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AU chief concerned about possible separatist tendencies in Sudan

January 29, 2010 (KHARTOUM) – The African Union (AU) Commission Chairman Jean Ping expressed concern that other parts of Sudan beside the South may seen a self determination vote in the future.

African Union (AU) Commission Chairman Jean Ping
African Union (AU) Commission Chairman Jean Ping
Ping made these remarks ahead of a crucial year ahead for the largest country in African where elections are scheduled for April and a referendum for the South in 2011.

“Is the war between north and south at risk of resuming despite what has been said?” Ping told Radio France International in an interview.

“Will the independence of Southern Sudan not lead other players in Darfur and in other places, which are currently not asking for independence, to seek independence as Southern Sudan will have done?” he added.

“We have a feeling that we are sitting on a powder keg,” Ping said.

The grim view is in line with worries of the regional powers with minorities in their own countries that may seek to replicate the Southern Sudanese experience and work for self determination.

Last month Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) led by Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur has reportedly called for the right of self determination for Darfuris though it was later denied by the SLM leader himself.

There was growing concern that the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) wants to block the right to referendum or place impediments for Southerners to get their independence but president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir said this month that he will be the first to recognize the new state if they were to favor secession.

The US this week suggested that the NCP is stepping up weapon flow to the south which fueled the intertribal conflict which killed 2,000 people last year – more than in Darfur’s low-level conflict. The Sudanese government vehemently denied the allegations.

Many post–referendum arrangements are still outstanding including border demarcation, asset and national debt split, water agreements among other things.

This month the Sudanese presidential adviser Ghazi Salah Al-Deen Al-Attabani said that the delay in addressing these issues is a ‘recipe for war’.

(ST)

23 Comments

  • Gatmi raan
    Gatmi raan

    AU chief concerned about possible separatist tendencies in Sudan
    To: Jean Ping (AU)

    Let say this: that any leader or commissioner in Africa or with in AU do have a right to express whatever he (She) wishes to say about the regional Security as whole. but you and anyone else for that matter have no right whatsoever to deny South Sudan their ineliable right to self determined their destiny as people on this continent period!!

    Reply
  • Gatmi raan
    Gatmi raan

    AU chief concerned about possible separatist tendencies in Sudan
    Dear : all Southerners

    This is the same predicament that Anya anya I and to some extend Anya II had to face from O.A.U. the predecessor of (AU). this has the biggest untold conspiracy of many African countries with the exception of Ethiopia & Congo at the time. and now we could still seeing today. but its different century and the cold war and the colonial mentality of the previous old leaders of Africa is dying fast. South Sudan independence is destined by God and anyone standing in the way will be crushed by force of our brave people and mostly of all by Nature period!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  • murlescrewed
    murlescrewed

    AU chief concerned about possible separatist tendencies in Sudan
    African Union is playing fire with the referendum in the South. Jean Ping does not know this but he is making AU look like a part of the Arab League. Unity in Sudan should be on voluntary basis. Jean Ping is putting suggestions into the heads of NCP so that they can abort referendum results and return the country to a far more precarious position than it is now in.

    Reply
  • pol d
    pol d

    AU chief concerned about possible separatist tendencies in Sudan
    Mr. Ping,
    People of SouthSudan are going to be independence sooner, and it’s none of your business.
    Where were AU during the long civil war, which losted millions of Southsudan life.
    Shame on you Jean Ping.

    Reply
  • jur_likang_a_ likan'g
    jur_likang_a_ likan'g

    AU chief concerned about possible separatist tendencies in Sudan
    After nearly five decades of rape, enslaving, maiming, opinion suppression, political oppression, cultural colonialism and wanton massacre of non-muslim, non-Arab Black Africans of South Sudan, there is nothing worse a patriotic South Sudanese want to hear about the unity of South Sudan and North Sudan. The Unity of the two entities has been based on lies, lipservice and exploitation of our natural resources and nothing else. Human and infrastructural development in South Sudan has been non-existent for entire life of Sudan. Our people resisted all the evils mentioned above and as a result the cost in terms of loss of lives was astronomical. Hundreds of thousands others fled for refugee elsewhere. Our mothers and children could see nothing from the sky above them except bombs from Arab Antenovs. Famine, Diseases and lack of Education was the order of the day.

    It is on this background that South Sudanese fought battles with North Sudanese to determine their destiny. It should be noted Darfur fought against South Sudan upto the CPA time for what Southerners stood for. On no single day have the people of Darfur stood for their own nationhood or claimed discrimination, under-development of Darfur. The people of Darfur have alot in common with all other Northerners. Together, they stood against us. Darfur should not be a hindrance to South Sudan referendum vote because our say deserves to be taken into account if a genuine unity of the nation is to be made.

    Sir Jean Ping is wrong to think that we should be under maltreatment eternally by asking dubious question about the unity of Sudan and most especially what Darfur people could do if South establishes a place called HOME if self-determination referendum on Independence and unity is carried out in South Sudan. Sir Ping should read the history of Sudan in order to make sober decisions on sensitive issues that affect our lives and lives of our children. Our recent history shows that North Sudan and South Sudan have been treated as separate entities by colonialists until Egyptians entered the game to change the fate of the region. Like South Rhodesia and North Rhodesia (Zambia), North Sudan and South Sudan were treated as two distinct entites by colonialists. Unfortanately through political manipulation of Egypt South Sudan missed the chance to be independent like South Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and North Rhodesia (Zambia). 2011 should the year to prove our stand on the status of South Sudan the matter of Independence without externat influence. Otherwise history might repeat itself. What our people are saying is crystal clear. On Darfur, It is the people of Darfur to decide what they want and not the job of Jean Ping to outline their interests. Ping should take note we have lost alot for the sake of the fatherland nothing except God can deter us from achieving our goal of being free like you and other people of this planet.

    Reply
  • Time1
    Time1

    AU chief concerned about possible separatist tendencies in Sudan
    Jean Ping

    Unfortunately this is the fate of Sudan, disintegration of the most likely option, considering the bad leaders, massive political differences from different regions, lack of unity, religious difference, tribal differences between Arabs and africans, power imbalances, marginalization,corruption and widespread hatred which cannot be overcome by anyone. Up to now there is no one capable of leading Sudan as a united country, but there are leaders from each region only favortuing their own regions wether from North Sudan, Darfur or South Sudan, so there is no unity in sight for Sudan, unity is not going to work in Sudan, some people might not admit this but this is what is waiting for Sudan in reality, After South separation if Darfur issue is not solved, there is going to be more separation.

    Reply
  • James Okuk Solomon
    James Okuk Solomon

    AU chief concerned about possible separatist tendencies in Sudan
    Let the African Union (AU) Commission Chairman, Mr. Jean Ping worry of something else but not the independence of South Sudan. The right to Self-determination for Southerners is already a reality that has been legalized and nobody is going to stop it even if the AU charter does not encourage creation of new indpendent states in Africa.

    Thus, Mr. Ping is just crying over a spilled milk in the sand. The only constructive thing he and his AU Commision could do is how to help South Sudan get a better leadership to prepare the people for Rock Independence rather than Banana Republic under Kiir’s bad rule.

    Reply
  • jalabi
    jalabi

    AU chief concerned about possible separatist tendencies in Sudan
    Mr. (AU) Commission Chairman Jean Ping,

    I understand your concern but don’t worry about the Sudan, in fact, Sudan will be strong country after we cut off the sick part (the south) from Sudan, we will be much stronger in terms of economy, political stability and strong army.

    If you really have concern that should be on south Sudan itself as it will go for tribalism war and separate to many countries because of Dinka corruption, dominant and selfishness!

    Jalabi (Abu Jalabia)

    Reply
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