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A CEASEFIRE BETWEEN South Sudan’s government and rebels was due to come into effect today, following a deal to end a brutal five-month war that has pushed the country to the brink of genocide and famine.
President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar, a former vice president, met in the Ethiopian capital yesterday, shook hands and prayed together, and “agreed that immediately all hostile activities will stop within 24 hours”.
The rivals “agreed that a transition government offers the best chance to the people of South Sudan” with the promise of fresh elections for the world’s youngest nation, said Seyoum Mesfin, head mediator with the East African regional bloc IGAD.
Both sides also “agreed to open humanitarian corridors… and to cooperate with the UN” to ensure aid is delivered to the more than five million people in need, he added.
Military officials from both sides said frontlines appeared to be quiet ahead of the deadline to implement the truce.
South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir, left, and rebel leader Riek Machar, right, shake hands and pray before signing an agreement of the cease-fire of the conflict in South Sudan [Elias Asmare/AP/Press Association Images]
The peace deal, which followed intense lobbying from world leaders and Washington slapping sanctions on senior military commanders, came amid new reports of war crimes committed by both sides and fears that a wave of ethnic killings could result in genocide.
The war has claimed thousands — and possibly tens of thousands — of lives, with more than 1.2 million people forced to flee their homes.
Aid agencies are warning that South Sudan is now on the brink of Africa’s worst famine since the 1980s.
US Secretary of State John Kerry, who was in South Sudan earlier this month to push for peace, said the “agreement to immediately stop the fighting in South Sudan and to negotiate a transitional government could mark a breakthrough.”
“The hard journey on a long road begins now and the work must continue,” Kerry said in a statement, urging “both leaders to take immediate action now to ensure that this agreement is implemented in full and that armed groups on both sides adhere to its terms.”
‘Mammoth aid effort’ needed
South Sudanese army spokesman Philip Aguer told AFP that the truce appeared to already be in place.
“As far as the information I have there are not any skirmishes today. The rebels are under Riek Machar and it was Riek Machar who declared war against the government,” he said, adding however that he feared “other forces not under the control of Riek Machar.”
British aid agency Oxfam, one of a handful of aid agencies working in worst-affected areas of the country, said the deal was a “timely breakthrough after months of dashed hopes.”
“Civilians caught up in this bloody conflict need to have full confidence that they can return to their homes without fear of violence,” said Cecilia Millan, head of Oxfam in South Sudan.
“They need to get back to their fields to plant their crops as soon as possible or they will lose the chance of feeding their families in the coming months,” she added, saying the country still needed a “mammoth aid effort”.
UN rights chief Navi Pillay said the two leaders must “stop the killing, before the fire they have ignited makes the entire country go down in flames”.
Pillay, a former head of the UN genocide court for Rwanda, said she recognised “many of the precursors of genocide” listed in a UN report on atrocities that was released during the week.
These included hate radio urging rape and “attacks on civilians in hospitals, churches and mosques, even attacks on people sheltering in UN compounds — all on the basis of the victims’ ethnicity”.
Amnesty
Testimonies in a report this week by Amnesty International describe civilians including children executed by the side of the road “like sheep” and other victims “grotesquely mutilated” with their lips sliced off.
The conflict, which started as a personal rivalry between Kiir and Machar, has seen the army and communities divide along ethnic lines, pitting members of Kiir’s Dinka tribe against Machar’s Nuer.
The war broke out on December 15 with Kiir accusing Machar of attempting a coup. Machar then fled to the bush to launch a rebellion, insisting that the president had attempted to carry out a bloody purge of his rivals.
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Very interested to see the reasons the commenters will give to explain to us how this is a terribly bad thing. I’ll stick my neck out and say this is good news…
And you’ll have my support. I’m seeing it in front of me in my day job. The Recovery is On.
Great news only another €62 billion to be recovered. How’s Kenny getting on with his systemic shift? Last I’d heard he was hopefully on progress at some stage…
@kerry- this second bailout of yours? Still as confident?
€62 billion in hock Vincent. Can you tell me when Enda will show up with his systemic shift? He called it 3 times last year and his latest comment is at some stage. As I mentioned last night unsustainable debt as did Colm McCarthy just doesn’t work. Do the sums and come back to me. Hint search the Irish Independent site and McCrthy’s articles.
@kerry- you keep looking for that magic wand whereby our debt in its entirety disappears overnight. It doesn’t exist. This is how it happens. Bit by bit. Over a long time. So anyway- I was asking you about your absolute assertion that we’d require a second bailout?
Vincent, only one problem with your assumption there is the debt seems to be going in the wrong direction.
http://www.financedublin.com/debtclock.php
.
1st january 2010 the figure was
€ 74,231,851,887 in debt
.
its nearly doubled in 3 years. and the link to the debt clock does not include NAMA debt.
Abject lack of transparency and democratic oversight for one thing.
Colm, you haven’t looked at the growth and unemployment figures, then? It’s gotten worse, not better under this government. This is what matters to me, not “market confidence”, not “green shoots” in the financial sector and not the wealthy getting wealthier.
This is great to hear. The sooner we exit the Troika bale-out the better.
What does the purchaser of bonds get in return?
They get bonds.
Hmmm makes sense..
The promise of repayment with interest by a proven credit worthy establishment
This darn good news just keeps coming.
What will 50% of the commenters on here do if they have less and less to moan about ??
Answer:the Irish peoples souls..
Never fear there is always something to moan about weather seems to be second most popular
I know everyone say’s the sooner we exit the Troika bale out the better, but did we forget a little thing about the Fiscal treaty compact that we signed up to, that still allows Europe to control our budget and fine us for breaking criteria. . We have basically signed up to never get our sovereignty back again. It’s all a smoke screen. But hey ho profit is profit. Lets hope they can use the monies returned to help stimulate the economy and jobs..
Simon i pointed that out yesterday,the most thought out response i could equate to was “d’uh?”.
To be fair, there does seem to be sustained momentum behind us. Onwards & upwards.
Good news
It’s small but a momentum in the right direction
In 2009 all the momentum was down
If everyone gives a little push, the momentum will accelerate
Lets push people, we will be fine
We will be fine
Use it as a mantra and it will happen
It’ll take more than mantra to start eating away at our debt. which is currently rising at €276 per second
There’s been some great news over the last few weeks and days. Bit by tiny bit it’s starting to turn, can’t wait.
All in the first weeks of our Presidency, amazing.Yet they want a deal on the debt with all this good news why would Europe, more importantly Germany bother?
I think some of this good news will buy us some goodwill. They should be using us a case study; play the game by the rules and be rewarded, and if they don’t? Well we’ll bounce back anyway.
Because, Norman Europe needs a success story- a vindication of the austerity strategy….definitive proof that Europe is turning the corner.
You loan your friend money when hes in trouble,he tells you constantly he will pay back all he owes and is doing so.Also telling you how great things are going for him,then he says by the way will you knock a few “quid” off that money i owe you.I’m curious why would you bother?
because he’s your friend
Plus we’re not saying things are going great, far from it, but they are starting to head in the right direction. It takes time for market good news to filter down into the real economy. The markets started getting very dodgy in late 2006 early 2007 yet it was until late in 2008 that things really started to hurt. Same thing here, but in reverse.
Vincent you are aware of the IMF’s stance in relation to austerity here,also their calling on Europe to honour a debt deal which they have failed to do.Europes paymasters Germany have no desire to bailout a country that they saw as having gone mad on credit.Even though there is no “bailout”just rather profitable loans been made to us.Where did they get the idea we went “mad”.Think back to Enda’s speech in Davos.
David if you are assuming what the ECB done to this country was an act of friendship…..well aren’t we lucky they like us.Imagine what they would have done if they didn’t?
I think it was an act of necessity. I’m betting on an act of friendship from them this year.
David don’t bet more than you can afford,Angela is going for election and its not our votes she wants.
Norman
Just stand back and admire the seriously talented handiwork of our Government doing what they were elected to do!
Michael is your stint in the big top over already?is there no late show tonight.
Michael, the level of sarcasm you used in that last statement was hard to find, but by jove I found it..
Usual Blueshirt apologists are kinda desparate to talk up some very trivial news, for some unknown reason, which would of course by no means be party political.
Personally, I’m looking at the unemployment, growth and child poverty figures as my yardstick of progress, and these speak for themselves – there is no recovery.
Such bull looking for a clap on the back , wonder what will they spend the 10 million someone’s pension .
Ah sure why bother with this whole markets thing anyway? Let’s cut ourselves off from the world. Ground the planes, impound the ships, cut the cables, kill the bankers & businessmen and live off the land. Works great for them Nart Koreans lads.
Couldn’t of put it better :-)
You clearly dont know how the world of economics worse ur best off posting on the call card article and leave the political economic commenting to people who see the good in this
We seem to be making a lot of steps but are getting no where.
The only people that seem to be sitting pretty are the Politicians and the Bankers.
10 million profit? Whoop whoop! Does Noonan not know how much interest we are paying daily to service his debt?
Worth noting – Bank of Ireland were charged 10% for this money as well.
You seem to have not spotted the €1b figure there, boys.
10% of 1 billion is 100million
The pat Kenny show yesterday had an interview with an economist who stated that this transaction was done at a loss of income of €67 million per year to the taxpayer. So much for the good news.
I’d love to believe this is good news but sale of Boi coco, 2.5 billion bond at 3.35% all in the first real week of the EU Presidency while HVR is here.
All while were still borrowing 15b a year and fully loaded with an unsustainable debt.
On same day all other PIGS yields go up.
If its too good to be true it’s probably not true. I’m thinking Maple10 but sincerely hope I am wrong
And I’m an optimist….
Anyone know where this money goes? Do we as a nation see any of it?
More green shoots guff
That €10M should pay for all the audis
The audis were given to the free from audi they can jus wire the 10 mill t me ill look after it
Fascinating article on France’s impending implosion. But wait. The worst is over right?
http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2013/01/09/france-economy-crisis/
The worst is over for Ireland, I truly believe. Now it’ll be a slow crawl upwards for us. The worst isn’t here yet for the core economies of the EU. But I’m not gloating; what’s bad for them is in no way good for us.
@scrap- nothing personal, but don’t you ever tire of the cynicism and the naysaying?
Vincent u shud quit with the cookie clearing and red/green thumbing to promote ur point of view. Try to stand on ur arguments alone
As for nay-saying, u have me wrong there. I’m only looking for the truth. This whole back to the markets is a set up. A ponzi scheme. It will be proven to be so although I wish it were not. Who in their right mind wud lend money to a country already crippled with an unsustainable debt and who is running a massive, massive deficit?
Even if we owed nothing at all we’d be in serious doodoo in 5 years because of the deficit
Vincent he veiws himself as a realist,you veiw him as a naysayer.One of ye is correct,only time will tell which.
Correct Norman. Having said that I enjoy Vincent’s company and online sparring immensely. He’s an intelligent (if misled) individual. I don’t agree with most of what he says but I’d die for his right to express himself
Through Scrap at least Vincent stays away low brow insulting attacks.
Norman, I have the figures written on a bettin slip in front of me. @950 and @951 views (2seconds apart) here’s the thumb figures:
#mins means mins since comment made
Green thumb
950 #mins. 951. Contributer
28. 18. 42. NK
20. 16. 33. CF
32. 25. 38. ac
23. 18. 33. VD
Red thumb
950 #mins. 951. Contributer
0. 4. 10. AM
26. 25. 38. DL
17. 21. 25. PN
I’ve noticed this trend a lot when VD is on a roll. His viewpoint gets “magic” green thumbs and his opposing view point gets magic red thumbs.
I don’t mind. Alls fair in love and war. Am just on to it ;-). Journal should consult their access logs to confirm its the same IP address
Scrap thumbs regardless of colour mean nothing to me.But there is a pattern on all articles where “good news” is being put forward.As my son says”whatever floats your boat”.I could care less.I read and comment here for fun,i would not trust any Irish based news media to give me the “real” news,outside are always objective no agenda or party to pander to.
I don’t see how this drop in the ocean is giving people hope even after they sell the other 8billion that’s only 900mllion including this,thats nearly 1/15 of what we borrow every year..
Not even enough to pay the 166 td’s wages for a year
It’s actually quite funny how some people on here equate the number of green or red thumbs with the validity of their argument. It usually goes along the lines of “well judging by the number of red thumbs you got, it seems you’re wrong”…
Not to weigh in on either side here, but “all’s fair in love and war”? There isn’t any war at all, as far as I can see. It’s a couple of lads egging each other on for the fun of it because they enjoy the scrap ( no pun intended ). It’s not bullying and it’s not really that much related to the topic of the article. Nothing wrong with that, but I’d imagine that you’re all well aware of what you’re doing, so there’s not much point claiming that you’re shocked and offended by it all.
@Scrap- By the way- I don’t quite understand what I’m being accused of above. But I would suggest that since you have that betting slip out you should tip down to Paddy Powers in the morning with it and put a score on Enda Kenny remaining Taoiseach after the next election.
@MVM – A man could say that an ocean is nothing but a drop and another drop and another drop… It all adds up. Very slowly of course, but it does add up.
Also cookie clearing. No idea what that is. And unless you can do it with an iPhone, not guilty……
Scrap
Hey Scrap you really show how little you know . You wanta see how much profit my pension took in the past four months by ignoring you silly advice. We grew by twenty three per cent and got out without looking too greedy!
Vincent even a bondholder wouldn’t give you odds on that one,too many young turks.
I fully retract the accusation of cookie clearing Vincent. I have no hard proof and therefore should not have mentioned it.
I could also be entirely wrong.
My apologies Mr. Dolan.
@croke iv clashed with Vincent a few times having a little quarrel here and there but I don’t think he is at that iv had more green thumbs than him at Times maybe his view on certain topics are the same as the majority reading hence green..
If true it will be good but what exactly are your facts based on ?
Seriously. What’s cookie clearing? My understanding of cookies is that they’re the signature you leave behind as you surf the web and its used for advertisers, for example to track you? What that has to do with red or green thumbs, I’ve no idea.
@norman- if Enda holds this coalition together until the next scheduled election he will be untouchable. The Coveneys and Varadkars can wait.
Vincent you are a clever guy,i’m sure if you apply yourself you can figure out the point of deleting cookies on this site.
@vincent. Methinks the lady doth protest too much
Hopefully ur all right and everything’s heading rosy direction. Personally I don’t buy it but I’ll be the first to hold my hand up if I’m wrong.
No. Dog with a bone now. If you delete your cookies, your signature is cleared and you can tick a thumb again & again? 1). No idea how to delete cookies. 2). Could give a flying **** how many red or green thumbs I get. Most of the time I’m accused of being a troll. My contributions tend not to be the work of a man courting popularity. Anyway. Enough.
@ SCP1 You can’t manually clear the tracking history on the iPhone/iPad journal.ie app unless you (a) delete the app and re-install it, or (b) log out of the Facebook/Twitter account and log back in under another account. Both seem too much hassle to be worth doing. The only other option on an iPhone is to view journal.ie through a web browser rather tan through the app, and that way it would be possible to clear cookies via the web browser settings. I’m not saying that VD is doing this, I’m only saying how it would be possible to do what you’re suggesting on an iPhone. Maybe people agree with him.
@john. Easy to do on a PC
@vincent. I accept fully I was wrong to accuse u of cookie clearing as I’ve no evidence. I’ll add another heartfelt apology to the one above. Goodnight sir. Looking forward to tomorrow
@ SCP1 Yes, very easy to do on a PC but he says above that he uses an iPhone to view TheJournal. All I wrote was how it would be possible to give multiple thumbs on an iPhone. Maybe VB is lying and is secretly using a PC. Maybe he’s lying and is an excellent hacker who’s hacked the iPhone app to allow him to give multiple thumbs. Maybe he’s an alien. Some things you just have to take at face value. I’m interested in the technical side of what you suggested, but I’m not really interested in the “lover’s tiff” angle of what’s going on between you two.
I think we’re losing sight here gentlemen of the core question: why would one be bothered doing it? Anywho…
That mean taxpayers get money back then?
Nope , good business deal , isn’t it
It should be extremely worrying France is in trouble because if the EU states do crap it will have a huge impact on us making any ground we have made eroded quickly.
Unfortunately we are far from been out of the woods more like still trying to find the centre before we can find a way out.
The bond market is all about people with lots of money getting rich at taxpayers expense. This system sucks.
All we need to do now is sell our Children into slavery and we’ll be Quids in.
Sorry I forgot – we already have .
How can yee give me red thumbs for that. Our Children will be paying for for this till the year 2040 – Without a doubt.
Truth is hard to swallow for some
So when all this is paid back do we get lovely tax cuts ? Rebates ?
Probably not. Hopefully this money goes to aid stability and sustainability, which is more I portent in the long-term, in my opinion. Recovery will mean quite a few hard years for us, but that doesn’t make the recovery any less real.
Important. Apologies for the typing.
If love to know where the other €90M went so.
€1B = 1,000,000,000
10% of €1B = €100M
Government made €10M profit..
Do the maths folks, that’s 1% not 10%
10m profit from the sale today, also 10% annual return on the bond while the state held it..
10% per year on the initial outlay investment in 2011, €10m profit on sale. The 2 aren’t related.
Sorry your maths is backwards a bond is a loan , we pay 10%.
These bonds are bought by the same groups of people who have already speculated against Ireland going bust and made massive profits. These same groups will make ever more money with the interest charged on the bonds when maturity kicks in and a win win for such people.
Jesus 10 percent if I had anything I’d buy them as they are guaranteed by ecb. Could have got it at 3.3 percent on the market it’s all pr to make bank look good. It was subscribed 7 times as it was a huge bonus for bond holders ……again.
10% return for the Irish tax payer, I doubt any of us will ever see a cent of that! Especially as we’re all paying more than twice that in additional taxes since 2008.
have your say