African Media Coverage

December 1-15, 2009

South Africa: IOL
Kidnapped peacekeepers freed after 100 days
Published: 14 December 2009

Two civilian peacekeepers were freed by kidnappers in Sudan's Darfur region on Sunday after more than 100 days in captivity, officials said.

Gunmen abducted the Nigerian man and the Zimbabwean woman from Darfur's joint UN/African Union peacekeeping mission in the west Darfur town of Zalingei in August in one of a new wave of kidnappings.

"They have been released... This is the end of a long nightmare," said Noureddine Mezni, spokesperson for the UNAMID peacekeepers. "They are in good shape. We are very happy to have them back."

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon took the unusual step of phoning Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir this month to ask him to step up efforts to free the two peacekeepers.

Read the full article here.

Nigeria: The Daily Champion
Sudan heads reach referendum on independence
Published: 13 December 2009

The leaders of Sudan and of its semi-autonomous southern region said they have reached a deal on the terms of a referendum on independence.

It was one of four issues at the heart of crisis talks between President Omar al-Bashir and Salva Kiir.

Officials said they had agreed on the proportion of votes and turnout needed for the referendum to be binding. One other issue remains unresolved.

The peace process between North and South has been looking shaky.

The two leaders fought each other during the country’s two-decade long civil war and have been uneasy partners since a peace deal - which has been looking increasingly shaky - was signed in 2005.

Elections are due in April next year and in 2011 the South will vote in a referendum on possible independence.

Read the article here.

South Africa: News24
Sudan: Party offices torched
Published: 7 December 2009

Southern protesters torched offices of Sudan's ruling party after Khartoum police arrested three southern leaders and dozens of protesters on Monday in a crackdown against a pro-reform demonstration.

Pagan Amum, Yassir Arman and Abbas Gumma from the former rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) were freed after a few hours and were celebrating their release at the movement's headquarters in Khartoum along with thousands of supporters.

But earlier angry protesters had reacted to their arrest by torching the offices of the National Congress Party (NCP) of President Omar al-Beshir in the southern cities of Wau and Rumbek, two provincial capitals, a southern government official said.

There were no reports of casualties.

Read the article here.