Abyei chief administrator pledges to support border technical demarcation team

By Ngor Arol Garang

September 10, 2009 (ABYEI) –The Abyei chief Administrator, Brigadier General, Arop Mayak Montoc, today pledged his support to border technical demarcation team currently in the area.

The arbitration tribunal on July 22 said that the Abyei Boundary Commission Experts had exceeded their mandate when they included Heglig and Bamboo oilfields in the territory of the nine Dinka Ngok chiefdoms transferred to Kordofan in 1905 and annexed the oil rich area to southern Kordofan state.

The two peace partner accepted the ruling and committed themselves to draw the border of the area in September under supervision of international experts.

Addressing a meeting attended by members of United Nations mission in Sudan (UNMIS) upon arrival of the border technical team accompanied by both foreign and national journalists, he said his administration will whole heartedly extend them any necessary support the team may need for their work.

He also said glad to see journalists part of the team but warned them not to report conflicting stories saying the area remains fragile to renewal of clash which unprofessional reporting may cause.

“When you go out on your own without being accompanied by our reporters, please be carefully and selective with your interviews, because some of your interviews may spark violence particularly interviews with local people who are neither chiefs nor youth leaders,” he advised.

He also said some of our people in both communities expressed their dissatisfaction with the ruling, “so be careful when conducting an interview such people.”

Asked why giving such restrictive advice to the accompanying media while the ruling was widely accepted by the two parties, he said, as it is in favor of neither side, the would be affected communities will by all means react to the conduct of the exercise.

“Therefore it is always important to be alert than to pop into something unknowingly,” he adds.

Arop also called on traditional leaders, youth and women to support the team.

The border technical demarcation team is represented by three from ruling national congress party, three from SPLM, two from international communities and four invited independent journalists.

(ST)