Southern Sudan Post Referendum Update

Real Medicine Foundation, in collaboration with the Government of South Sudan, the UNFPA, the WHO, St. Mary’s Hospital, Isle of Wight, and the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and in partnership with and with financial support from World Children’s Fund, is establishing the first College of Nursing and Midwifery. The consortium aims to provide a scalable working model for this college that will offer a 3 year diploma for Registered Nursing and Midwifery and may be extended to other strategic locations within the country.

Here are some excerpts from our partner in Sudan, the UNFPA and their communications office: United Nations Mission in Southern Sudan/Public Information Office

Post Referendum Monitor

• Committee to be formed to address future status of SPLA northerners (Al-Rai Al-Aam et al)
• JIUs to remain in Abyei until 9th July (Al-Sahafa et al)
• Parliament goes on recess – back in April without some members – Speaker (Akhir Lahza)
• 60% of southern Sudanese workers “without skills” – GoSS VP (Al-Ahdath)
• GoSS preparing to bombard us – Athor (Al-Raed)
• NCP, Umma differ over form of government (Al-Sahafa)

Other Headlines

* Protestors in West Darfur urge UNAMID to employ them (Sudan Vision)

* Sudan says cancellation of VPs address in Blue Nile caused by ill-preparation (Sudantribune.com)

* South Sudan police academy mired in abuse scandal (AP)

* Sudan & AU break silence on Libya as death toll rises (Sudantribune.com)

* Foreign ministry jeopardising the lives of Sudanese in Libya (Al-Sahafa)

* SPLM refutes hostility to other political southern parties (Sudantribune.com)

• Darfur mediators deliver new proposals to Sudanese parties (Sudantribune.com)

Committee to be formed to address future status of SPLA northerners

Al-Rai Al-Aam _Khartoum, 24/02/11_– Addressing a meeting organised by the NCP women’s office, President al-Bashir said that military committees would soon be formed to address the issue of the future of northern Sudanese in the ranks of the SPLA. Those who are fit would beenlisted in the ranks of the SAF or the Sudan Police, Al-Raed quotes him as saying.

Al-Bashir also reiterated commitment to form an anti-graft commission and a council that would look into graduate employment issues. He encouraged all Sudanese with grievances to table these grievances before the relevant parties.  The president called for an end to tribalism and racism, pointing out that these were to blame for opening up the country to foreign intervention.  Al-Bashir further pointed out that his government and National Congress Party (NCP) get their legitimacy from the Islamic Sharia and pointed out that he feels no shame in implementing the penal code as prescribed by the Islamic laws. The president reiterated his resolve to make of Sudan a model of stability in the African region.

JIUs to remain in Abyei until 9th July

Al-Sahafa Khartoum, 24/02/11 – The Ceasefire Political Committee (CPC) has resolved that the Joint Integrated Units (JIUs), with the exception of those in Abyei, disengage by 9th April 2011 with the SAF and SPLA contingents redeploying to their respective sides of the north-south border. The forces stationed in Abyei would maintain their positions until 9th July, the two sides agreed.

Al-Dirderi Mohamed Ahmed who heads the NCP side in the CPC said that the two sides agreed that the parties to the CPA would then decide on the future of the JIUs positioned in Abyei during this period. The parties, he adds, have also resolved to form a joint committee under UN supervision to investigate the 9th February incidents that occurred in Abyei.  On the JIUs stationed in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile State, Al-Dirdeiri said that the parties have agreed that the disengagement order would also cover those forces and that a committee would be dispatched to those areas.

On his part, the head of the SPLA side to the talks said that the issue of redeployment of SPLA forces from Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile has been under debate for a long time especially through the Ceasefire Joint Military Committee (CJMC) and the Joint Defence Board (JDB) that both failed to verify SPLA redeployment south of the borders. The committee, he said, has requested the CJMC and the JDB to verify the issue and report back at the next meeting. He pointed out that the SPLA maintains that it has redeployed its forces south of the borders and that those who remain are elements from other armed groups. He called on the joint committee to go over to these areas to verify for themselves on the SPLA presence in those areas.

The committee has also asked the JDB to come up with a detailed redeployment schedule and to designate assembly areas for the forces thus redeployed. The meeting also resolved that international monitors continue in their duties related as far as the redeployment of the forces is concerned. The two sides, he noted, still need UNMIS as witnesses

at the end of the Interim Period.

Parliament goes on recess – back in April without some members – Speaker

Akhir Lahza Omdurman, 24/02/11 – Parliament has called a recess and would resume business in April. Speaker Ahmed Ibrahim Al-Tahir said however that parliament would return to business without some of its current members.

The Speaker’s statement did not go well with the SPLM lawmakers who have resolved to meet today to decide on a specific position on the issue.

60% of southern Sudanese workers “without skills” – GoSS VP

Al-Ahdath Khartoum, 24/02/11 – GoSS Vice-President Riek Machar has called on southern Sudanese university teaching staff to make use of their knowledge to help build the new state in southern Sudan. He underlined the need for the establishment of research and curricula development institutions in the region, pointing out that about 60% of southern Sudanese workers have no skills.

GoSS preparing to bombard us – Athor

Al-Raed Khartoum, 24/02/11 – Renegade SPLA General George Athor claims that the SPLA is amassing its troops to bombard his positions including with the use of aircraft. He threatened to respond in kind to any SPLA attack on his military positions.

Speaking from his base in southern Sudan, Athor assured southern Sudanese that his forces are prepared to address any eventuality.

NCP, Umma differ over form of government

Al-Sahafa Khartoum, 24/02/11 – The NCP and Umma parties have agreed to continue dialogue on a number of issues relating to the constitution, national accord and the structure of government. The meeting that was held at the Republic Palace was co-chaired by Nafie Ali Nafei (NCP) and Sidig Mohamed Ismail (National Umma Party) however failed to reach agreement on participation in government.

Read more about Healthcare Sector Capacity Building – College of Nursing and Midwifery, Southern Sudan

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