Sudan’s NCP urges SPLM to commits its self to peace deal and Abyei ruling
July 29, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudan dominant National Congress Party lashed out today at remarks by Sudan People’s Liberation Movement officials who said only Dika Ngok would vote in 2010 referendum and Heglig oil fields are part of Unity State.
The Abyei Arbitration Tribunal (AAT) on July 22 redefined Abyei boundary and awarded North Sudan the Heglig and Bamboo oilfields placing them in the Southern Kordofan state.
SPLM leading officials as Dr. Riek Machar, Mr. Deng Alor, or Dr. Luka Biong said they would contest through the north south border committee the attribution of Heglig to South Kordofan because it is part of Unity state. They further said only the nine Ngok-Dinka chiefdoms will vote in Abyei referendum.
NCP Secretary for political relations Mohamed Mandour Al-Mahdi told the pro-government SMC on Wednesday that such remarks violate clearly the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and Abyei Protocol particularly. He added they arouse sedition and discord among the people of the Abyei area.
Mandour pointed out that Abyei Protocol provides in article (6) “The residents of Abyei Area shall be the Members of Ngok Dinka community and other Sudanese residing in the area;” adding that Abyei Referendum Commission (ARC) is entitled to work out the criteria of residence in the area.
He further stressed that in accordance with Abyei Protocol, the ARC will be established by the Sudanese presidency to conduct Abyei referendum simultaneously with southern Sudan referendum.
The NCP official further underlined that the Abyei residents would caste a separate ballot, irrespective of the result of the southern Sudan referendum, on whither to retain a special administrative status in the north, or to be part of Bahr El-Ghazal.
“These constitutional provisions resolve clearly who has the right to vote in Abyei referendum,” said Mandour, adding only the ARC would determine that, and nobody else.
On the issue of Heglig, Mandou said the SPLM had announced publicly its acceptance of the Abyei Boundary Commission which placed the Heglig in Abyei area and now the AAT resolved the dispute by including it in the border of southern Kordofan.
He further wondered why the SPLM is saying the arbitration award that the Heglig is part of Unity State.
Mandour concluded his statements by calling on the SPLM to abide by the AAT award and to commit itself to Abyei Protocol.
In a press conference held on Monday after his return from The Hague, Machar said that the member of Abyei Boundary Commission (ABC) included Heglig as part of Abyei in their report which was initially rejected by the NCP in the Presidency in July 2005.
He said for the sake of unity within the SPLM organization and among the people of Southern Sudan, the SPLM thought that the time was not appropriate to contest the ownership of Heglig area between Unity state and Abyei at the time.
The SPLM Deputy Chairperson said the party wanted to first settle the issue of Abyei boundaries after which they could resolve the North-South borders that would also settle any dispute over the Heglig oilfields.
(ST)