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22 June 2015

Good afternoon. It is one o’clock and I’m Suzan Dokolo

The Headlines:

• Former Secretary General of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement Pagan Amum arrives in Juba

• Traders in Wau town close business after Somali trader is killed

• Lakes State authorities consider introducing tax on cattle to boost revenues

Former Secretary General of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) Pagan Amum has arrived in Juba, on the invitation of President Salva Kiir.

Pagan jetted into the country this morning aboard Kenya airways flight from Nairobi.

He was accompanied by Kenya’s Defense Minister, Lieutenant General Samson Mwa –tete

Akol Paul, spokesperson for the Arusha Agreement re-unification agreement told Journalist in Juba that Pagan Amum will meet with the SPLM Political Bureau.

Another meeting is expected later in the day with the National Liberation council.

Akol Paul: “We welcome Cdr. Pagan to Juba. He is welcome back home. The arrival of Cdr. Pagan Amum this morning is the continuation of the agreement that we signed on the 21st of January this year known as Arusha Re-unification Agreement. We want to inform you that after this reception, there will be a number of meetings in the SPLM leadership starting with the SPLM Political Bureau which is the highest organ of our movement and to be followed by the SPLM National Liberation Council.”

Meanwhile John Luke Jok, one of the SPLM Former Detainees says the meeting will focus on reinstating Pagan Amum to his previous position as Secretary General of the SPLM party.

John Luke Jok: “We believe that today the meeting the SPLM leadership will be holding will lay to rest the issue of the issue of the Secretary General which has been an issue that was unresolved. We are so grateful and we hope that all the membership who will be in the meeting will lay to rest this issue and this we shall call this a great day for the SPLM and we shall be able to take further step in full and final re-unifying the SPLM.”

Earlier, four members of the SPLM former detainees met President Salva Kiir Mayardit, to discuss the process of full implementation of the Arusha Re-unification agreement over the week.

Deng Alor, John Luke Jok, Kosti Manibe and former governor of Lakes State Chol Tong Mayai were accompanied to Juba by Kenyan Foreign Minister Amina Mohamed.

Akol Paul, spokesperson for the Arusha Agreement said a follow up summit on the implementation of Arusha Agreement of the SPLM Re-unification will be held before the end of June in Tanzania.

The summit is expected to tackle some of the outstanding issues hindering full implementation of the agreement.

Akol Paul: ”It is a follow up to Arusha Re-unification Agreement where the outstanding issues will be addressed – the issues of two armies, structure of the government of leadership and the issues of transitional justices before the end of this month. We are going to develop a common position that we will present to Riek Machar who is holding to SPLM in Opposition as an entity and see if he will heed to the calls for peace and agrees to have an agreement with us to stop the war.”

An expert panel from the United Nations has ended its visit to South Sudan.

The five member panel was appointed by the UN Secretary General in April to provide evidence based reports to the UN Security Council on who to list for possible sanctions.

During their two-week visit, the delegation toured many conflict-affected areas and met with government, opposition, internally displaced persons (IDPs), organized forces, civil society and tribal leaders.

Head of the delegation Vladimir Zhagora says the panel will continue to dialogue

Vladimir Zhagora: “This is the beginning of an ongoing dialogue between the panel and those involved in or affected by the conflict. The panel will maintain a consistent presence in South Sudan and the region throughout its 13-month mandate. In March, the UN Security Council established a framework for sanctions to promote an end to the conflict. The sanctions will not harm the people of South Sudan. On the contrary, they are designed to target individuals and entities that are expanding or continuing conflict. The UN Security Council, not the panel of experts, will determine who to target with sanctions.”

Shop owners in Wau Town have shut their businesses to protest against the killing of a Somali trader by unknown assailants. 

Wol Charles, Chairperson of Chamber of Commerce, says the Somali businessman, was attacked and killed early on Sunday morning.

He says the shops will remain closed for three days as traders ask the state government to assure them of protection.

Wol Charles: “Closure of the market has not come out of a vacuum. It is because yesterday an incident happened. Around three in the morning, one of Somali businessman was shot and he die. In yesterday’s incident, they entered more than 15 houses from one o’clock. Within a period of two weeks, two businessmen were killed and a lot of looting at nights on businessmen and citizens. That is why businessmen call on the authority in the state to provide them security.”

Young politicians have been called on to engage actively in processes that will bring peace, stability and development to the country.

Fifty (50) youth allied to different political parties attended training in Juba, to equip them with skills on how to increase their influence in society.

The sessions were organized by ‘Support the Children,’ an organization focused on empowering youth. Tom Ogwal is a member of the ‘Support Children’ Organization.

Tom Ogwal: “The training is on youth political parties participation and effective engagement in civic education so some of the issues that have been handled in this training is problem analysis, how to define your problem specifically, how to know the root causes of the problem, how to compile your central message and how to plan for advocacy and how these youth can engage with different actors.”

‘Support the Children’ is also involved in collecting views of the youth for inclusion in the National youth Policy.

You are listening to Radio Miraya news.

The South Sudan Refugee Commission has outlined plans to improve the security and living conditions of refugees.

Commission chairperson, Bol Jol Akot says the government will establish a refugee police unit that will be charged with ensuring protection of refugees in the eight refugee camps across the country.

Speaking at an event to mark World Refugee Day in Juba on Saturday, Akot also said the commission will conduct a verification exercise on all 256,000 refugees being hosted in the country.

He also revealed plans to relocate all refugees out of Juba.

Bol Jol Akot: “One development of policy framework and a work plan which is currently ongoing, for security reasons the government has also resolved to relocate all urban refugees at Gorom refugee camp to a new location about 120km away from Juba city away from Juba city within CES. Three, taking over key responsibilities from UNHCR and other refugee agencies.”

Authorities in Lakes State are considering the possibility of introducing a tax on cattle.

The proposal announced on Friday by the SPLM party chairman in Lakes State, would require cattle owners to pay one South Sudanese pound per head of cattle they own.

Daniel Awet Akot, says if introduced, the cattle tax will provide revenues needed to boost development in the state.

Awet Akot: “I proposed tax collection for Lakes State as our cattle are 3.5 million and if we collect one pound per cows for these3.5 million cattle… Each payam like Mayath where I come from is having thirty five thousand heads of cattle. I told them to bring one heifer that will bring two thousand as my own contribution and the rest will do the same by bringing two million and these two millions will build, will build what you want in your area. Now we have eight counties and how many payams are there? The money is here – money is not Juba. The money is here in South Sudan. We can impose it and do it. I am talking to the hunger of my stomach, of what is going on. I am not happy; I am not happy at all.”

In regional news, the Somali jihadist group al-Shabab has carried out an attack in the country's capital Mogadishu.

A BBC reporter in Mogadishu says a suicide car bomber and gunmen attacked a training center for the national intelligence agency on Sunday morning.

Government officials said that soldiers "foiled the attack" and at least three militants died.

The militants have vowed to intensify attacks during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which began on Wednesday.

And in sports, Melekia Basketball team has emerged victor in the late Manut Bol Memorial basketball tournament which was played in Juba on Sunday.

Melekia gained victory after the team beat Nimra Talata basketball team by 67 points to 60.

Black Stars basketball team will face off the National Engineering Team this evening.

To end the news, here are the headlines once again:

• Former Secretary General of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement Pagan Amum arrives in Juba

• Traders in Wau town close business after Somali trader is killed

• Lakes State authorities consider introducing tax on cattle to boost revenues

Radio Miraya news.

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