Return to war in Sudan “doomsday scenario” warns Ethiopia’s Zenawi

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

November 24,2010 (ADDIS ABABA) – Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on Tuesday expressed grave concern on a possible return to North-South war in Sudan as the Africa’s largest nation nears a referendum on south Sudan’s secession.

The Ethiopian premier said the consequences if Sudan returns to war would be ‘ghastly’ not only to the country but also for the African continent as a whole and urges avoiding a ‘doomsday scenario’ for the east African nation.

“Like all doomsday scenarios (a return to war) is too ghastly to contemplate,” Meles, told Reuters in an interview.

He said an all-out war was ‘possible but not inevitable’.

“That is why we have to use everything in our capacity to stop it from happening because the alternative is massively destructive not only for Sudan or the Horn of Africa, but the continent as whole.”

There are growing fears that, if an independence vote is held on the disputed oil-producing Abyei region without a final and binding agreement between north and south, the country might return to civil war.

But there are pledges from both sides not to go to war should agreements proceed accordingly.

Meles believes that the Sudanese referendum case is more complex than the 1993 referendum Ethiopia had on Eritrea, a former province in northern Ethiopia.

“There isn’t as much trust between the two parties in the Sudan as there was between ourselves and the Eritrean movement,” he said. “It is likely to be more complex and more difficult.”

The Ethiopian leader, reaffirmed that his country will continue an its ties with both the north and south Sudan whether south Sudan remains in a united Sudan or secedes in the upcoming referendum scheduled for January next year.

“We have excellent relations with both sides now and there is no reason why we can’t maintain these relationships in the future so long, of course, as the doomsday scenario is prevented,” Meles said.

IGAD leaders on Tuesday wrapped-up their 16th Extraordinary Session in Addis Ababa, vowing to collectively work for a successful implementation of Sudanese Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in Sudan.

In a joint communiqué, the regional grouping has also reiterated to support the post-referendum outcome to secure lasting peace and democracy.

(ST)