Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 26 July 2018
South Sudan's warring leaders agree to share power, again

Associated Press sure from an impatient in-
KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) ternational community to
— South Sudan's warring end the fighting. Under
leaders have agreed to the threat of a U.N. arms
share power once again embargo Kiir and Machar
in the latest effort to end agreed to resume talks in
a five-year civil war, offi- June, their first face-to-face
cials announced Wednes- discussions in nearly two
day, days after the United years.
States said it was "skeptical" Earlier this month the U.N.
the two men whose rivalry Security Council imposed
has killed tens of thousands the arms embargo any-
could lead the way to way.
peace. The U.S. earlier this week
South Sudan's information warned that another pow-
minister, Michael Makuei er-sharing agreement be-
Lueth, announced the tween Kiir and Machar
agreement between Presi- "may sow the seeds of an-
dent Salva Kiir and armed other cycle of conflict." The
opposition leader Riek White House press secre-
Machar to reporters in Su- tary's statement said the
dan's capital, Khartoum. U.S. won't fund South Su-
The agreement initialed dan's government or act
Wednesday will be signed as guarantor unless the
on Aug. 5, Sudan's Foreign peace process includes
Minister Al-Dirdiri Mohamed In this file photo dated Thursday, June 21, 2018, South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and opposition civil society, churches,
Ahmed said. leader Riek Machar shake hands during peace talks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. women and other exclud-
Kiir will lead South Sudan's Associated Press ed groups and is no longer
government during a tran- a "narrow agreement be-
sitional period and Machar ar's group, told The Associ- than 2 million people have while, both sides have tween elites."
will return as first vice presi- ated Press. since fled the country in Af- been accused of abuses. The fracturing of South Su-
dent, Sudan's official SUNA A similar arrangement, rica's largest refugee crisis A U.N. report this month de- dan's opposition into multi-
news agency reported. however, fell apart in July since the Rwandan geno- scribed how government ple groups further challeng-
The opposition can "live 2016 when fighting erupted cide in 1994, while millions troops and allied forces es the new power-sharing
with" the agreement, in the capital, Juba, and of others have been left hung people from trees, agreement as some refuse
but it will fail if early steps Machar fled the country on near famine. burned others alive and to sign on.
such as security arrange- foot. Multiple cease-fires, includ- raped or gang-raped doz- Machar will be among five
ments aren't implemented, The civil war broke out in ing a "permanent" one ens of women and girls. vice presidents in the new
Manasseh Zindo, who has December 2013 between signed by Kiir and Machar The new agreement comes transitional government,
been directly involved with supporters of Kiir and his weeks ago, have been vio- as South Sudan's leaders according to the 11-page
the negotiations for Mach- then-deputy Machar. More lated within hours. Mean- are under growing pres- agreement. q

Zimbabwe's top opposition won't boycott vote despite worries

By FARAI MUTSAKA, Associ- counter vote-rigging but Police on Wednesday had
ated Press did not give details. an unusually heavy pres-
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Mnangagwa, a former ence outside the offices of
Zimbabwe's biggest oppo- deputy president who the electoral commission,
sition party won't boycott took over after Mugabe with two truckloads of of-
Monday's historic election stepped down under mili- ficers and a water cannon
despite a biased electoral tary and ruling party pres- positioned near a barri-
commission that is acting sure, has promised a free cade. Monday's vote is the
in the interests of President and fair election as he first without Mugabe on the
Emmerson Mnangagwa, seeks to have international ballot since independence
the party's leader said sanctions lifted. Past votes from white minority rule in
Wednesday. have been marred by vio- 1980.
Nelson Chamisa, head of lence and irregularities. Despite concerns about
the MDC opposition coali- The election commission possible vote-rigging, op-
tion, urged supporters to Nelson Chamisa, centre, head of the MDC opposition alliance is has said it will follow the law position groups are operat-
vote "overwhelmingly for seen during a press briefing at the party headquarters in Harare, and that it is ready for the ing in a freer environment
change" in the first election Wednesday, July, 25, 2018. vote in the southern African than in the past.
since the November resig- Associated Press nation. A record of more than 20
nation of longtime leader Police had banned an op- presidential candidates
Robert Mugabe. including alleged media conference. position demonstration and 128 political parties will
"We can't boycott our vic- manipulation, problems "There has been a consis- planned for Wednesday participate in the election;
tory," Chamisa said. "Win- with the voters' roll and bal- tent negation of interna- because of the dispute there are more than five
ners don't quit." lot papers and reports of tional standards," he said. over electoral procedures. million registered voters.
Zimbabwe's election com- food distribution to voters The opposition leader Similar demonstrations ear- Western observers, banned
mission has not addressed by the ruling ZANU-PF party, added that his party has lier this year had been al- during the Mugabe era,
the MDC party's concerns, Chamisa said at a news adopted "mechanisms" to lowed. are invited.q