Sudan’s Al-Bashir is killing CPA one article at a time
By Sabrino Majok Majok*
April 29, 2007 — So far Omar Hassan Al Bashir, leader of NCP/NIF and sitting president of Government of National Unity, has already committed numerous, flagrant violations vis-à-vis comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) including, but not limited to, ABC, oil, administration of capital, OAGs, media censorship, human rights, demostic and foreign policies.
To add insult to injury, he is now poised to violate yet another important chapter on security arrangement, come July 9, 2007.
Except for those deployed in Joint Integrated Units (JIUs), CPA requires SAF to redeploy completely north of South-North border of 1956 by July 9 this year, per the following schedule: 17% by July 9, 2005; 14% January 9, 2006; 19% by July 9, 2006; 22% by January 9, 2007; and remaining 28% by July 9, 2007.
Contrary to the above provisions, Al Bashir has been deploying new SAF forces in South Sudan especially the oil-rich areas of Unity State and Abyei as if NCP is not a signatory to CPA. This illegal deployment south-ward, coupled with lack of withdrawal to the North of those deployed in South Sudan, is most likely to culminate in a serious violation of security arrangement in the backdrop of repeated appeal for implementation of CPA in the letter and spirit.
As July 9, a date set for SAF complete withdrawal from the South, is fast approaching, Al Bashir must be told in unambiguous terms that patience of people of South Sudan is running out. He must know, too, that violating this vital article of CPA will be a last straw and so it won’t be a business as usual in Khartoum, for the marginalized peoples cannot and will not afford to watch, in silence, while CPA is being killed one article at a time.
*Sabrino Majok Majok is a Sudan Tribune’s regular contributor. Reach him via [email protected]