Sudan’s former foes engaged in military build-up over Abyei – UN
June 4, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — A United Nations official warned that former Sudanese foes are engaged in military build up in the central Sudan disputed area of Abyei.
Richard Williamson ended yesterday talks to normalise bilateral relations with the Sudanese government accusing both parties of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement are not serious about peace.
“Until they want a meaningful peace, there is nothing the United States or others can do. I’ve tried my best and I leave sad and disappointed,” he said.
UN regional co-ordinator for South Sudan David Gressley told the BBC that the troop buildup in the area could unravel the CPA three years after its signing. “There’s a gradual escalation of forces on all sides at this point in time”. The country is “on the brink” of a civil war he added.
Sudanese foreign minister Deng Alors, who is also a member of NCP-SPLM committee working on the issue, confirmed the troops strength following a meeting with the visiting UN Security delegation.
“There is tension in the area, there is build-up on both sides,” he said. “We are working as parties, the National Congress and the SPLM, to defuse the situation and I think we will be able to do that.” Alor said.
The tension escalated between the two parties following heaving between the northern and southern Sudanese armies two week ago followed by withdrawal of the SPLA from the area and the displacement of around 90.000 civil from the area.
According to the Abyei Protocol, the disputed area has to be administered by a special executive body and the two parties have to redeploy their troops out of the district. But Khartoum rejected the conclusion of a report by international expert to define the border of the area and the protocol remains unimplemented.
On May 26, Pagan Amum the SPLM Secretary General accused Khartoum of committing “ethnic cleansing” adding that “the two parties are on the verge of a civil war.” He further demanded to demilitarise the area and to implement the Abyei protocol if Khartoum wants to avoid war.
Following the deadlock over the implementation of Abyei Protocol, the SLPA deployed its units in Eastern Sudan troops to the area while SAF deployed troops withdrawn from southern Sudan.
The parties also denied the UNMIS troops to deploy its peacekeeper in the contested area.
Abyei, claimed by north and south, has always been described as potential flashpoint that could wreck the fragile peace deal signed in 2005 to end a two-decade of war between the north and the south.
A return to the war could plunge all of Sudan into chaos and exacerbate the separate conflict in the western Darfur region which has claimed more than 300,000 lives since 2003.
(ST)