29th June 2015
Good afternoon, it’s 1 o’clock. I’m David Lukan.
The Headlines
· Leaders disagree over latest IGAD peace proposal
· Cabinet approves over 10 billion Pounds for 2015/16 budget
· US names six army commanders for possible UN sanctions
President Salva Kiir and Opposition leader Riek Machar have faced disagreements over the latest IGAD proposed roadmap for peace.
The two leaders met face to face in the Kenyan capital Nairobi over the weekend.
Speaking to Radio Miraya this morning, President Kiir’s spokesperson Ateny Wek Ateny said the two leaders have been asked to return in order to prepare a position paper to be presented to IGAD in two weeks’ time.
Ateny: “The two leaders are asked to go back to their respective organizations in order to prepare a position paper for each of them in which president Salva Kiir will go and convene a meeting with his cabinet and all the political parties in the country in order to arrive at a position paper that will be presented to the IGAD. The rebel leader will do the same thing and the two will put actually what they what and it will be now incumbent upon the mediators to look at the middle ground instead of imposing peace agreement.”
Over 10 billion South Sudanese pounds have been approved by the cabinet for the fiscal budget of 2015, 16
Deputy Minister of Information Rachel Nyadak Paul says the budget is based on the spending and priorities for individual ministries.
She says the budget is expected to be tabled before the members of Parliament for further scrutiny this week.
Nyadak: “The budget that has been approved by the council is 10, 842, 316, 362 South Sudanese pounds with amendments in some areas of concerns in the individual ministries that are going to be worked out and then after that the budget will be presented to the national Legislative Assembly.”
The United States has proposed six rival commanders to be the first people targeted with sanctions by the United Nations Security Council.
As the council's 15-member South Sudan sanctions committee operates by consensus. If there are no objections by 10pm local time on Wednesday, a global travel ban and asset freeze will be imposed.
The names include three commanders from the opposition and three from government forces for offences committed since December 15 2013.
There have now been 347 cholera cases recorded, including 26 deaths in Juba, as of the 27th of June.
Most of the new cases were reported from New Site, Gudele 2 and Tongping.
Vaccination campaigns have now been completed in both the Juba and Bentiu Protection of Civilian sites to vaccinate up to 90,000 people.
Dr. Thomas Akim, Acting Director in the Ministry of Health, says the Ministry of Health and partners are considering opening other centers to help cater for the increasing number.
Akim: “The ministry and its partners have been doing an assessment as last year we had cholera treatment centers in Gumbo ,Juba Teaching Hospital and Gurei and we had oral rehydration points in other centers .This year is not different, although Juba Teaching Hospital has started taking the bulk of the cases for the cholera. There is the intention to have other sites which are to be taken by our partners who have shown willingness to help us. Of course, before the declaration we have been having support from UNICEF and WHO, especially for Juba Teaching Hospital.”
Christine Ochieng, water, health and hygiene specialist at the UN children’s fund has warned people not to eat from roadside food sellers.
Youth from three payams in Lakes State have blocked the movement of transport between Rumbek and Yirol since Saturday.
The youth from Aluak-Aluak , Geer and Mapuordit accuse the caretaker governor of diverting the feeder road that should be constructed to link the three Payams.
Leader of the youth, Daniel Adut , says they will continue to block the road today.
Adut: “The feeder road -- it was approved by the government of South Sudan -- which is going to be constructed from Aluakluak, Mapourdit, and then end at Ngok. Then later on this feeder road was turned by the caretaker governor of Lakes state to Cuiebet County. So this is the reason we the youth of three payams -- Geer, Aluakluak and Mapourdit -- we strike over this issue. Why should the governor attempt to divert our road and this road was meant for these three payams? So I think the importance of this road to our community -- you know we have a lot of crisis. This road is constructed mainly to link the hospital from hospital Mapourdit to Aluakluak and also to link Ngok and also to link Anual. This is very important to our communities.”
You are listening to Radio Miraya News
Abyei Area Administrator Ambassador Chol Deng Alak says the leaders of Abyei declined to attend a recent meeting with the Sudanese Messeriya and Rizaigat because of a lack of a clear agenda.
Ambassador Chol Deng Alak told Radio Miraya community leaders are not ready to participate in a meeting that might further jeopardize their position.
Alak: It wasn’t clear to us what agenda would be discussed. How can you call for a meeting without a clear agenda? Also if the agenda is known, we are supposed to meet as Dinka Ngok and discuss it and this did not happen. The coordination was not successful, and we therefore thought it is better not to be dragged to participate in any agreement that might affect the rest of their issue.
The African Union Commission postponed indefinitely a meeting between the Ngok Dinka and Messeriya Abyei community leaders earlier scheduled to take place on June 20th.
Elsewhere, elections are being held in Burundi despite an opposition boycott and weeks of protests over President Pierre Nkurunziza's plan to seek a third term.
Polls in the parliamentary and local elections opened on Monday morning.
Gunfire has been heard nightly in the capital, Bujumbura, and scores of people have been killed in unrest since a failed coup attempt last month.
The presidential election was due in June but was put back to 15 July after pressure from regional leaders.
And, Tunisian officials say the gunman who killed 38 people at a beach near the Tunisian city of Sousse had help in carrying out the attack.
Interior ministry spokesman Mohamed Ali Aroui said authorities were "sure" that Seifeddine Rezgui had had accomplices.
The government has announced increased security measures after the attack claimed by Islamic State.
To end the news, here are the headlines once again.
· Leaders disagree over latest IGAD peace proposal
· Cabinet approves over 10 billion pounds for 2015/16 budget
· US names six army commanders for possible UN sanctions
Radio Miraya News.
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