| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER |
S U D A N : N E W S & V I E W S
========================================================================
Issue No 8 8 June 1995
________________________________________________________________________
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ Sudan: News & Views is a fortnightly Electronic Newsletter +
+ distributed free of charge. +
+ Reposting and reproduction are allowed (with acknowledgement). +
+ Questions and comments can be sent to yasin@gn.apc.org or to fax +
+ number +44-181-933 2870. +
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
In this issue:
* ARREST OF SADIG EL-MAHDI
* NEW AMBASSADORS APPOINTED
* FOREIGN RELATIONS OFFENSIVE
* ARMY REGAINS CONTROL OF PARIANG
* TWO DOCTORS KIDNAPPED IN SOUTHERN SUDAN
* PARTIAL SALE OF SUDAN AIRWAYS
* ROUNDING UP YOUNGSTERS FOR MILITARY SERVICE
* SUDAN AND UGANDA
* HEAT WAVE KILLS FLIES AND MOSQUITOES
* CARNEY IS NEW US AMBASSADOR TO SUDAN
* ECONOMIC POINTERS
* SHORT NEWS ITEMS
-----------------------------------------------------
* ARREST OF SADIG EL-MAHDI
The former Prime Minister, Sadig el-Mahdi, was arrested on May 16, for the fifth time since he was deposed by Omer el-Bashir in 1989. Before he was taken away, el-Mahdi managed to send a written message titled 'A Message to the Sudanese People and the International Community'. In this message, which has been widely circulated, he declared that he will not co-operate with the Security investigators and will not answer any questions, whatever the cost might be, unless in a fair and independent court of justice.
A week after his arrest, nine leaders of the Ansar Islamic sect, sent a strong letter to the President demanding the immediate and unconditional release of their leader. The letter contained strong language and threats of confrontation. The authorities reacted by arresting more than 200 of the Ansar from different regions of the country, including the nine who signed the letter, the entire political leadership of the Umma Party and former Ministers and officials.
On Friday, June 2, more than 3 thousand supporters of el-Mahdi demonstrated after the Friday prayers in the Ansar mosque of Wad Nubawi- Omdurman. The demonstrators dispersed on a request by Ahmed el- Mahdi, Sadig's uncle, who advised against confrontation with the authorities. A security source issued a statement in the beginning of June claiming that el-Mahdi is fully cooperating with his interrogators by admitting to his knowledge of subversive activities planned by the Sudanese Allied Forces and supported by Eriteria. The Security source confirmed the arrest of a further 13 people from the Umma party after their names were mentioned by el-Mahdi during the questioning. Umma party sources in London described the statement as false and a naive fabrication by the security authorities to tarnish the image of Sadig el-Mahdi.
El-Mahdi still remains under detention and in complete isolation. No member of his family was allowed to see him or make contact. His whereabouts are still unknown. Although the government claims that he is held in Kober prison, his family fear that he might be held in one of the secret detention centers 'ghost houses', or even outside the capital Khartoum.
* NEW AMBASSADORS APPOINTED
Major-General Fatih Erwa had been nominated as Ambassador of Sudan to the USA. Erwa worked as coordinator of Sudanese-American relations under Nimeiri. His appointment is seen by many observers as a strong desire by the Sudanese government to improve relations and reach a common understanding with the American Administration.
Erwa was a high-ranking security officer during the regime of Ja'afer Nimeiri. He was responsible for the Horn of Africa division within the Sudanese security services. After the overthrow of Nimeiri, Erwa was tried for his involvement in the transportation of the Flasha Jews from Ethiopia to Israel in 1987-88. He was acquitted after accepting to collaborate with the prosecution and act as a witness. In 1990, he was appointed State Minister for the Presidency and Security Advisor for President Omer el- Bashir. Together with Lt. Colonel Ibrahim Shams el-din, Erwa conducted the day-to-day military operations in the South.
It is reported that senior officials in the US State Department had welcomed the nomination.
Other Foreign Ministry appointments include:
- Ahmed Abdel Halim (ex-Information Minister for Nimeiri), as Ambassador to Austria
- Brigadier (ret.) Suliman Mohamed Suliman Syria
- Abdel Bagi Ahmed Hassan Yemen
- Mahdi Mustafa el-Hadi Italy
and Omer Yousif Barido (first undersecretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) as Ambassador to
the United Kingdom.
* FOREIGN RELATIONS OFFENSIVE
The Sudanese government is embarking on a foreign relations offensive aimed at Europe and the Arab world. This could be clearly seen by the globe-trotting and statements made by leading figures of the regime. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ali Osman Taha, visited Saudi Arabia in mid-May, together with the Vice President, el-Zubair Mohamed Saleh. In a press conference in Jeddah, Taha said that despite the deterioration in relations with Uganda and Eriteria, his country's foreign relations are currently undergoing a period of revision. He pointed out that Britain has appointed a new Ambassador to Sudan who said upon arrival to Khartoum: 'I come to you with an open heart and listening ears'. He interpreted this as a wish by Britain, and other European countries, to improve relations and open a new page with Sudan.
Taha then visited the United Arab Emirates where he met with the Foreign Minister, Sheikh Hamdan Ben Zayed, to discuss Sudan-Emirate relations. He then proceeded to India.
At the same time, the second Vice President, George Kongor Arop, led a delegation on a tour including Jordan and Iraq, mainly to consolidate relations between Sudan and these countries.
On the European front, Dr. Ghazi Salah el-Din, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, met in London with his British counterpart, Douglas Hogg, whereas Dr. Hassan el-Turabi, leader of the National Islamic Front, visited Holland and Switzerland and, maybe, France. Turabi said that, during his visit, he met with parliamentarians and Christian organisations in these countries.
* ARMY REGAINS CONTROL OF PARIANG
It has been announced in Khartoum that the army had regained control of the town of Pariang in Upper Nile, which was under the control of the Sudan's People Liberation Army (SPLA) for 12 years.
The Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reported that a convoy led by the Governor of the Unity Province had entered the town on June 4, after a deal had been struck with the SPLA commander in the town, Mik Jow, who agreed to hand over the town to the government. No details of the deal were given. Pariang is an important strategic town for the SPLA who built a 2.5 km air-strip to receive supplies.
* TWO DOCTORS KIDNAPPED IN SOUTHERN SUDAN
Two doctors, one Italian and the other Sudanese, working for an Italian medical aid organisation in Southern Sudan, were abducted by the Sudanese authorities on May 29, near the air-strip in Pariang.
The Sudanese authorities admitted the abduction of the two doctors and accused them of collaborating with the rebels. The Italian doctor is also accused of illegally entering the country. He arrived into Southern Sudan in a plane that belongs to the relief organisation 'World Vision', which operates as part of the UN 'Operation Lifeline-Sudan' (OLS). The Sudanese authorities claimed that the plane did not obtain official permission to land in the area. A statement issued by the Sudanese Embassy in London said that this incident is one of a long series of violations by OLS to the agreement with the government of Sudan. The Sudanese authorities summoned the Resident Representative of the UN in Khartoum and officially demanded the removal of Philip O'Brien, the coordinator of OLS in Nairobi because of his involvement in these violations and his continuous hostile attitude towards Sudan. The statement said the Sudanese government will not cooperate with O'Brien anymore and that he will not be allowed to enter the country. The government holds the UN responsible for this interference in Sudan's internal affairs and the violation of its sovereignty. The Sudanese government also demanded that all operations' centres of OLS should be moved inside Sudan instead of the Kenyan border town of Lokichoggio.
* PARTIAL SALE OF SUDAN AIRWAYS
The sale of part of the Sudanese national carrier, Sudan Airways, is expected to be announced in the near future. It has been revealed that 50% of Sudanair shares had been offered to the Sudanese-African Investment Company, owned by two Saudi businessmen: Saleh Kamil and el-Rajhi, as settlement for debts owed to the company by the Sudanese government. The airline's assets and stocks were valued at $150 million. It has a fleet of 14 planes: 6 Airbus A300, A310 and A320, 3 Boeing 707, 2 Boeing 737 and 3 Fokers models 27, 50 & 15 (used mainly for internal and charter flights). It is worth mentioning that Sudan Airways, which used to operate at a loss for a long time, has shown significant profits in the last two years.
* ROUNDING UP YOUNGSTERS FOR MILITARY SERVICE
The authorities in Khartoum had embarked on a vicious campaign to search and stop young people (18- 33 years old) eligible for compulsory military service. People using public transport or walking the streets of the capital, had been stopped and asked to produce exemption papers from compulsory military service. Failing to do so, they will be immediately transported to military training camps. Many were believed to have been sent to fight the war in Southern Sudan after a short period of training. Opposition sources say that the army suffers from a shortage of fighters after experiencing heavy losses in its 12-year war in the South.
The Defence Minister, Hassan Abdel Rahman Ali, told the Transitional National Assembly that the campaign is necessary because attempts to make people report to training failed. At one stage, he said, the military sent out letters asking 10,000 people to report for training but only 89 showed up.
General Ali said that only 1,850 of the new conscripts were sent to the South and of these 54 had been killed in action.
* SUDAN AND UGANDA
Accusations are still being exchanged between Sudan and Uganda blaming each other for the deterioration in relations which culminated in the breaking off of diplomatic ties last month.
Press reports published in Kampala accused the Sudanese of secretly plotting to assassinate President Yoweri Museveni. 'The Monitor' newspaper reported that the American CIA and the Ugandan intelligence services had uncovered a conspiracy to assassinate Museveni, in which a Sudanese Security officer plays a major role.
The 'Indian Ocean Newsletter' magazine said that the presence of the large number of employees in the Sudanese Embassy in Kampala was meant to assist in the implementation of the plan.
The magazine added that the Sudanese government is seeking to secure new arms deals with Russia and Iran, in expectation of possible military conflicts with Eriteria and Uganda, who both severed relations with Sudan. Russia had recently agreed to provide technical assistance and Iran signed a treaty with the Sudanese government covering military aspects, including the supply of arms and the modernisation of the fleet of the Sudanese Navy.
* HEAT WAVE KILLS FLIES AND MOSQUITOES
Khartoum experienced an extreme heat wave during the first week of May, with temperatures soaring to 48 degrees Centigrade. It is reported that many people fainted and some died because of the exceptional heat. It has also been reported that billions of insects, mainly house flies and mosquitoes, were wiped out due to the excessive heat.
The health and environmental authorities claimed that this is a gift from God to save the people from the many diseases that are caused or transferred by mosquitoes and flies.
Coinciding with this unprecedented increase in temperature is the acute shortage of electric power and water. Electricity is supplied for only a few hours a day, mainly late at night or early morning, and many people have to rise at 2 a.m. to fill containers with water. Last month demonstrators burned tyres in the streets of Omdurman and Khartoum in a show of angry protest.
* CARNEY IS NEW US AMBASSADOR TO SUDAN
President Clinton had nominated Timothy Michael Carney as Ambassador to Sudan. Carney's diplomatic career included a variety of positions in US embassies in South Africa, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Indonesia. He also served with UN peacekeeping missions in Cambodia, Somalia and South Africa.
At the Senate subcommittee hearing for confirmation of his appointment, Carney said that when he get to Khartoum, he will find 'increasingly hostile bilateral relations and a threatening environment'.
* ECONOMIC POINTERS
[] The newly-privatised Sudanese telecommunications company (Sudatel), said it has reduced its fees for connection to the new digital exchange to 150 thousand Sudanese Pounds (S.P) for residential customers. For business customers, however, the charge is 200 thousand S.P. The company said that out of the 13 thousand users of the new exchange, 3 thousand paid their connection charges and 5 thousand agreed to pay while the rest refused payment in protest of the high cost. Following the ten-fold increase in rates of international calls, local calls rates had also been increased by the same proportion from 3 S.P/6min to 30 S.P/6min. Last month, customers received telephone bills ranging from 6 to 12 thousand Pounds. One business customer opted for disconnection after receiving a bill for 500 thousand Pounds.
[] The Canadian company Arakis Energy Corp. declared that its subsidiary company, State Petroleum, has made a significant new oil discovery in its concession area in Western Sudan. The new oil field in Heglig area is expected to produce 6,000 barrels of oil per day and with a reserve of 50 million barrels.
The company estimates that, after developing both the Heglig and Unity fields, a production capacity of 85,000 bbl/day could be achieved. Following this announcement, the company's market value of its shares increased significantly. The company issued 1.15 million shares at a value of C$9.35 to raise 10 million Canadian dollars to further the development of its oil project in Sudan. The company said that it is also negotiating a $400 million financing package for the Phase1 field development and export pipeline project.
[] The Sudanese government decided to reduce custom duties on imported cars from 200% to 120%, due to the drop in revenues from customs because of the high tariff. Customs were raised from 100% to 200% when the ban on importing cars was lifted last year.
[] The government-appointed Transitional National Assembly (TNA) had agreed to an additional 5% tax on 36 items of imported food and household goods. The tax is intended to help fund higher education and new universities. The TNA , which rejected the proposal last month because of its impact on the cost of living, changed its mind and approved the increases, after it had been told that the taxes will not represent an extra financial burden since they had actually been in effect for the last 10 months anyway.
* SHORT NEWS ITEMS
- The Sudanese coast guards on the red sea, had arrested, in May '95, the passengers of a yacht that had illegally entered the Sudanese territorial waters. The yacht is owned by the Israeli millionaire Howard Rosenstien and five of its 18 passengers were Israelis. After interrogation for 40 hours, the authorities decided to release the yacht and passengers after paying a fine of $5,000 for breaching the territorial waters.
The authorities still hold an Egyptian fishing boat and 21 Egyptians under the same charge since May 23.
- A visit by Hassan el-Turabi, NIF leader, to South Africa in April had been canceled. The reason for the cancellation was given as disagreement on protection procedures for Turabi during his visit. Opposition sources, however, claim that contacts made by them with the South African authorities resulted in the cancellation of the visit.
- A Russian military delegation visited Sudan in April. It was agreed to revive the military agreements between Sudan and the former Soviet Union, which had been suspended since 1971. Russia will provide the Sudanese army with supplies, technical assistance and training.
- A court in Khartoum had passed the death sentence on 9 women convicted of drug dealing. The official statement said that the women had been arrested 'in the past few months', in possession of many pounds of hashish. It did not say when or where the arrests took place.
*****************************************************************
* 'Sudan News & Views' is an independent (non-partisan, *
* non-governmental) electronic publication based in London *
* working to advocate peace, human rights and humanitarian *
* aid for the Sudan. *
* Editor: Dr. Yasin Miheisi *
*****************************************************************
Message-Id: 199506081836.OAA09940@orion.sas.upenn.edu
Date: Thu, 8 Jun 1995 18:32:06 BST
From: Yasin Miheisi yasin@GN.APC.ORG
Subject: Sudan News & Views - 8
Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar
| Previous Menu | Home Page | What's New | Search | Country Specific |