The Abyei time bomb started emitting warning signals

By Roba Gibia

November 18, 2007 — The recent visit of Salva Kiir Mayardit, First Vice President and President of GoSS to the United States of America has angered not only radical Islamic extremists in Sudan but also in some Arab extremists, whom wished always to see that south remains consistently under the enchain and domination of Khartoum without any kind of liberty. And that was evident in the article published in Akhbar El Yom November 17, 2007 titled ‘Salva Kiir at Embrace of White House’ by Hazem Mustafa in which he wrote “One should be absolutely wrong if he/she thinks that FVP Salva Kiir Mayardit wants to work within the united Sudan in order to dissolve the previous conflicts between north and south. But a close observer to Kiir’s policy since when he was second man in SPLM after late Dr. John Garang or his current policies after he became the first man, will recognize that he is driving to the secession of south and he is more fundamentalist than John Garang”. This writer’s mentality is not very far from NCP hardliners whom are ruling Sudan with ironic hand and do not want even to give breathing space to Sudanese and especially Southerners. Outrageously enough the writer is talking in the same tongue of ruling party in Sudan, that is whenever a northerner talks and spearheads separation of south he is not separatist but genuine, and whenever a Southerner express his view of separation he is labeled separatist! South Sudanese and marginalized people in Sudan have been suffering in absolute silence for more than half century, and have made lots of consensus and yet they are still been pronounced guilty and faulted for the Sudan’s predicament. The National Congress Party (NCP) has been since driving to the disintegration of Sudan into small units and not just south, but there was not single Arab voice heard condemning President Bashir’s policy, is it because Arab policy in Sudan being implemented through Bashir! South Sudanese find it very hard and almost impossible to live with north in harmony, because south was never considered at one time part of Sudan, and why then to force Southerners to live with people to not accept them (Southerners) and why not to depart amicably. Is it because of south Sudan’s wealth that is why it is not permitted to secede, and if south were not to have this plenty resources, will Khartoum still insist to enslave and occupy south!

FVP Salva Kiir Mayardit’s visit to the United States of America was not illegal but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was informed about the visit since October 8, 2007 in diplomatic note and the invitation of US Secretary of State. President Bashir was aware but he intentionally denied the knowledge of his First Vice President’s visit to states because of the current political row between the two partners, and wanted to tarnish the image and credibility of the President of GoSS with pretext that south is behaving like independent country within the country. This is ludicrous and it was merely distortion of the facts from the public opinion and hanging Sudan’s problems on outsiders, and I wished if NCP could only desist from its satanic doctrine and false propaganda. Salva Kiir’s speeches in America was in place and stated exactly what is taking place in Sudan, dilemma and the fragile partnership, lack of confidence and trust between the two partners and it is the fact which no one will deny, unless those who are trying to turn blind eyes to the veracity of NCP and the lack of implementation of Naivash peace provisions and particularly Abyei protocol.

On the other hand the writer quoted the accusation of NCP to Salva Kiir that Kiir is retarding peace implementation which was prepared in September under the title “Status of Naiavasha peace implementation” which falsely accused SPLM of deploying forces between the south-north borders and of buying arms including heavy weapons and that GoSS allocated 40% of its budget to what is called SPLA, and went on saying that the SPLA occupied airports in south Sudan and disrupted the work of the co-commissions in performing their duties, and in collecting taxes and customs duty and forceful eviction of federal officials from custom points and attacks on federal police in south Sudan. In my view, GoSS has got right even to allocate 80% of its budget to SPLA because it is south Sudan’s internal affairs and doesn’t require consent of any country. The accusation against SPLA of attacking federal police in south and forceful eviction, is utterly false information and baseless, and it would be preferable for the writer who do not have reliable sources of information not to pullout the atmosphere and continue faulting SPLM unilaterally and with absolute prejudice.

The writer continued describing Salva Kiir by saying that it is not strange for Salva Kiir to be at the embrace of white house, because if one was following the conflict in south Sudan will realize that Kiir always prefers military solution for civil war in Sudan with ultimate goal for south secession from north instead of negotiation with Khartoum which he never participated except once in 2002. And when Dr. John Garang showed flexibility towards peace, Kiir differed with Garang and according to the writer Kiir wanted to isolate John Garang but Garang exhausted and contained Kiir’s plan! This is absolutely baseless and the writer is just reciting what had been speculated by the NCP prior signing Naivasha agreement and its failure in splitting and weakening the SPLM. On the other hand the writer has got little information as how Naivasha peace agreement came about, and who was the first man to ink first Naivasha protocol, which was the corner stone in the entire peace negotiation process. It was Salva Kiir Mayardit who inked that fundamental and historic protocol and, how it comes that he was against the peaceful settlement of the south-north conflict, and if that was the stand of Salva Kiir why he appended his signature on protocol which paved the way for the peace negotiation! The entire Arab countries are backing Khartoum in its war against south, and whenever President Bashir visits Arab countries it was considered genuine and it was never described that Bashir at the embrace of Arab palaces. The problems in Sudan is being attributed to the big Arab countries’ monster, America, and saying that America wants to disintegrate Sudan and to control its wealth, while it is the Arab countries destabilizing Sudan and are working hard to disintegrate Sudan by siding with Khartoum against the other marginalized people in Sudan. I believe each country in this world is pursuing its own interest, and if south’s interest lies with devil, then it is south’s legal right to embrace and enter into relationship with that devil.

After visiting, seeking and mobilizing Arab supports against south and accusing SPLM of jeopardizing the frail agreement, President Bashir has reverted back to the previous strategy of fighting war in various parts of Sudan and especially in south Sudan by declaring official reopening of Popular Defence Forces (PDF) and gather the Holy warriors as first step to launch the war against south or as what he termed to defend the religion, but to defend religion from whom! Previously most of the Holy warriors are foreigners but from within, the youths were forcefully recruited against their wish, and were misled by religious slogan. Thus, from where will the current PDF mobilization get its support, from those whom their hearts have hardened like southern militias and those who are sacking south’s blood, and have the southern militias forgotten that they are black Africans! Thus, in general those who will recruit at the current camps of PDF will be only from NCP and National Islamic Front and Muslim countries, but at the end of the day, prevalent and victory will be for those who have got righteousness and not wicked.

All in all the NCP is trying to show its muscles and pushing hard on SPLM to get out of its endurance, but I believe SPLM under the leadership of Salva Kiir Mayardit will always try to apply diplomacy and respect the agreement, and will never be the first side to declare war or unilateral independence of south. Because in my view this is what NCP is dragging foot of south to do, to display to the world that SPLM is the partner which discarded agreement and not NCP. But SPLM shouldn’t be dormant and act like spectator but has to be cautious and start mobilizing its forces and be prepared to face Khartoum if worse comes. Because the Abyei time bomb started emitting warning signals and no one knows as when it will explode, and SPLM shouldn’t wither before the threat of President Bashir. Abyei is south Sudan’s land and it will remain forever south’s land and not according to 1905 border as underlined by President Bashir but 1956 border. South has been in war with Khartoum for more than fifty-two years and she is ready to sacrifice indefinitely till when she gets its total liberty from the Khartoum Arab domination.

The author is a Sudan Tribune journalist. He can be reached at
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