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http://burningbillboard.org A MoJo of video, audio and written reportages Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:15:25 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Creative Commons info@burningbillboard.org (BurningBillboard.org) info@burningbillboard.org (BurningBillboard.org) mobile journalism 1440 http://burningbillboard.org/wp-content/podpress_temp/muralsm.gif http://burningbillboard.org 144 144 http://burningbillboard.org/?feed=podcast a non-mercantile and mobile journal of video, audio and written reportage a non-mercantile and mobile journal of video, audio and written reportage Sudan, travel, media, documentary, refugee BurningBillboard.org BurningBillboard.org info@burningbillboard.org no no http://burningbillboard.org/2009/07/permanent-court-of-arbitration-makes-ruling-on-abyei-border/ http://burningbillboard.org/2009/07/permanent-court-of-arbitration-makes-ruling-on-abyei-border/#comments Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:22:11 +0000 widge http://burningbillboard.org/?p=1196 http://burningbillboard.org/2009/07/permanent-court-of-arbitration-makes-ruling-on-abyei-border/feed/ 0 0:00:01 [Montréal, Québec, Canada  20°C] At 8:00 am GMT, the five-member Abyei Arbitration Tribunal of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague began ceremonies to render its final decision regarding the delimitation of the Abyei boundaries, which ha[...] [Montréal, Québec, Canada  20°C] At 8:00 am GMT, the five-member Abyei Arbitration Tribunal of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague began ceremonies to render its final decision regarding the delimitation of the Abyei boundaries, which have been a source of tension and conflict between Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party and the Government of Southern Sudan. The arbitration agreement between the Government of Sudan and the southern Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) was received by the Permanent Court of Arbitration on July 11, 2008 with both parties agreeing to a “final and binding” decision by the tribunal. On July 14, 2004, the Abyei Boundaries Commission published its report that outlined Abyei’s boundaries to an area that was much larger than Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party previously claimed. They subsequently rejected the commission’s report, stating that the Commission exceeded its mandate. The case was then referred to the Tribunal. Arbitration Award Map (source: Permanent Court of Arbitration, July 22, 2009) _____ _____ The Tribunal’s mandate was to determine whether the Abyei Boundaries Commission exceeded its mandate “to define and demarcate the area of the nine Ngok Dinka cheifdoms transferred to Kordofan in 1905.” The Tribunal determined the excess of mandate by reviewing the Abyei Boundaries Commission (ABC)’s interpretation and implementation of their mandate. The Tribunal’s press release reads, “The Tribunal therefore finds that the ABC Experts DID NOT EXCEED their mandate in interpreting their mandate…” The Tribunal concludes however “that the ABC Experts EXCEEDED their mandate in certain areas of its implementation.” The ABC’s mandate was exceeded for the drawing of the northernmost border of the “Ngok Dinka and Misseriya’s ‘shared rights’ area at latitude 10°35′N [...] because they did not provide sufficient reasoning.” The Tribunal found that “there was NOT an excess of mandate” regarding the ABC’s drawing of the northern limit of Ngok Dinka’s area of permanent habitation transferred in 1905. However, the eastern and western boundaries chosen by the ABC was determined to be “in excess of mandate for failure to state sufficient reasoning.” Abyei's former market area (April 2009) Abyei Arbitration Tribunal of the Permanent Court of Arbitration thus delimited a new boundary (see above map) that is somewhat smaller than the one represented in mauve by the Abyei Boundaries Commission. According to a report by Miraya FM, the head of Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party, Al Dirdiri Mohamed Ahmed, stated that “the [Tribunal's] decision supports NCP’s vision regarding the [border's] demarcation.” Minister of Foreign Affairs and member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, Deng Alor, “welcomed the Court’s decision and assured the movement’s commitment of the ruling.” Mohamed Ali Alansari, a leader from the Misseriya tribe stated that they are “studying the judgement to determine a final position.” Central Abyei street scene (April 2009) Abyei is an important oil-producing region of Sudan, which in 2003 provided approximately 25% of Sudan’s total oil production. Defined within the Abyei Protocol (Chapter IV of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement), Abyei is “the area of the nine Ngok Dinka chiefdoms transferred to Kordofan in 1905.” Residents of Abyei are define as “Members of the Ngok Dinka community and other Sudanese residing in the area.” The Arab Misseriya pastoralists are not specifically mentioned as residents of the area and their grazing rights in this pasture-rich region—as prescribed in the Abyei Protocol—are a source of conflict. Central Abyei street scene (April 2009) The Protocol out[...] audio, photography, Sudan BurningBillboard.org no no http://burningbillboard.org/2009/03/icc-arrest-warrant-repurcussions-on-southern-sudan/ http://burningbillboard.org/2009/03/icc-arrest-warrant-repurcussions-on-southern-sudan/#comments Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:00:14 +0000 widge http://burningbillboard.org/?p=864 http://burningbillboard.org/2009/03/icc-arrest-warrant-repurcussions-on-southern-sudan/feed/ 0 0:05:41 Exactly three weeks ago, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for the President of Sudan, Omar Hassan Al-Bashir, for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Darfur. Like many people in Sudan, I was glued to the telev[...] Exactly three weeks ago, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for the President of Sudan, Omar Hassan Al-Bashir, for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Darfur. Like many people in Sudan, I was glued to the television set to view the announcement. It was 4 p.m. audio, maps, podcasts, Sudan, travel BurningBillboard.org no no http://burningbillboard.org/2009/02/in-nairobi-preparing-for-juba/ http://burningbillboard.org/2009/02/in-nairobi-preparing-for-juba/#comments Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:22:01 +0000 widge http://burningbillboard.org/?p=616 http://burningbillboard.org/2009/02/in-nairobi-preparing-for-juba/feed/ 1 0:07:35 [Nairobi, Kenya 28°C] The Nairobi heat rarely gathers on the brow long enough to bead. It evaporates long before it has a chance to trickle then drip. Kenya will prepare you for the heat of Sudan, everyone tells me as I reach for my water bottle, st[...] [Nairobi, Kenya 28°C] The Nairobi heat rarely gathers on the brow long enough to bead. It evaporates long before it has a chance to trickle then drip. Kenya will prepare you for the heat of Sudan, everyone tells me as I reach for my water bottle, still thursty. It's not just the heat of Southern Sudan I'm preparing for, it's the place itself. It's hold on a tenuous peace, as mandated by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed on Januray 9, 2005 between the Khartoum-based Government of Sudan and the, then-rebel group, Sudan People's Liberation Army. audio, podcasts, Sudan, travel BurningBillboard.org no no