Sudan’s peace partners have yet to overcome differences
By James Gatdet Dak
November 26, 2009 (JUBA) – Sudan’s partners to the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended the 21 years of North-South war have yet to agree on contentious points in the implementation of the peace deal.
They are also racing with time to resolve the contentious 2008 census results, which the South rejected, and to repeal national security laws which are needed for the fair conduct of the upcoming April 2010 general elections.
The Government of Southern Sudan’s Vice President and Deputy Chairperson of the SPLM, Dr. Riek Machar Teny told the press that negotiations with the National Congress Party on the issues have remained contentious.
Machar who returned to Juba from Khartoum on Wednesday after ten days of negotiations in the national capital said there is however progress on the issues of popular consultations for both areas of Southern Blue Nile and Southern Kordufan.
He explained that the remaining contentious points in the bills for the two areas are about how to address any future disagreement between the two respective areas and the central government in Khartoum in case it happens over the outcome of the popular consultations.
He added there are proposals under consultations that would identify the body the appeal would be directed to by any party in case of any disagreement during the exercise.
Machar also said the issue of defining in the law who are the other residents or communities in Abyei that shall also vote in the referendum with the people of Ngok Dinka, as provided for by the CPA, remains contentious.
“According to the agreement, it is any member of Ngok Dinka community and/or other Sudanese communities. So we are trying to define who are these other Sudanese communities,” he said.
The CPA on Abyei Protocol which was signed on May 26, 2004, has generally defined Abyei inhabitants as “Members of Ngok Dinka community and other Sudanese residing in the area;” but added that “The criteria of residence shall be worked out by the Abyei Referendum Commission.”
On the issues of Southern Sudan referendum and contentious census results, Dr. Machar said the two parties would not declare their position until the other issues of Abyei and popular consultations are first resolved.
(ST)