United Democratic Party calls for Abyei referendum to be handed over to UN

By Ngor Arol Garang

October 22, 2010 (JUBA) – The United Democratic Party on Friday called on the dominant parties of north and south Sudan to hand over the running of the referendum on the future of the oil-rich region of Abyei to the United Nations.

Talks over future of Abyei collapsed earlier this month in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa.

The delegation representing the rival groups from the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement (SPLM) who govern the south and Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party (NCP) could not agree over composition of the commission to run the referendum and the definition of who is eligible to vote.

Simultaneous to the Abyei referendum south Sudan is due to hold its own self determination referendum.

It is widely expected that the south – also an oil producing region – will vote for independence in January’s vote.

Should Abyei vote to join a potentially newly independent south the Khartoum government of the NCP would lose control of a significant number of oil fields.

Speaking from Khartoum, Tong Lual Ayat, the leader of the United Democratic Party, told Sudan Tribune his party supports position of other southern political parties which call on parties to hand over Abyei referendum to the United Nations if they cannot reach a compromise.

“We in the United Democratic Party support position of all southern Sudanese political parties to hand over Abyei referendum to the United Nations because time is running [out] very fast.”

Ayat said this was needed as repeated discussions had so far failed to have a successful outcome.

“We are calling for handing over of Abyei to the United Nations because the two parties have held several discussions in the past on the future of the region but failed to reach any consensus. This is what encouraged the conference to call for handing it over to UN,” he said.

The UDP leader is skeptical about the possibility of reaching a meaningful outcome in the second round of talks expected to resume later this month between the two parties. There are less than 80 days to go until the referendum.

“We are in October getting to November yet [the] parties are not showing signs of commitment to reach any understanding over future of Abyei referendum. This is what raises concerns over possibilities to reach any agreement even if talks resume because none of them seem ready to compromise their interest,” said Ayat.

As well as the issues around forming the commission, the borders of the region still need to be demarcated despite a ruling from the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.

Another point of contention is the National Congress Party’s demand that the Misseriya tribe who enter Abyei for 3-4 months a year to find pasture land for their cattle be allowed to vote.

The SPLM have rejected this, saying that in the CPA only the Dinka Ngok are mentioned as being eligible to vote.

South Africa’s former President Thabo Mbeki, announced Friday when talks begin again they will be chair by a high level African Union panel.

The discussions over the region were organized by the government of the United States of America with intention to forge way forward on the Abyei referendum and implementation of the ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA).

(ST)