Why not Sudan to be a Model for peace and co-existence!

By Roba Gibia

July 26, 2009 – The Abyei dispute like south-north conflict has since torn the country apart, and even Addis Ababa agreement in 1972 failed to make any breakthrough in this sensitive and engulfed portion of land. But it was clear that the colonial rule with its policy of divide and rule has not only victimized people of south, but stripped and left them nude under the mercy of Khartoum. The colonial rule never satisfied itself by treating south as closed area only, but transferred Abyei area (part of south) to Kordofan. And after independence the consecutive governments in Khartoum, who considered themselves musters to Southerners, pursued and started implementing their policy of Islamazation, Arabization and selective marginalization that widened gap between African and Arab tribes in Sudan, which reached its peak during the National Islamic Front/National Congress Party rule since they came to power by coup in 1989.

When peace agreement was signed between south-north in January 2005, National Congress Party described it as how Sudanese people are able to resolve their own conflicts and a victory to NCP as peace maker, thus, south-north peace is looked at as model to resolve other country’s crisis. Therefore, National Congress Party acquired false reputation of peace marker, but then what happened, the peace process become stagnant and stalemates has become its main feature, where essential parts of agreement is never implemented such as border demarcation between south and north and Abyei protocol. The ABC finding was rejected by NCP which led to eruption of fighting in Abyei in May 2008, then the two sides SPLM and NCP agreed and referred Abyei issue to Hague arbitration in July 2008 and agreed and signed in advance to abide with the Permanent Court Arbitration results like they did with ABC.

After announcement of Abyei arbitration final Award on July 22, 2009, SPLM head of delegation Dr. Riek Machar described permanent court arbitration as victory to Sudanese people but not SPLM, while National Congress Party head of delegation Ambassador Aldiri Diri described the arbitration result as victory to NCP and said that they were right when they refused ABC findings, because NCP was certain that ABC experts has exceeded their mandate, and stressed that NCP is happy because the disputed oil fields of Higlig is in north! If you compare the two statements, you can conclude that the dispute is between two hostile countries but not within a country’s administrative boundaries. It is worth noting that the two partners failed to resolve Abyei dispute during the peace negotiation, thus, I wonder what kind of victory are we claiming, except that justice and historical rights of Abyei people has to be restored even though not hundred percent.

On the other hand the statement issued by NCP and SPLM said “It is our conviction that Abyei can be a model for peace, reconciliation and co-existence in Sudan if efforts for development are encouraged and supported in the area”. One wonders, why Abyei in particular, and why not the whole country, Sudan to be a model for peace, reconciliation and co-existence if efforts for development are encouraged and supported in all parts and every corner of the country. The multi-ethnic and cultural diversity of Sudan doesn’t exist only in Abyei area, but in all parts of Sudan. Thus, I wish if our conviction could rest on entire country but not small portion of land to be described as nucleus of co-existence. If we can exert efforts to make Sudan a country for peace, reconciliation and co-existence, all parts of Sudan including Abyei will live in peace and synchronization as brothers and sisters, while each ethnic group preserves its unique culture. Hence, it pains me greatly to see when media portrays those who claim to be Arabs in Sudan as brothers to black Africans in south, which you can not find it in practicality but just for media consumption. Like it portrayed State Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Abdul-Bagi Al-Jailani and Foreign Minister, Deng Alor, look at them, are they brothers? No, they are distant people with diversity culture brought together forcefully. Therefore, in my opinion, I will never accept you as my brother unless you accept me heartedly as your brother on equal foot, rights, without imposition of your ideology, religion and Arabism.

Khartoum doesn’t seek brotherhood of Southerners, but land grabs and plunder of south Sudanese natural resources. And that was evident when they refused ABC results because ABC did the right thing by including all nine Ngok Dinka chiefdoms transferred to Kordofan in 1905 to south. This bothered NCP and it rejected the findings, and had the Permanent Court Arbitration to stick to the ABC findings and to not redefine Abyei borders, NCP would have refused it too but accepted it because they got what they wanted but that still remains to be seen in implementation of courts decision. Therefore, I have got strong believe that NCP is going to lay numerous obstacles on the road to implement Permanent Court Arbitration decision, as it has already been stated by president al-Bashir while addressing Misseriya representatives in Khartoum on July 23, 2009 that all Misseriya residents would have the right to vote in Abyei referendum as well as Misseriya rejection to Permanent Court Arbitration award! This statement looks absurd but it has to be taken seriously because it is another NCP maneuver in jeopardizing Abyei people’s referendum in 2011, leave alone obstacles on ground.

Here one can conclude that Khartoum has already detached south ever since and dealing with it as a separate country, but wanted to grab more land before south could secede finally at the end of the day. And that was evident, as since when border commission was formed according to peace agreement to demarcate south-north administrative borders, it did little or nothing as this date, and beside that it is facing tremendous problems and disagreement on marking borders on ground. Thus, in my view, the most difficult task facing south and north (Khartoum) at this juncture is the demarcation of boundaries between south-north perimeters, implementation of Abyei award and especially petroleum areas where there will be lots of stalemates and confrontation, in addition to redefine of Abyei boundaries on ground, still remain a tempting and crucial clauses to tempt faithfulness and commitment of SPLM and NCP to peace deal.

* Roba Gibia is a Sudan Tribune columnist. He can be reached at [email protected]