Good Afternoon, it’s 1pm.I am Susan Dokolo with the Radio Miraya News.
The Headlines
- County Director among sixteen killed in latest attacks in Lakes State
- UNDP calls for further dialogue over Labour Ministry directive, ordering dismissal of foreign nationals
- Parliament to summon key ministers over South Sudanese criminal gangs in Egypt
Sixteen people, including a county director, were killed last night in separate attacks in Lakes State.
The state security advisor, Marial Amoum Malek, says the county director of lands, Maliet Alueth, was among nine people targeted in what appear to be revenge attacks.
Malek says another seven people were killed in different incidents in Rumbek Central and Rumbek North counties.
Marial blames the escalating insecurity in the state on the availability of firearms.
Amoum: “So the main things disturbing people here in the state are proliferation of firearms and the spirit of revenge. These are the main causes of all this insecurity. In any corner in Lakes State here, the spirit of revenge attack occupies the minds of the civilian population. On the way to Maper, that ambush killed seven people -- six from Rumbek North and one from Rumbek Central. In Cueibet, the report I got is talking about nine people from both sides.”
State authorities over the weekend imposed a seven-day, dusk to dawn curfew in Rumbek town in an attempt to stop the movement of criminal elements.
The number of South Sudanese fleeing tensions in Moyo district on the Ugandan side of the border has shot up from 170 to 2,000.
Kajo-Keji County Commissioner Henry Kala says more people crossed the border after fresh violence broke out on Tuesday night.
Kala: “The situation again has worsened. These people are burning houses as I speak. Seventeen houses are burnt and one church and our population coming now from Jalle and also Litoba has gone to 2,000 and they are still coming.They are settled near a primary school in Jalle. You find these people are going back, collecting their luggage. It is really a misery to see small children running.”
The violent protests erupted yesterday against the alleged harassment of a Ugandan official by South Sudanese.
Meanwhile, the Moyo district resident commissioner, John Abingwa, says efforts have been made to cool down the situation and restore harmony between the conflicting communities.
Abingwa: “Right now, authorities from Moyo are meeting with authorities from South Sudan to iron out all these problems. Otherwise, the police and army have tried to cool down the situation. We are just waiting for what will be communicated from the meeting between the leaders of Moyo and the leaders of Kajo Keji.”
The United Nations Development Program, UNDP, is calling for further discussions with the government over an order issued by the national Labor Ministry, directing for the dismissal of foreign nationals holding key positions in non-government organizations and private companies.
UNDP Country Director Balazs Horvath welcomes the main objective, to empower and employ South Sudanese, but says the approach would not ensure sustainability.
Horvath: “I can tell you, UNDP does want this, for South Sudanese to have as many jobs as possible, as many high-level jobs as possible to have this country grow in a sustainable manner and as fast as possible. But this approach would not pass the test of sustainability, not as it is formulated right now. I strongly believe in dialogue. I think that if there is a discussion that is started then this can be resolved. I can tell you that if in four weeks, all foreigners are ordered out of this country, this would not help rapid sustainable growth in South Sudan.”
The Labour Ministry issued an order on Friday, giving all non-governmental organizations and private institutions one month to dismiss foreign nationals occupying key positions.
According to the order, the directive is meant to protect the rights and interests of the people of South Sudan.
The national Legislative Assembly has resolved to summon ministers of six line ministries to explain the status of South Sudanese nationals involved in criminal activities in Egypt.
There have been reports of increased crimes committed against nationals in Cairo.
Reech Malual is here with more.
Reech’s report:
“The Members of Parliament want the Ministers of Foreign affairs, Interior, National Security, Justice, Gender and Humanitarian Affairs to clarify on the status and what is being done about the nationals involved in these crimes. Police in Cairo have registered more than 70 cases of South Sudanese linked to the killings of 15 nationals in recent weeks. The gangs are believed to comprise of youth, aged between 16 and 35 years. Deputy Speaker Mark Nypuoch says the MPs need more clarification from the ministers before they make any kind of resolution. The legislators have not set a date for the summons. In another development, the Legislative Assembly has started public consultations for the National Security Service bill. The Select Committee on Security is getting input from the civil society, NGOs and the UN before the bill is produced before the house for debate. The National Security Service bill spells out the role and activities of the National security organ. I am Reech Malual for Radio Miraya News.”
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More than 120 households have been displaced by floods in Rumbek East County, Lakes State.
The County Executive Director, Madit Malual, says gardens have been completely submerged in water and people are now sleeping in open spaces.
Malual says the floods were brought on by heavy rain. He says his office has started an assessment of the ten most affected villages.
We spoke with some of the affected people who told us their properties have been completely destroyed.
Vox pops:
“This flood has destroyed many, many houses and you have seen, we spend our night outside here. We sleep outside here. You have seen now this small tent is put there for children to sleep on and we sleep down. Everything is outside because there is no place inside. The water occupied the houses. We are at risk but we pray for God to help us”.
“Flood has destroyed our villages, sixty tins of ground are damaged in my houses and houses have collapsed now there is no good life to us.“
“Our life is challenging. Mosquitoes attack us at night and we sleep in open places and rain disturbs also. And 60 feddans are standing in the water and it is the same for my neighbors. Their housesare damaged and their conditions are the same asmy conditions.”
The Minister of Cabinet Affairs has blamed poor engineering and lack of supervision for the bad condition of roads in Juba.
Several roads in the national capital have deep potholes and are impassable for motorists.
Commenting on the damaged section along airport road, Martin Elia Lomuro questioned the quality and the standard of the companies building roads in Juba.
He says the ministry of roads has submitted a plan of reconstruction for the damaged part.
Lomuro: “All of us have seen it and we all felt terrible about it. But this all comes back to the standard of the companies that contract to do these roads. This road is hardly a year and is already witnessing this damage. You know, one has to ask what sort of engineering was done who was supervising this company to meet certain standards. That brings us to the question of performance, which I think by and large has not been taken care of in a way one would have like to do. If we are paying all this amount of money for roads and these roads get damaged in less than a year then you have question marks all over the place. That is just much deeper than this road. And we apologize. You know, it’s taken long for us to get it done but I can assure you that the minister is taking care of it.”
The ministries of health in Upper Nile and Jonglei states will receive new ambulances to assist maternal health care.
Each state will receive one ambulance to assist women to reach lifesaving maternal health services in the conflict affected states.
The vehicles were donated by the Japanese government and will be managed by the NGO International Medical Assistance, IMA.
The UN Population Fund, UNFPA, estimates that up to 30,000 South Sudanese women are at risk of dying in childbirth due to complications and 200,000 pregnant women will be in need of urgent care before the end of the year.
In Lakes State, a department of oncology has been opened at Rumbek hospital, to attend to cancer patients.
The Cancer Clinic has so far treated eight patients with cancer tumors, and is open to patients from across the country.
The head of the clinic, Doctor Rossi Shamir, says they are receiving several patients.
Shamir: “We discovered many cancer cases as well as primary diseases for tropical countries. So far we have treated eight people. By grace, they are all alive and they are responding well. Some of them are cured, some still under treatment. The biggest number we have is child cancer, which is meanly leukemia.”
The Rumbek Cancer Clinic is run as a partnership between the Bavaria Cancer Clinic, a German based non-profit organization and the Episcopal Church of Sudan.
Police in Western Bahr el Ghazal have arrested a businessman for selling expired rice.
The Acting State Police Commissioner, Brig. Deng Malual Mabur, says the trader was found with 800 bags of the expired grain at his shop in Wau market.
Mabur says he was found by police CID detectives filling the expired rice in sacks stamped with new manufacturing and expiry dates.
Malual: “A store full of expired rice. A businessman brings old women to clean it and he brings new bags, fills them and sells them to markets. We have arrested him and he is now with CID. A case will be opened and the law takes its course.He can be deported. I appeal to the state government to look for such people and monitor the market, and the bureau of standards should work with CID teams in other places. ”
Civil society organizations are set to benefit from the first ever capacity building trade fair in South Sudan.
The two-day fair which opens today (Wednesday) will feature consultants sharing their expertise with civil society and private and government institutions.
The two-day event has been organized by international NGO, PACT South Sudan.
Michael Gorjin Kuol, a project manager with PACT, says the fair is aimed at exchanging ideas to improve effectiveness of the civil society.
Twenty civil society groups and 12 consultants have been invited to take place in the fair.
And, The United Nations says it will require nearly one billion US dollars to bring the Ebola disease outbreak in West Africa under control.
A response plan drafted by the UN estimates that the Ebola virus transmission will start to reduce before the end of this year and will end before mid-2015.
The outbreak continues to accelerate with nearly 5,000 people infected and more than 2,400 deaths across Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone.
The UN System Senior Coordinator for Ebola, Dr. David Nabarro, says the outbreak is unprecedented and requires an international response.
And Samuel Pawon is here with our regular sports update.
“We start with the ongoing division football tournaments. In Wau, El Fahal FC beat Gazala 1-nil while Etihad and Ahli ended their match in a goalless draw. Still in Wau, Tahrir FC and Khor Mudir ended up their match in a 2 all draw. In Warrap, Tiger United beat Kuajok FC 2-1 while in Torit, Nile city and Torit United ended their game in a goalless draw. In Northern Baher el Ghazal, the Aweil Lions thrashed Afada United 6-goals to nothing. In today’s matches,Aweil Stars take on Akweam United and in Torit we will have Second Division games where Kediopa FC play United and Simba takes on Liberty FC at the Torit Freedom Square. In Kuajock, Salam takes on El Merikh.
Looking at International football, in last night’schampion’s group stage matches, Real Madrid thrashed Swiss side Basel 5-1 to begin the defense of their Champions League title, while Liverpool managed a 2-1 penalty win over Bulgarian champs Ludogorets. In Group D matches, Borussia Dortmund secured its first three points after 2-0 win against Arsenal at home, while Monaco beat Bayer Leverkusen 1-nil and Olympiakos managed a 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid. Tonight, five-time European champions Bayern Munich will face Manchester Cityand Chelsea meets Schalke FC. Spanish side Barcelona will face Appel Nice and Ajax Amsterdam takes on Paris St German.
I am Samuel Pawon for Radio Miraya News.”
To end the news, the main stories once again.
- County Director among 16 killed in latest attacks in Lakes State
- UNDP calls for further dialogue over Labour Ministry directive, ordering dismissal of foreign nationals
- Parliament to summon key ministers over South Sudanese criminal gangs in Egypt.
You have been listening to Radio Miraya news. To let us know about the latest news where you live, contact us at; . I am Susan Dokolo. Thanks for listening.
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