♦ This week’s news in brief ♦
A compact weekly digest of Dabanga Sudan’s highlights of the news from Darfur and Sudan
A compact weekly digest of Dabanga Sudan's highlights of the news from Darfur and Sudan
♦ 'War on press': Sudan security halts three newspapers
December 5 – 2017 KHARTOUM The three newspapers that have been confiscated several times last week, were seized from the printing presses again yesterday, in the security service’s fierce campaign against newspapers. A total of eighteen newspapers newspapers were seized in the past two weeks.
On Monday, the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) confiscated print-runs of El Jareeda, El Tayyar and Akhir Lahza. The security apparatus gave no reasons for the action. The Sudanese Journalists’ Network has announced to go on strike against the repeated confiscations and called on colleagues to join them. El Midan newspaper will not publish today in solidarity with the confiscated newspapers.
On Thursday morning, the same three newspapers and El Watan were also seized, while all four already witnessed confiscations of their print-runs earlier last week. El Tayyar editor-in-chief, Osman Mirghani, considered that the biggest loss is the readers’ lack of access to newspapers during these days of repeated confiscations. The successive confiscations cost each newspaper more than SDG 100,000 ($15,000) a day.
In previous weeks, newsrooms and journalists in Sudan spoke out against draft amendments to the 2009 Press Act which may further restrict press freedom. The amendments include limitations on the electronic press' freedom, similar to the restrictions already imposed on the traditional press.
♦ Clashes in Blue Nile, where people face insecurity and restrictions
December 4 – 2017 BLUE NILE The rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) claims to have killed several government troops and captured materiel during an attack on their forces in Blue Nile state. On Friday the movement's spokesman, Mubarak Ardol, reported the attack on sites in Kaker area, north-west of Bau locality, in a press statement. He claimed that four government troops were killed, and others wounded. The SPLM-N considered the attack “a blatant and flagrant violation of the cessation of hostilities”.
In October, the administration of President Donald Trump lifted old economic sanctions on Sudan to recognise the Government of Sudan's sustained positive actions to maintain a cessation of hostilities in conflict areas in Sudan, improve humanitarian access throughout Sudan, and maintain cooperation with the US on addressing regional conflicts and the threat of terrorism”.
Meanwhile Sudanese pastoralists who have returned to El Tadamon locality, north of Bau, face a deteriorating security situation, resulting from militia activity on the border with South Sudan. The pastorilists were refugees, but most of them have returned to Bout after fleeing to South Sudan. They called Radio Dabanga to complain about the security service's restrictions on goods coming out of the town. Especially the areas bordering South Sudan are insecure because of the presence of South Sudanese militias in Goz El Mafaza.
More news from Radio Dabanga:
Landing gear blast grounds high-level diplomatic flight in Darfur
December 5 – 2017 ZALINGEI An explosion in the landing gear moments before takeoff grounded a Sudanese DH8 aircraft carrying high-level international ambassadors…
Sudanese RSF extend weapons collection in Hilal’s hometown
December 5 – 2017 MISTERIYA The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces will extend the deadline for the voluntary collection of illicit weapons in the area known as the stronghold…
One dead, one maimed in North Darfur UXO blast
December 4 – 2017 SHANGIL TOBAYA A man was killed and a woman had both hands blown-off when an item if unexploded ordnance (UXO) detonated in North Darfur…
West Darfur ‘organ trafficking gang’: 12 held
December 4 – 2017 MURNEI The security authorities in West Darfur have arrested 12 suspects, including health assistants, for alleged involvement in the murder of a…
December 3 – 2017 KHARTOUM / EL FASHER / SAWAKIN The prices of foodstuffs and consumer goods, especially meat and sugar, have soared in various Sudanese…
South Kordofan Omdas stripped of powers pending investigation into anti-mine protests
December 3 – 2017 KOLOGI The authorities in South Kordofan stripped two Omdas of their powers on Thursday for their alleged role in a series of anti-mine protests in…
Sudan Foreign Ministry denies interference in handover of Turkish 'coup suspect'
December 1 – 2017 KHARTOUM Sudan's Foreign Ministry denied political interference in the handover of a Turkish businessman to the Turkish authorities, in its…
North Darfur Defence Minister denies civilian casualties in Misteriya raid
November 30 – 2017 MISTERIYA North Darfur Minister of Defence, Ali Mohammed Salim, has confirmed the casualty figures in the raid in Misteriya in North Darfur on Sunday…
West Kordofan students ‘waterboarded’ by Sudan security
November 30 – 2017 BABANUSA Two university students who were arrested in Babanusa, West Kordofan on Monday claim that they were ‘tortured with cold water’ by…
New cholera cases emerge in Port Sudan
November 29 – 2017 PORT SUDAN Despite reports of the cholera epidemic abating in Sudan, medical sources continue to note the emergence of new cases of cholera…
Central Darfur prince ‘dies of torture’ in Khartoum
November 29 – 2017 KHARTOUM The family of Adam Khater, the Prince of Olad Eid in Central Darfur, have accused Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Service…
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