Sudanese government and rebels agree on details of wealth-sharing
By ANDREW ENGLAND Associated Press Writer
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 06, 2004 (AP) — The Sudanese government and southern rebels took a major step toward ending their 20-year conflict after agreeing on the details of sharing the country’s wealth – solving one of three outstanding issues at peace talks, mediators and delegates said Tuesday.
The government and the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Army have agreed to split net oil revenue from southern Sudan 50-50 during a six year transition period, set up a monetary system which will allow for Islamic banking in the north and Western banking in the south, and to introduce a new national currency, said rebel spokesman Samson Kwaje.
At present, all Sudan’s major banks are run under Islamic law.
The struggle for resources – particularly oil produced in the south – has been one of the main issues in Africa’s longest-running war, in which more than 2 million people have perished, mainly through war-induced famine.
“It’s a big breakthrough because oil has been at the center of the fighting,” Kwaje told The Associated Press. “It’s a very important piece of the agreement.”
Sudanese officials confirmed that an agreement had been reached, but declined to comment.
The war erupted in 1983 when southern rebels from the mainly animist and Christian south took up arms against the predominantly Arab and Muslim north. The rebels say they are fighting for greater equality for the south and for southerners to have the right to choose whether to remain part of Sudan.
Most of Sudan’s oil reserves are in the south. Africa’s largest country joined the ranks of oil exporters in 1999 and is currently producing some 250,000 barrels per day.
When Sudan began pumping oil, the rebels and international human rights groups accused the Sudanese government of forcing tens of thousands of southern villagers to flee the oil region.
In July 2002, shortly after the peace process began, the parties agreed to a six-year transition period during which the south will have a regional administration. Southerners will vote in a referendum after the transition to decide whether the south should secede.
The parties still have to agree on the administration of three disputed areas in central Sudan and the rebel group’s representation in a transitional government, National Assembly and civil service during the transition period before they can sign a comprehensive peace deal.
Chief mediator Lazaro Sumbeiywo said the wealth sharing deal was a major breakthrough, but said resolving the outstanding issues would still be difficult.
“The journey is on, but we have not reached the destination,” he said from the Kenyan town of Naivasha, where the talks are being held, 100 kilometers (60 miles) northwest of Nairobi.
Under the wealth sharing agreement, which is expected to be signed Wednesday, the warring parties agreed that non-oil revenue from the south will also be split 50-50, while all northern revenue will be distributed to northern states and the national government, Kwaje said.
They also agreed that Sudan’s national currency, the dinar, will remain in circulation as will currencies used in areas controlled by the rebels until the new currency is introduced.
In rebel held areas, southern Sudanese use currencies from neighboring Kenyan and Uganda, as well as a new currency – the “New Sudan pound” – which the rebels have recently introduced, Kwaje said.