Sudan warns countries on voicing support for independence of the South
June 14, 2010 (WASHINGTON) — The Sudanese government today blasted what it described as implicit support by some Western countries to a choice by South Sudanese for independence in the 2011 self-determination referendum as stipulated by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed more than five years ago.
Today the UN Security Council (UNSC) listened to a briefing by the head of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) whose main mandate is to assist the parties in implementation of the CPA.
“Sudan needs to be encouraged and assisted to expand the democratic space opened by the recent elections and establish a broad-based system of national governance that leads to a more equitable society and durable peace,” UNMIS chief Haile Menkerios told the UNSC.
“The international community must not only encourage and urge the parties to stay the course to ensure the timely conclusion of the CPA [Comprehensive Peace Agreement] implementation and continue peace and mutual benefit, but also to assist,” he added.
Sudan’s oil-producing south secured its own semi-autonomous government, and the referendum on whether it should split off as a separate country, in a 2005 peace deal that ended more than two decades of civil war with the north. It is widely agreed that Southerners will choose to secede from the north.
Many contentious post-referendum issues remain pending including demarcation of borders, national debt, oil, water and nationality. Analysts and diplomats alike have warned that time is running out to resolve those items pointing to the possibility of a new war between North and the South if details are not ironed out.
Menkerios cautioned that with the UN is ready to extend technical and logistical support to the local referendum bodies, “parties need to be encourages, indeed urged, to push on with the necessary preparations without further delay.”
The council also called for “timely preparations” for a referendum next January in Sudan’s oil-producing south on whether the currently semi-autonomous region should become fully independent, after several speakers said time was short.
Menkerios said “widespread concerns exist about the tight timeframe for the preparation and conduct” of the poll. “There is no more time to lose,” he added, saying the deadline was “possible, albeit challenging.”
“In interactions with the leaders of the two parties [NCP & SPLM], we have advised that separation should not be considered a divorce, and that in the case of a vote for separation, maintaining close linkages between the South and the North is in the interest of both,” he added.
The United Kingdom Ambassador Lyall Grant said the coming months would represent a “defining moment” both for Sudan and for the Security Council.
“With over 30,000 peacekeepers on the ground” throughout the country, Grant said the Council “has more invested in Sudan than in any other agenda item.”
“There is no greater challenge facing the Security Council over the next 12 months than supporting the parties in securing peace and prosperity for the people of Sudan,” he said and stressed that “much greater sense of urgency” was needed to prepare for the referendum.
But the Sudanese ambassador to the U.N. Abdel-Mahmood Abdel-Haleem, speaking to reporters afterwards, charged that the United States and other countries were “sending signals determining the outcome of the referendum” and called on them to stop.
He apparently meant they were implying the South Sudanese would back independence.
A meeting that took place between South Sudan president Salva Kiir and U.S. Vice president Joe Biden in Nairobi last week stoked fears with the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) that Washington is promoting separation between North and South Sudan.
The NCP says that the SPLM and U.S. are violating the CPA clause which states that unity should be the favorable option encouraged by all parties.
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maumau
Sudan warns countries on voicing support for independence of the South
Khartoum must stop blaming foreign governments for encouraging separation, it planted it by marginalising other parts of the country. We know what we are doing even without the support from our friendly countries. Separation is key here. MAUMAU
Akuma
Sudan warns countries on voicing support for independence of the South
All are rubbage, there is no country that can influence other to do what is not good for themselves. If Sudan government that Southerners has no right to choose what can make them to be independent, it will not be western countries who influence South Sudan to avoid their referendum.
All Arabs countries are having negative attitude towards western countries but to assure you dear readers, they are bullshits. What we can decide as Southerners can make Sudan to bbe hated by the west.
Indictment of Al-Bashir can not prevent Southern Sudan indepndent otherwise Southern referendum was predict by the decease. So stop more complain over our Referendum. We are people who have mind fr thinking.
Without referendum. there will be another outbreak of war/civil war but it will be fire as you witness since many Southerners have occupied several towns in Sudan rather than the past time.
Dr. Akuma
USA
Abraham Chol Marial
Sudan warns countries on voicing support for independence of the South
Dear Sudan Government,
Avoid pointing your fingers on foreign powers and the GOSS president,you have planted the seeds for seperation and now they are ready to be harvested by we Southerners to choose our lasting freedom for the next generation,we the current generation have been on the life and death living and therefore the same event should not be a disease to the next generations.
May God Bless Republic of Southern Sudan.
Long live Southerners souls,
Long live South Sudan Independence.
Gatluak Latjor
Sudan warns countries on voicing support for independence of the South
The funny thing is that the cunning south will vote or declare it. However, the results of referendum are clear from now because every southern sudanese when voting will revise his/her memory on what happened to southerners in 1940S, 1950s’ 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s in the hands of khartoum regims. Buying the votes for unity will do nothting because all southerners will be giuded by the memory of these dates and their souls and it is true that 99% of southern sudanese are greately affected by these dates. So if there is a country supporting the choice of this people( Southern Sudan ) it is suporting a choice of long-suffered people. And such a country is doing it from its good soul.
Gatluak Latjor
Sudan warns countries on voicing support for independence of the South
The funny thing is that the cunning south will vote or declare it. However, the results of referendum are clear from now because every southern sudanese when voting will revise his/her memory on what happened to southerners in 1940S, 1950s’ 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s in the hands of khartoum regims. Buying the votes for unity will do nothting because all southerners will be giuded by the memory of these dates and their souls and it is true that 99% of southern sudanese are greately affected by these dates. So if there is a country supporting the choice of this people( Southern Sudan ) it is suporting a choice of long-suffered people. And such a country is doing it from its good soul.
Young Nation
Sudan warns countries on voicing support for independence of the South
The making of Sudan’s Unity attractive has become a joke in the Sudanese politics. I challenge mr. Haleem, NCP’s ambassador to UN and his bosses in Khartoum to tell the Sudanese people, the Africa as a continent and the international community as a whole how Sudan’s Unity should be made attractive within the next six months before Southerners participate in a referendum.
It is crucial to state that the Unity of Sudan has become a relic of the past at least in the Sudanese politics. The union of Sudan can not and will not occure since the issue of Sharia and other sophisticated issues in the Sudan political realm remain unresolved. The unity of Sudan of Sudan can not happen if inequality in the allocation of ministerials as revealed in the recent formation of the Unity Government is not balance. The Northern Sudanese (Halfawians, Shaigians, Jaalians and others in extreme North) must really understand that South Sudan is going to be independent state in 2011 by means of diplomacy or arm struggle.
God Bless the Land of Cush
Young Nation is a student of International Relations/Political Science at the University of Queensland, Australia