Abyei is Sudanese territory and will remain so: president Bashir
March 12, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – During a visit to the West Kordofan state on Wednesday, Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir asserted that the contested Abyei area belongs to Sudan and will remain a Sudanese territory.
The candidate of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) promised the crowd, which is mobilised by the party and the state apparatuses from the different state towns, to complete the roads under construction to connect the West Kordofan outskirts from Al-Muglad to El Meiram, South Bahr Al-Arab until Southern remote areas of the state “because Abyei is Sudanese and will remain Sudanese,” he told the meeting.
He further vowed to build water reservoirs to retain water during the dry season, adding “Our programme with you will continue because you did a lot for the Ingaz (Revolution) and provided Mujahideen and martyrs”.
In line with the CPA, the residents of the disputed area have to hold a referendum to determine whether Abyei will remain part of the Sudan or join the South Sudan. But the two countries failed to agree on the participation of the Misseriya pastoralists who reside there several months every year.
Last week, it was announced that Bashir would visit Abyei however, he only met with a delegation from the area including representatives of Misseriya and Nogk Dinka loyal to Sudan.
The Sudanese co-chair of Abyei Joint Oversight Committee (AJOC), Hassan Ali Nimir, announced that candidates from different Sudanese political parties will run for the national parliament election in the districts located in the northern part of the disputed region.
South Sudan ambassador to the United Nations protested last month against this announcement, but the Sudanese envoy recalled that Abyei is a Sudanese territory until the run of the referendum, as it is agreed in the 2005 peace deal.
Bashir further urged the unity of different branches of Misseriya tribe and to stop the to fight each other saying he was saddened when he learnt that there were children a:ong the dead.
Last November 133 people were killed and hundreds injured, following renewed clashes between two of Misseriya branches ” Amran’s sons ” and “al-Zyoud” in a dispute over the ownership of land in West Kordofan.
“We want them (the children) for the future and whoever dies must have died in the defence of the country. I want you to commit yourself to not use the gun against each other but you should direct it to the enemies of Sudan and all your enemies.”
The incumbent president further criticised the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North and advised the Misseriya youth against joining the rebel group which he termed as “mercenaries” and called them to return home.
“We have one message to address from here in Al-Fula to the deceived youth who are still carrying arms. Look at the SPLM-programme of the New Sudan what it did in South Sudan”, he said adding “We do not want the destruction that happened there to move here.”
He pledged to clear Kordofan region from the rebellion, end the war and to develop it.
Al-Bashir is expected to continue his electoral campaign next week and visit further states including North Kordofan.
(ST)