Peace talks being held in Khartoum, Sudan, hit a snag Thursday when a coalition of 14 armed groups suspended their participation, citing the government’s refusal to consider a general amnesty and a unity government.

The groups have set a 48-hour deadline for the government to acquiesce to their terms, and have threatened to leave if that doesn’t happen. However, mediators expressed optimism that some kind of deal could be reached.

Back on Central African soil, 18 people were killed last Friday when gunmen opened fire at a funeral. In a briefing in late 2017 for WPR, Richard Moncrieff wrote about the difficulties U.N. peacekeepers have had in bringing the violence under control.

Source: World Politics Review

Growing mental health services for children who have survived Nigeria’s Islamist insurgency can help prevent future violence, aid agencies said Monday, although huge needs remain unmet.

In Niger’s Diffa region, about 250,000 people have fled fighting around Lake Chad where Islamist group Boko Haram has been waging attacks since 2009, according to the United Nations.

Two-thirds are children, many of whom have witnessed extreme violence and have no way to process their anger and trauma, said medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF).

“We have many children who tell us, ‘When I grow up I’m going to revenge myself,'” said Yacouba Harouna, MSF’s supervisor of mental health activities in Diffa.

“This is why we say, better to act early than late.”

Boko Haram has targeted schools and abducted more than 1,000 children since 2013, according to the U.N. children’s agency, including, most notably, the abduction of 276 schoolgirls from the town of Chibok in 2014.

MSF works primarily with Nigerian refugees between the ages of 7 and 14 in Diffa, some of whom were kidnapped, said Harouna. Art and drama help them release their emotions, he said.

Many draw pictures of people being slaughtered or in combat.

The aid group expanded its work with children last year, carrying out 700 consultations between March and June. Children now make up 35 percent of its mental health patients in Diffa, but it is the only agency providing these services in the area and is nowhere near reaching everyone in need, Harouna said.

“Child protection and children’s support in conflict zones is already underfunded … and psychosocial support even less,” said Natalie Turgut, a policy and advocacy adviser for War Child, a U.K.-based charity for children affected by war.

The area is neglected because it requires more specific skills and training than other types of aid, but is just as important, she said.

“If this isn’t prioritized, it means that conflicts will continue,” Turgut said.

Reuters

The leader of Sudan’s largest opposition party, Sadiq al-Mahdi, called on President Omar al-Bashir’s government to heed protesters and resign in an address to supporters at a mosque across the River Nile from Khartoum Friday.

“This regime has to go immediately,” Mahdi told hundreds of worshippers at a mosque in Omdurman, the twin city of the capital Khartoum, which has seen near daily anti-government protests. Hundreds of protesters then marched through Omdurman after Friday prayers, until police fired teargas to try to break up the rally.

Mahdi said that since the protests against Bashir’s government erupted on December 19, “more than 50 people have been killed” in violence during the demonstrations.

Officials say 30 people have died in the protests, while rights groups have put the death toll at more than 40.

“The most important demand is that this regime must leave and be replaced by a transitional government,” Mahdi said at the mosque, which has links to his Umma Party.

“A period of transition will come soon… we are supporting this (protest) movement,” said Mahdi, leader of Sudan’s opposition Umma Party whose government was toppled by Bashir in an Islamist-backed coup in 1989. After nearly a year in exile, Mahdi returned to Sudan last month on the same day protests began.

Mahdi said Friday his party has signed a document with the Sudanese Professionals’ Association (SPA) that is leading the campaign against Bashir’s government.

“This is a document for change and freedom,” Mahdi said. “Together we will hold peaceful demonstrations in Sudan and outside of Sudan,” he said as he condemned the violence and use of “live ammunition” against protesters.

A fixture of Sudanese politics since the 1960s, Mahdi was prime minister from 1966 to 1967 and again from 1986 to 1989.

His government was the last one to be democratically elected in Sudan, before it was toppled by Bashir. Since then Mahdi’s Umma Party has acted as Sudan’s main opposition group and has regularly campaigned against the policies of Bashir’s government.

The ongoing protest movement however has been spearheaded by the SPA, an umbrella group of unions representing doctors, teachers and engineers. Analysts say the movement has emerged as the biggest challenge yet to Bashir’s rule.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)

Cameroon President Paul Biya on Monday, January 21, extended his condolences to Kenya and President Uhuru Kenyatta over the recent terrorist attack at 14 Riverside but his message was not received kindly by some citizens.

Some slammed him for sending his message too late while others asked him to put his house in order first.​

“I extend my heartfelt condolences to President Uhuru Kenyatta over the terrorist attack at the Dusit D2 hotel and office complex in Nairobi.

“I wish strength and fortitude to the victims’ families, loved ones and everyone affected, as well as health and speedy recovery to those injured,” read a post on Biya’s official Facebook page.

One citizen reminded him that it has been almost a week since the incident at Dusit D2 and Kenyans have already gone back to work.

Numvi Destain: Are you just hearing of it today? Even President Uhuru has already forgotten about it.

Yao Son Ibrahim: Kényans have already forgotten the incident you are just reminding them.Too late!!!

Prisco Herman: First remove the stick in your own eyes, why do you keep on consoling others without taking care of your own affairs at home

The attack at 14 Riverside claimed 21 lives but the number could have been higher were it not for the swift response by security personnel.

On Monday, Interior CS Fred Matiang’i heaped praises on Douglas Kanja, the GSU Commandant who led the security operation with distinct diligence and professionalism.

He further directed all National Government administrators to step up the “know your neighbour” campaigns and ensure coordination, information-sharing and joint security actions in their areas of jurisdiction to ensure the safety of all citizens.

Source: Standard Reporter

Cameroon and Nigeria have begun seeking ways to collaborate to fight corruption in both countries, according to officials of Cameroon’s anti-graft body on Wednesday.

Officials of National Anti-Corruption Commission (CONAC) and Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), met in the capital Yaounde on Wednesday to lay down the guidelines for the collaboration.

“Our coming here is to canvass for greater understanding in terms of relationship, exchange of ideas and information,” Mohammed Abba Umar, EFCC’s Director of Operations, told reporters. “It (corruption) is not a problem of one country but all countries in Africa and we appreciate the cooperation between Cameroon and Nigeria,” CONAC Chair, Dieudonne Massi Gams said.

Transfer of illicit funds within Cameroon-Nigeria borders is on the rise and there is an urgent need to track down the funds and arrests offenders, the officials said. “The joint operations can help us to recover lot of looted funds.” Umar said. The collaboration is the first of its kind between the two countries.

Source: Xinhua