Ruling NCP slams Sudan’s FVP accusations on hindrances in Abyei demarcation

December 2, 2009 (KHARTOUM) –The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) slammed statements by the First Vice President where he accused his peace partner of impeding the demarcation of Abyei boundary.

Salva Kiir Mayadrit told AlJazeera TV, that there had been no progress in the work of the demarcation commission because of armed groups that he did not identify. He added they threaten the work of demarcation technical team.

Last July the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague redefined the boundaries of Abyei which is on the borders of North and South Sudan. The tribunal awarded North Sudan the area’s key Heglig and Bamboo oilfields placing them in the north Sudan district of Southern Kordofan while giving the south most of the land in the disputed region.

The two peace partners committed themselves to cooperate in the border demarcation. In September a joint technical team including international observers arrived to Abyei announcing the start of the border demarcation.

Ambassador Dirdeiry Mohammed Ahmed, head of the government delegation for the issue of Abyei addressed fierce criticism against the Sudanese First Vice President and president of southern Sudan government Salva Kiir. The NCP official urged Kiir to work within the presidency to resolve the encountered problems instead of making public statements.

“We were waiting the First Vice President to direct, as it deems, to activate the work of the Committee within the institution of the presidency and not from the media and and website of the opposition,” he said.

Dirdeiry further disclosed that Salva Kiir encouraged the Misseriya to hold arms against the government to take their rights during a meeting he had held with them in Juba following the publication of the arbitration rule.

“Rise like the people of the south, Darfur and the east, this is the only way to take your rights,”
said Kiir according to Dirdeiry.

“So Salva Kiir should not be bothered if the Misseriya take his advice and took up arms,” he commented.

In statements to Sudan Tribune last month, Sami Bushara, the Abyei border demarcation technical team leader, denied charges made against him by the SPLM team of hindering the work of the committee saying these allegations “do not hold substantial grounds”.

Bushra said he worked in collaboration with local authorities and chiefs and encourage them to support the implementation of process of the border demarcation.

However, Bushara acknowledged that his team was facing logistical problems, security, housing and budget problems, adding he was working with the presidency to resolving it.

“Instead of blaming each other, we should be working together as a team not individuals or parties, because we are technical team assigned to do technical work,” he stressed.

Some Misseriya leaders in Southern Kordofan town of Muglad, as Mr. Hassan Musa, one of the longest serving traditional Messeriya leaders, reject any border demarcation between them and Dinka Ngok.

(ST)