North Sudan troops start withdrawal from oil areas
January 7, 2008 (KHARTOUM) – Northern Sudan army has begun pulling out from the oil areas in southern Sudan after several delay triggering tension between the two peace partners, while Sudanese presidency directed to provide the necessary funds to implement joint units deployment.
“There is gradual movement. On the 9th there will be no SAF (Sudan Armed Forces) forces in Unity State, in the oilfields, or in Upper Nile State. They are now moving,” said from Juba Major General Biar Ajang of the former rebel southern Sudan People’s Liberation Army.
Southern army officials found barracks that had housed SAF troops in oil-rich northern Upper Nile State empty on Monday morning, a Joint Defence Board member said.
Also in Khartoum, the Joint defence Board (JDB) chairman Gen. Oyay Deng Ajak and his deputy Gen. Haj Ahmed al-Gaili briefed the Sudanese presidency about the plan adopted in its meeting on January 5, to deploy the Joints Integrated Units (JIUs) in the inner circle of oil production areas.
During the meeting, the Sudanese presidency Ministry of Finance to provide the required budgets for the redeployment of troops and building and integrating the joint units at all the specified areas in the north and the south and their training.
JDB spokesperson, Maj-Gen Abdelrahman Mohamed Zayn, said last week that there are some financial shortages facing redeployment of troops from Western Equatoria and Bahr el-Gazal. He added the JDB will submit a request to the concerned authorities to obtain the necessary funds.
Northern troops were originally supposed to leave the region by July 9 and hand control of its oilfields to joint patrols under a north-south peace deal that ended more than 20 years of war in 2005 and devolved power to the south.
Their continuing presence triggered an October the withdrawal of the SPLM ministers from Sudan’s coalition government. The two sides then set a new Dec. 31 deadline for the troop withdrawal that was also missed.
Ajang said that on Jan. 9 — also the third anniversary of the north-south peace deal — the SAF would officially hand over Unity State to special units of southern and northern soldiers that are to patrol the oilfields under the peace deal.
Southern officials earlier put the number of northern troops in Unity as high as 15,000. Kiir had put the number of northern troops still in the south late last year at 17,000 but northern officials said there remained only 3,600.
Remnants of southern forces in two transitional states above the north-south border, South Kordofan and Blue Nile, have also moved south, except 120 soldiers guarding tanks in Blue Nile, Ajang said.
“This is in the knowledge of SAF. They know they cannot be left alone,” said Ajang, who added that the tanks needed maintenance. “(The rest) have moved already, redeployed south.”
State Minister at the Sudanese presidency Idris Mohamed Abdelgadir said the meeting directed the governors of Blue Nile and South Kordufan States to control the organs of rule and administration and provide services to all areas in the southern parts of the two states from which the SPLA would be redeployed to the south.
He added that the report of the Joint Defence Board included the achievements of the joint north and south Sudan armies, which supervises deployment, formation, building and command of the Joint Integrated Units.
(ST)
Some information for this report provided by Reuters.
John Amule de Lokolong
North Sudan troops start withdrawal from oil areas
yes let northern troops move to north rather then being in south and taking control of Abeyi on the southern boarder,but Goss should make sure that those 17,000 troops were all withdrawal as well they pretend to deny that there are 3,600 only,its not true i beleive but the reality comes from Goss to work hand in hands to ensure that any single piece of them is not longer in any part of South.
Emilio Mongu
North Sudan troops start withdrawal from oil areas
Let us see and watch until they crossed the ill-defined border before we cease charpening spears. Jan. 9 is only hours away from now and we hope not to hear some where is pre-defined by North to be the North-South border.
If all work well, then the next battle will be the exact defination of the 1956’s borders. From this angle, the ethnic community along the defined border should work hard and be assisted with neccessary information so that none of the Southern soil could go away. My fear is the nature of the ethnic community along the line might not pay much attention on this matter because of their nomadic economic activities.
Samson Liberty
North Sudan troops start withdrawal from oil areas
That tremendeous move came as result of pressure,otherwise it would have not happened as stipulated in the peace deal.In the security arrangement protocol,Sudan Armed Forces (SAF)located North and the Suadn People’s Liberation Army (SPLA)to the South according to the 1.1.1956,border line.Again the 24 thousands Joint Intergrated Units (JIUs)to be deployed North and South respectively.The JDB must rectify to see that no left overs form both sides reduces or adds to the already planned 24 thousands.To keep accurate statistics those JIUs ready to be deployed to take over the SAF withdrawal from the rich oil fields must come from the 24 fixed,otherwise by chance the 24 might be multiplied by 2,then at the end of the day the football game will end up irrational.
kur
North Sudan troops start withdrawal from oil areas
It is good to see the strategies of CPA being implemented, but remember their is one quire thing about the movement of SAF soldiers why are the moved out without knowledge from SPLA? and only to get the baracks empty, what does it implies? anyway last wait and see what is behind the giving in after failure from two datelines.
I think Guys from Abyei will consolidate behind our struggle for “ours to be ours” never surrender.
God bless SOUTHERN SUDAN !!!!!!!!!!
James James
North Sudan troops start withdrawal from oil areas
Well and good, I think that is the best choice from heaven to earth for those red teeth hyenas so called arabs to choose, because we southerners have strongly rejected the previous arab bowlings, being played against us centuries ago, now this is the time to point at a right target.
However, my heartly request for all our illegal aliens (Arabs)in Sudan,is to continue their journey all the way to Saudi Arabia on time.
And I thank you for doing so without waiting forceful action being taken against you.
God bless.
Manyang
North Sudan troops start withdrawal from oil areas
Let us wait and see my dear comrades
The recent move by the Sudanese Arm Forces to start withdrawing from their oppressive positions in the South is worth considering.
I urge my fellow marginalized people of the sudan not to be too optimistic about the recent move. “It doesn’t matter how many times a snake shed its cover its remain a snake”. Remember NCP was suppose to withdraw its oppressive forces by July the 9th according to the CPA but it failed to do so. After July 9 deadline, many deadlines were agreed including 31 December last year but NCP defied all those deadlines.
It is not the withdrawing of oppressers troops from the south that should be considered as the only step towards implementing security arrangement but NCP must stop financing its proxy militias in the south.
GOSS must keep in mind that NCP has the ability to withdraw its forces during the day and return the same number of troops withdrawn during the night. GOSS must remember the southern allied militias of the NCP are the real threat to our future prosperity. NCP is working hard to continue to maintain its relations with militias in the south.
It is a matter of time and the marginalized people of the Sudan will express their will about their future in 2009. The days of dictatorial regimes and clique of the fews are numbered. The government of fews is trying hard to abrogate the CPA but the sudanese people will not allow them.
By Manyang P Deng
can be reach at “[email protected]”
James James
North Sudan troops start withdrawal from oil areas
Mr. Aleng Maguet:
I didn’t join this wonderful website here to orchestrate wars between Murle and their long time friends and neighbours of Bor, I am not Bor hater either, in addition, the tiny thing that had tried to derail me from rich attractive contributions here, came from some of the disturbing comments uttered by some Bor boys whom I think are still trying to join political internship here in this web, because the languages they used were completely very tribalistic and so unbearable to everyone with human brain. However, I tried to convine them to turn away from those negative compaign trails against Murle and restart building ourselves as brothers and sisters all these in love and peace, but people like Ator Liber turn blind eye on this.
secondly, I am patrotic liberator with remarkable standing records and I shouldn’t allow myself to be slowed by tribalism that easily despite all those years of struggle in the bushe, for the sole purpose of earning peace and properity for all our marginalised people regardless of tribal lines.
So please Mr. Maguet, let stop all those harsh baseless comments against each other’s communities because such fishy stuff may send most of us to guise our true colors and show unbelievable outcomes. Telling truth heal the wound, but lies deteriorate it, I hope that works for all.
Regarding Arab who falsly term themselves as Sudanese and without shame, had made many attempts to push as away from our ancsetral lands, the message for them is very clear, they really need to organize for huge exodus back to their Arab world, because we are not anymore going to host a visitors who don’t recognize the warm welcome we offered them decades ago, instead they secretly intend to reduced us into nothing but ashes.
In fact, I know they are born in Sudan but they are not Sudanese since non of us has not awarded them a citizen in Sudan, we didn’t do it and our ancesters did’t do it. Child can be born in neighbours’ house and I don’t think he/she may claim some family rights from there, the same is applied to those arabs in Sudan.
So they really need to have safe journey back home.
God bless.