SPLM denies using youth to expel Abyei deputy chief administrator
September 27, 2010 (JUBA) – The leadership of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) in the oil contested town of Abyei on Monday broke their silence by publicly denying using youth to expel the deputy chief administrator from the area.
On Thursday 23, a group of 15 youth, in collaboration with some local civil society organizations in Abyei town, gave deputy chief administrator, Ramah Abd-al-Rahman Al-Nur, an emotional note, asking him to leave the area within 72 hours, short of that, his security would not be granted in the area.
The youth accused deputy administrator of being behind attacks on Maker and Tajalei in the area in May 2010. They also accused him of instigating some members of the Messeriya tribe to continue settling in areas demarcated by Permanent Court of Arbitration.
Chol Deng, a one of the youth who spoke to Sudan Tribune from Abyei, raised accusatory fingers to deputy chief administrator and said that they have enough evidences to support their case. “We have more than enough evidence to support why we are accusing Ramah. We have brought this evidence to the attention of the administration of the area more than once and leaderships of the two partners,” explained Deng.
“As I am talking you, I have full information of daily activities of this deputy chief administrator. There are already 3,000 able-bodied and armed men deployed at the vicinity of Difra, with plans to sabotage conduct of referendum in the area,” he added.
Kuol, while dissociating participation of the dominant party in affairs of the area earlier, explained that Ramah is a member of ruling national congress party and “the National Congress Party is our partner in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement”.
The CPA was signed in 2005 and ended over two decades of civil war between north and south Sudan. A stipulation of the agreement was that the southern Sudanese would be able to vote on secession in January, 2011. Preparations, such as border demarcation, are woefully behind schedule as the plebiscite date looms.
“He did not come as individual. If the SPLM leadership has administrative issues with him, we will bring it to the attention of National Congress Party leadership to take the alternative decision instead of using other people. We are able of bring up any substantial issues to the leaderships of the two parties. This is because he came through understanding between the two partners and if there is a need, he, among other members will leave following another similar understanding between the two peace partners,” he explained.
Kuol assured Ramah of his full security, “Nothing can happen to him. He remains deputy chief administrator with full constitutional privileges, including protection. He is moving freely now in the area discharging his duties. I saw him this morning and also on Saturday with the chief administrator attending a ministerial visit by an oil minister, Lual Achuek, at Heglig, Difra and other oil fields. He is freely moving and working in a work-conducive environment,” he said.
While attempts to reach Ramah Abd-al-Rahman Al-Nur, were unsuccessful, Kabashi Tom, a member of Messeriya tribe in Abyei legislative council, in Khartoum told Sudan Tribune that he knew of the letter.
“I heard on Thursday 23 that some youth who returned after participating in a demonstration from United Nations office in Abyei, where they presented a letter containing their grievances went and gave another letter to the office of Deputy chief administrator in reference to Ramah, giving him 72 hours to leave the area,” said Tom.
“This letter was also published in most daily newspapers here on Friday. When I learned it, I called to tell him not to take it seriously because these youth were returning from demonstration. They did it out of anger,” said Tom who also narrated how he used to let go similar approaches. “I have lived in Abyei since born and that I know how some people in the area react to issues. I tell you there are people who react angrily just to hearsay and speculations in the area,” he explained.
Relations between the two neighbors, who have fought over territorial control since the area was administratively transferred to Kordofan in 1905 by late Paramount Chief of Abyei, Deng Kuol, have been tense.
The region which is predominantly pro-Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) which has long accused the northern ruling party of backing militants fighting police forces in the recent attacks in the border areas.
(ST)