack to seize Mushake. Mushake is a strategic military point because it provides an outlook to a critical road in Eastern DRC. The Minister stated, “The insurgents launched a surprise attack. We pulled back and they retook Mushake and Karuba, but this won’t last.”

Observers believe that the recapture of Mushake is both a major set back for the army and for UN peacekeepers, who do not want to resort to methods of violence to end this conflict.

During this part of the conflict, DRC army has suffered heavy casualties. UN General Gaye stated that in an effort to protect civilians, “We can propose solutions to ensure the security of these people but they must also take responsibility and not put themselves in a situation where they endanger their lives.”

For more information, please see:

BBC – DR Congo rebels retake key town – 11 December 2007

All Africa – Congo-Kinshasa: Army Suffers Setback in Offensive Against Rebels  – 11 December 2007

RTE – UN Threatens to Take On DRC Rebels  – 11 December 2007

BRIEF: Australia Withholds Reports in Tonga Riot Case; Regional Court Proposed

NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga – During the riots last November, eight men were killed in the fires lit by arsonists.  Four men have been charged with those murders, but the case may never get to trial because the Australian investigators are withholding autopsy and fire reports.

The Australians have said that they do not want to be involved in convicting persons under a death penalty.  The New Zealand prosecution team has said that they are not seeking the death penalty, and that it would be highly unlikely for the New Zealand judge hearing the case to impose it.  The prosecution team and the Tongan government have been trying to get hold of the reports for the last eight months, but they remain hopeful that they will get copies eventually.

Meanwhile, the defense lawyer has asked that the charges be dropped, since without the autopsy reports, the causes of death cannot be proven.

On a related note, judges in Australian have proposed a regional court, in part because of a rise in cross-border crimes, the small size of many of the Pacific nations, and the need to develop regional assets.  United Nations human rights conventions and standards and their applications, as well as the bills of rights of the Pacific countries, were discussed.  This may be related to Australia’s strong anti-death penalty stance.

For more information, please see:

ONE News – NZ embroiled in diplomatic row over Tonga riots – 10 December 2007

Radio New Zealand International – Australia expects Tongan bid to help with riot convictions – 11 December 2007

Radio Fiji – Pacific regional court proposed – 11 December 2007

BRIEF: Taylor Trial to Resume in January

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – The special court trying former Liberian President Charles Taylor for war crimes held a final status conference today. The hearing lasted less than ten minutes, and the prosecution and defense both agreed they would be ready to begin hearing evidence on January 7.  The trial is expected to continue until mid-2009. 

Taylor was indicted by the Special Court for Sierra Leone, but is being tried in The Hague under fears that it would ignite violence if held in Freetown.  Taylor’s trial began in June, but it was postponed to allow Taylor’s new defense team more team to prepare.

For more information, please see:

AP – Taylor War Crimes Trial to Resume in Jan. – 11 December 2007

Jurist – Taylor defense set for January war crimes trial resumption – 11 December 2007

For more information on Charles Taylor, please see the following Impunity Watch reports: Charles Taylor Appointed New Lawyer; Charles Taylor Trial Delayed; Reactions to Beginning of Charles Taylor Trial; Thoughts on Charles Taylor Trial; Opening Day in Charles Taylor Trial