South Sudan willing to pay “ransom” to allow Abyei to join south
October 26, 20 (JUBA) – South Sudan on Tuesday suggested that the stalled referendum vote on the future of the oil-producing area of Abyei could be scrapped in favor of a political settlement that gives the area to the south, saying it is willing to pay a “ransom” to the ruling party in north Sudan to secure such settlement.
Amum accused the Khartoum-based NCP of holding the Abyei referendum hostage without having any genuine grievances.
The SPLM would remain actively engaged in negotiations aimed at salvaging the floundering talks the area even if this means “paying ransom for Abyei which has been held hostage by the NCP”, he said.
“When this is done, the borders and map of South Sudan would change to reflect the new development,” said Amum addressing a weekly press briefing in the regional capital of Juba.
The SPLM’s move follows an announcement yesterday that the next round of north-south talks over Abyei, which was scheduled to be held in Addis Ababa on 27 October, had been postponed indefinitely.
The delayed round of talks was hoped to compensate for the failure of the previous round in breaking the deadlock over the eligibility criteria for voters in the referendum, a right contested between the indigenous southern tribe of Dinka Ngok and the Arab nomadic tribe of Misseriya, which is associated with the north.
The NCP wants the cattle-herding Misseriya to be able to vote while the SPLM insists that the right to vote should be confined to Dinka Ngok.
“Misseriya have no right to participate in the Abyei referendum. They do not have any single right whatsoever,” Amum said.
The referendum on Abyei will determine whether the contested area should remain in the north or join the south in the event of the latter’s widely expected secession from the north in another referendum scheduled to take place at the same time as that of Abyei in January 2011.
The two plebiscites represent the final phase of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), the 2005 peace deal which ended decades of north-south civil war.
The top SPLM official said that his party would pay a ransom to secure the release of Abyei from NCP captivity.
“We are negotiating for its [Abyei] immediate release. As a party, we shall do what it takes to ensure that ransom is paid since NCP has taken it hostage. This is contrary to the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruling made in The Hague,” Amum declared.
Amum also said that the NCP was also demanding the US remove Sudan from it’s list of states who sponsor terrorism.
Disagreements over the area’s boundaries led the NCP and the SPLM to refer the issue to the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) which ruled to redraw the boundaries of Abyei, ceding key oilfields to north Sudan but gave the South most of the land, including Abyei town which has huge areas of fertile land and one significant oilfield.
All reports commissioned by both CPA parties as well as the ruling of PCA have backed the position of the SPLM but NCP has been consistently reneging on these commitments, he said.
Demarcation of Abyei’s borders as defined by The Hague based court has not yet been completed.
According to the minister the SPLM has agreed only to participate in the negotiation process on the issue for the sake of peace and tranquil coexistence.
According to Amum, Abyei region belongs to the nine Dinka Ngok chiefdoms that were relocated to Kordofan in 1905 by the Anglo-Egyptian condominium.
He said that the role of the Abyei referendum provides a platform for the Dinka Ngok to decide whether to come back to their roots and be part of South Sudan or remain in the north.
Amum, who is also the Minister for Peace and CPA implementation at the Government of Southern Sudan, repeated the SPLM’s position that only those who have lived in the area since independence in 1956, without the inclusion of the Misseriya tribe, would be mandated by the law to participate in the referendum.
“These residents could be from anywhere in the country. Some may be from the north and others from the south,” he said.
Voting is scheduled to begin 9 January 2011 but preparations, especially for Abyei have been marred by delays. With around seven weeks to go the two parties have still not been able to agree even on the commission to run the referendum.
Talks that were supposed to reconvene in Ethiopia later this month, under the chairmanship of the African Union, were recently postponed to give both sides more time to prepare.
(ST)
Ahmed Chol
South Sudan willing to pay “ransom” to allow Abyei to join south
Pay a ransom to who?
Nobody in the north would claim Abeyi. They found us there and they should not claim Abeyi.
Gatwech
South Sudan willing to pay “ransom” to allow Abyei to join south
Mr. Pagan Amum,
With due respect to your Excellency, what kind of ransom are you talking about?
The NCP’s type of ransom includes remaining with the land of Abyei and giving the South the people of Abyei to live in Warrap state. Are you ready for that?
Again, the CPA itself is fishy about Abyei protocol. If you read the Abyei protocol you will come a cross a wording which suggests that the north-south borders would not be affected even if the people of Abyei vote to join the South.
Now, what does that mean. Amum is correctly talking about the change of the north-south borders if Abyei joins the South. This means that the current borders between north and south would be affected by the new development. However, the CPA says the borders will not be affected. There is something fishy about the future of this region called Abyei.
Now if the SPLM SG talks in advance about a ransom to the NCP terrorists, then we may see a proposed ransom by the NCP which we may not be able to accept to pay or afford to pay. And that is the land of Abyei or the whole oil of Abyei and its best grazing fields in order to bail out the people of Abyei. Are we ready for it?
Ahmed Chol
South Sudan willing to pay “ransom” to allow Abyei to join south
Pay a ransom to who?
Nobody in the north would claim Abeyi. They found us there and they should not claim Abeyi.
David Glenn
South Sudan willing to pay “ransom” to allow Abyei to join south
I am surprised by this idea of a “Ransom”,but the Minister also says”the GOS is asking Us to remove Sudan from the list of States sponsoring terrorism”,is this the “Ransom” he intends to pay?
I just dont understand.
Oduck Bol
South Sudan willing to pay “ransom” to allow Abyei to join south
If SPLM want to pay north money inoder to let Abyi go to south, this means that the land blong to Messiria or Arab priod. Let us be clear. You do not need to imply that.If the land blong to Dinka Ngok,south does not need to pay anything to the north to get Abyi to south no matter how much it will cost south. This the way of begging northerns to let Abyi be in south.
If you have not know. Then know it now that Abyi is a second Katanga of Congo whish was abig field of war because of its resources.If you have doubt,check it out if those bosses do not have the same interest in Abyi like Katanga. The good thing is that south have excellent team,Brazil team.They are good players.
biarawieu
South Sudan willing to pay “ransom” to allow Abyei to join south
the idea of paying Ransom for Abyei to join the south, wasn,t a good decision for south Government.
DASODIKO
South Sudan willing to pay “ransom” to allow Abyei to join south
Who is National Congress Party to pay ransom for Abyei like International community pays for the release of International AID workers held by Janjaweeds in Darfur? Very funny statement. To play weak is not always workable.!!!
AAMA
South Sudan willing to pay “ransom” to allow Abyei to join south
A cheap proposal by a cheap party called the SPLM to a cheaper party called NCP. Complete nonsence and abuse for innocent indigenous people who have been living together in peace for hundreds of years regardless of the nature of livelihood. There is no solution for the Abyei problem if Sudan is not united, period. Any solution will be a temporary pain killer before bloodshed returns because the sepration of sudan is a artificial idea that flows against the nature of things in these highly populated and dynamic bordering areas. If Abyei goes north, the dinka will suffer from the NCP and if it goes south the Misseriya will suffer from the SPLM solders regardless of any commitments from any party.
Love it or hate it, this is the painful truth.
Peace.
Bol Bol
South Sudan willing to pay “ransom” to allow Abyei to join south
I honestly doubt Mr. Pagan even used the word Ransom.
jalabi
South Sudan willing to pay “ransom” to allow Abyei to join south
Pagan, I know you are idiot but never come to my mind you’re so bad folly!!!
What are you talking about? you ask us to give up Abyei including the oil fields that have been given to us by internation court and you accepted the verdict and now you want to give us ransom? what ransom??!! we are not talking about the oil fields in Abyei which produce more than 100,000 barrel per day because that’s done and it’s our money for ever we are talking about the land that Misseryia have the right to live in!
We will never ever release Abyei because Misseria have the right to vote and you know the result when they vote, you better say something other than nasty thing and respct people minds.
Jalabi (Abo Jalabia)
Haak
South Sudan willing to pay “ransom” to allow Abyei to join south
hahahahah!!! Pagan Ransom? Hon. are you talking about to Arabs? why do you go for ransom when the people of Abyei themselves talk, give them chacne to be transparent to Khartouim
Kiir Majock
South Sudan willing to pay “ransom” to allow Abyei to join south
Your Excellency Comrade Pagan,
I hope the “ransom” to pay to the ruling party in north Sudan to secure Abyei settlement is not selling the NUBA Mountains/South Kordofan and Blue Nile again. The concern here is that the events which occurred prior to your statement are: (1) Abyei negotiations are stalled indefinitely as they were supposed to resume today (Wed) in Addis Ababa (2) the presidency met on Tuesday & ratified a past overdue census results for South Kordofan which are below expectations; then came the statements of “ransom to free Abyei from NCP hostage situation”.
We have known you as a brave and brilliant and an out spoken leader for the marginalized. So, please don’t push the button for NCP in order to marginalize the Nuba or the Ineggesena people more.
I hope I’m wrong in making connections of what had happened in the past two days and analysis of your statement .
I hope I’m wrong in making connections of what had happened in the past two days and analysis of your statement and making
Abraham Majur Lam
South Sudan willing to pay “ransom” to allow Abyei to join south
No need 4 anything to do with ransom Abyei belong to South and no one within NCP can claim Abyei. It well stiputed in CPA that only 9 Ngok chiefdom will cast their votes. They are doing it deliberately to drag us back to war but we will not allow it this time untill South has to be indept comes January 9 2011.
Achuil Manyuat Tong
South Sudan willing to pay “ransom” to allow Abyei to join south
Amum is not talking about any ransom. He is saying they will do anything possible to solve the Abyei problem.Thanks for that commitment.
Gatwech
South Sudan willing to pay “ransom” to allow Abyei to join south
Bol,
Pagan Amum used the word “ransom” many times unless you are ready to deny it.
I watched him on SSTV when he was coming back from Addis Ababa two weeks ago saying exactly that Abyei was held hostage and in hostage taking situation a ransom is paid and people should care for the life of the hostage. He said all those. Do you want to deny them now?