UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER
SUDAN: IRIN News Briefs [19991013]

SUDAN: IRIN News Briefs [19991013]

SUDAN: IRIN News Briefs, 13 October

Government extends ceasefire for three months

The government on Tuesday extended a comprehensive ceasefire "all over the areas of operations" in the south for another three months, starting on 15 October, news agencies reported. State television said the government's decision was based on its concern to create a "positive" and "conducive" environment for the attainment of peace and was in response to appeals made by "brothers and friends."

"The government of Sudan hopes that the rebel movement will reciprocate and declare from its side a comprehensive ceasefire so as to enable the two sides to begin the special arrangements for disengaging the forces and monitoring the ceasefire and so that this temporary ceasefire would turn into a permanent one", the television said. Another round of peace talks between the government and rebels, mediated by the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), is scheduled later this month.

Ruling party "unanimously" nominates Bashir

Some 10,000 members of the founding conference of the ruling National Congress (NC) party on Saturday unanimously nominated President Omar al Bashir as the party's candidate for the next presidential elections. He was also elected party chairman while Hassan al Turabi was elected party secretary-general, Radio Omdurman reported.

Egypt expels pipeline bomb suspects

Egypt has decided to expel two suspects in connection with last month's oil pipeline bombing near Atbara in eastern Sudan, terming them "persona non grata", Radio Omdurman said on Sunday. It said Egypt had decided to expel the two, Abd al Rahman Sa'id and Abd al Aziz Khalid, prior to receiving a Sudanese government request for their extradition to Sudan.

Kassala-Port Sudan road remains insecure

Insecurity in northern areas of Kassala State in eastern Sudan continue to hinder WFP activities in Hamashkoreib province, the latest weekly Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS) report said. Road communication between Kassala and Port Sudan remains cut, hampering the delivery of food aid in the area, it said.

Unity insecurity affects barge convoy

Meanwhile, the WFP barge convoy to Juba remained in Malakal because of concerns over the security situation in Unity State, affecting the delivery of food aid to thousands of vulnerable people in the area, the weekly report said. The barge convoy is carrying food for over 300,000 beneficiaries in Unity, Upper Nile, Jonglei and Equatoria regions. Five WFP staff members, together with other UN/NGO personnel, were evacuated from Bentiu following further deterioration of the security situation in the state, the report said. The evacuation has resulted in the suspension of OLS annual needs assessment missions in Mayom, Tong and Gezira, it added.

[ENDS]

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Item: irin-english-1770

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Copyright (c) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 1999

Subscriber: afriweb@sas.upenn.edu Keyword: IRIN

Editor: Dr. Ali B. Ali-Dinar, Ph.D

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