Khartoum redeploys 66% of it troops from South Sudan
July 8, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese armed forces have withdrawn 66% of its troops from southern Sudan, while the SPLM contests the demobilization of other nine thousand of pro-Sudanese army militias.
In a press statement on the status of redeployment of Sudanese army and SPLM troops, the Ceasefire Joint Monitoring Committee (CJMC), announced today that Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) have redeployed a total of 30.837 troops North of line 1-1-56.
The deployed troops represent 66.5% of the 46.403 initially stated figure.
The CJMC statement said that the SPLM contests the status of further 8919 men “voluntarily demobilized” by SAF. The disagreement is submitted to the Ceasefire Political Commission (CPC). The Sudanese army has to present their detailed nominal rolls by 23rd July 2007.
On June 23, the SAF said it has absorbed 680 of the officers, non-commissioned officers and men from the Other Armed Groups (OAGs). It also said that 574 OAGs are absorbed in the police, while 2132 men have been demobilized. It was also said that a considerable number of the OAGs were absorbed in the civil service.
The Sudan Armed Forces spokesman, Osman al-Aghbash, said the Armed Forces will begin redeploying its final batch from the south to northern Sudan on July 9. Al-Aghbash told the Armed Forces newspaper that about 3 thousand troops will remain in the oil regions until the Joint Defense Council makes other arrangements.
The CJMC further said that the SPLM troops currently deployed in the southern Blue Nile and Nuba Mountains should be redeployed in southern Sudan as soon as the Joint Integrated Units (JIUs) are formed and deployed.
The JIUs “integrated training is yet to commence”, the CJMC said.
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Press statement by the ceasefire joint monitoring committee on the redeployment of forces north and south of line 1-1-56 on the 9th July 2007-07
1. We the Ceasefire Joint Monitoring Committee (CJMC) formed and tasked within the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed at Naivasha, Kenya on 31 December 2004 by the Government of Republic of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army, answerable to the Ceasefire Political Commission (CPC) on issues relating to the permanent ceasefire and details of the arrangements within the area covered under the CPA, report the status of redeployment as of 9th July 2007 as follows:
Status of redeployment of forces
2. a. SAF. A total of thirty thousand, eight hundred and thirty seven (30.837) SAF troops have been verified by UNMIS to have been redeployed North of line 1-1-56, representing 66.5% of the initial forty six thousand, four hundred and three (46.403) initially stated figure. In addition, the status of a further 8919 “voluntarily demobilized” SAF troops remains contested by SPLA. The matter has been referred to the CPC for decision. This would bring the overall percentage of SAF redeployment to 85.7%. The redeployment by SAF and verification by UNMIS is ongoing and figures should keep increasing as the programme progresses.
b. SPLA. As per the CPA, chapter VI Security arrangements, SPLA forces currently deployed in NUBA Mountains and Southern Blue Nile will be required to redeploy South of North/South as soon as the Joint Integrated Units are formed and deployed under International Monitoring and assistance. However, SPLA have indicated that they too wish to start their redeployment southward of line 1-1-56 as of 9th July 2007.
c. Joint Integrated Units (JIUs). As at 9th July 2007, thirty thousand, one hundred and fifty three (30.153) troops have been mobilized to their assembly area. This represents 77.2% out of the total of thirty nine thousand SAF and SPLA JIU troops authorized. However, the integrated training is yet to commence.
d. Other Armed Groups (OAGs). SPLA declares that all OAGs have now been integrated and complete nominal rolls have been given to CJMC. SAF also declares that they have integrated or disarmed all formerly aligned OAGs, however the same has been contested by SPLA. Accordingly, a sub committee of OAG CC was tasked to look into this subject and requested SAF to present their detailed nominal rolls by 23rd July 2007.
3. The CJMC is a well established committee under the CPA mechanism and has performed its tasks diligently, resolving many disputes between the parties. It has so far met fifty six (56) times in complete cooperation, transparency and harmony. It will continue to do so in order to contribute towards the full implementation of the CPA and the overall peace process in Sudan.