Good afternoon. It’s 1pm. This is Radio Miraya news and I am Chaplain Nemaya.
The Headlines
· President Kiir expected to meet with Riek Machar in Addis Ababa today
· Civil society groups postpone peaceful walk for peace campaign in Juba
· Government workers to receive May salaries this week
President Salva Kiir is expected to meet with opposition leader Riek Machar in Addis Ababa today.
The two will hold face-to-face discussions, under the mediation of the IGAD regional grouping.
The meeting will be a follow up to discussions the two held last month to review the progress of the implementation of ceasefire agreements.
The President’s spokesperson Ateny Wek Ateny says the meeting will not be to negotiate, but will be to review last month’s meeting.
Ateny Wek Ateny: “The president is going to travel today to Addis Ababa as scheduled in the agreement signed on the 9th of May 2014 so he will be going for the follow up the agreement signed on the 9th of May will be the determining factor on what the president and the rebel leader will be discussing in Addis Ababa there are not outside of the frame work they have signed on the 9th of May the president is not going to negotiate with the rebels because it will be out of norms of the practice norms”
Meanwhile, an extra-ordinary session of IGAD Assembly of Heads of State and Government is scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa tomorrow, Tuesday.
Heads of State from the 8 member regional grouping are expected to attend.
Civil society groups have postponed a planned walk for peace campaign in Juba.
The public procession was meant to have been held today, from Buluk primary school to the freedom square, but has been pushed forward because of the rain.
One of the organizers, Edmund Yakani stresses of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organisation CEPO says the peaceful demonstration will be held on Saturday.
Edmund Yakani: “The postponement of the walk for peace comes as a result of this morning’s rain. This walk is a public walk and a peaceful walk. Our concern is that because of the rain and also we had initially we had planned to have the walk in the morning hours from nine to eleven and now we don’t want to disturb the working hours of the public officials, so we decided to postpone the walk to Saturday in the morning We shall be starting from 9 in the morning and we may go on up to 12pm, so Saturday will be the day for the walk”.
Yakani says the campaign that will be held every 9th of the month as a non-political approach to push for an end to the ongoing conflict.
He explains the rationale behind selecting the 9th day of every month.
Edmund Yakani: “We chose every 9th of the month simply because we feel the 9th of the month is a very historical day for us South Sudanese. In 2005 it is the 9th of January where we said no to violence and no to war and reached a comprehensive peace agreement and the same thing also on 9th of July is the day we voted the referendum and on the 9th of July we were declared Independent State and that is why we are targeting every 9th of the month starting with the 9th of June until we can get peace in our country, we shall be having a walk for peace”.
IGAD has described a multi-stakeholder symposium held in Addis Ababa as a ‘success’.
More than 250 South Sudanese representing the government, the opposition, political parties, faith-based groups and civil society organizations participated in the two-day event.
The symposium which ended on Saturday was to initiate an inclusive phase of the peace process.
The spokesperson of Ethiopia’s foreign affairs ministry also member of the IGAD mediating team, Ambassador Dina Mufti says the symposium will galvanize the peace process.
Dina Mufti : “Definitely it is a positive. It will entice them; it is aimed at strengthening the peace process and reconciliation process going on. All sorts of issues were discussed regarding elections, peacemaking and everybody was keen, everybody was jubilant. The idea is to link the outcome of the symposium and the situation created with the peace and reconciliation process going on”.
During the symposium, renowned international experts offered overview presentations in key thematic areas, including: transitional governance arrangements and interim institutions; justice, reconciliation and healing; security arrangements; and constitutional development and reform.
Later, participants informally explored and discussed the issues with the subject matter experts, in order to further advance their understanding and concept of the issues.
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More than 1,400 suspected cholera cases are under treatment in Central Equatoria State.
According to the latest report from the World Health Organisation, cases have been reported from eleven Payams in Juba County with the most affected areas being Gumbo in Rejaf, Gudele I in Munuki, Tongping in Juba, Giada in Kator, and Gurei in Northern Bari.
Four cholera treatment centers have been opened in Juba town and one in Yei.
30 deaths have been reported since the outbreak was announced on the 15th of last month.
The National Ministry of health will today address the press on the progress of
Civil servants and government workers are expected to receive salaries for the month of May this week.
Last Friday Finance Minister Aggrey Tiisa Sabuni said payments were to be sent out to the paying agencies in the States.
Tiisa said salaries for other months have already been paid.
The United Nations Security Council has created a prize named after former South African President, Nelson Mandela.
The 193-member UN General Assembly adopted a resolution establishing the "United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize", in honor of the former President.
The prize will be awarded for the struggle against racism, inequality, hatred, against divisions.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon hailed the resolution saying Mandela left behind "a shining legacy of true peace."
Ban Ki-moon: "As Nelson Mandela well knew, the struggle still continues. There is still terrible racism in our world. There is deplorable inequality. People suffer hatred, communities are divided and factions and nations are at war. Our best tribute to Nelson Mandela is not found in words or ceremonies – but in actions that take up the torch he passed to us."
Nelson Mandela died last December at the age of 95.
The United Nations also marks July 18, the late leader's birthday, as "Nelson Mandela International Day".
In Egypt, Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has been sworn in as the country’s new president.
The former army chief took his oath of office at Cairo's Constitutional Court amid high security.
Sisi was declared the country's president last week after winning 96.6 percent of the presidential vote, beating the only other contender Hamdeen Sabahi after a landslide win in May elections.
He has since been pursuing a crackdown on Mr. Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, which urged a boycott of the elections.
In sports, the Cameroonian football team has boarded a plane to the Brazil football world cup, ending a dispute over pay.
The players, including Chelsea striker Samuel Eto’o had refused to travel to Brazil on Sunday morning because of a dispute over bonuses.
They however agreed to a package after an emergency meeting with the country’s football federation.
Cameroon are in the same group as host nation Brazil, who kick off the tournament against Croatia on Thursday June 12th.
Cameroon are among 5 African nations set to play in the football tournament that starts Thursday.
The other four countries are Nigeria, Algeria, Ivory Coast and Ghana.
And in Brazil’s largest city Sao Paulo, workers in the city’s underground public transport service have voted to remain on strike for an indefinite period.
The workers are demanding a pay rise of 12.2%; rejecting an 8.7 percent raise offered by the company contracted to run the metro.
A court last week ordered the workers to resume work, on grounds that they broke strike rules by not providing a minimum level of service.
The company has warned that any worker who does not report to work today faces dismissal.
The dispute comes as the city prepares to host the opening match of the World Cup on Thursday.
To end the news here are the main stories once again.
· President Kiir expected to meet with Riek Machar in Addis Ababa today
· Civil society groups postpone peaceful walk for peace campaign in Juba
· Government workers to receive May salaries this week
You have been listening to Radio Miraya news, with me Chaplain Nemaya. To let us know about the latest news where you live, contact us at;
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