South Sudan president says Abyei belongs to Dinka Ngok
November 17, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — General Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the semi autonomous regional Government of South Sudan on Wednesday said that the oil producing region of Abyei belongs to the nine Dinka Ngok chiefdoms.
The south, also an oil producing region, expected to vote to become independent from the north in a simultaneous referendum scheduled to take place in next January.
The last round of talks sponsored by the United States in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa in October stalled over the composition of Abyei’s Referendum Commission and voter eligibility.
Addressing the closing session of a two day conference on the ‘urgent popular demand for implementation of the Abyei referendum’ in the south’s capital Juba Salva Kiir said that “Abyei belongs to the Ngok Dinka”. He further said the SPLM would not ink an agreement on outstanding issues related to Sudan’s assets, water or oil without concluding a deal on Abyei with the National Congress Party (NCP).
The former South African president Thabo Mbeki and Chairman of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel for Sudan told the UN Security Council on Tuesday that the President Omer Al-Bashir and his first deputy will meet during next week of 22 November to discuss Abyei referendum.
Mebeki further stressed that both parties have agreed to “do everything possible to reach an agreement on this issue as a matter of urgency”.
Regarding the future of the cattle herder nomads in the area, Kiir said that South Sudan would be able to provide services to members of the Misseriya tribe in Abyei but would not give them the right to own the land.
Tensions are running high in the region as the referendum is all but certain will be delayed given the impasse. Voter registration for the south Sudan referendum is underway, with voter lists to be finished only days before the vote begins January 9, 2011.
The NCP insists that the Misseriya, most of whom do not live permanently in the region but reside during the rainy season to find grazing for their cattle for a few months each year, should be allowed to vote.
Speaking to Sudan Tribune from Juba, Charles Abyei Jok, speaker of the Abyei Area legislative council described the Dinka Nogk conference as very successful and helped bring together both traditional and political leaders from Abyei to consult over the future the region.
“The conference ended successfully today. It brought different leaders from the area. It also saw attendance of our neighboring community leaders. We consulted widely with them,” said Jok.
(ST)
Anyang
South Sudan president says Abyei belongs to Dinka Ngok
Got it right Mr President. No compromise,you got to stick to your gun, no matter what the status quo hold.Abyei belong to Southern Sudan.
DASODIKO
South Sudan president says Abyei belongs to Dinka Ngok
It does’t need to make any statement about belonging of Abeyei to Dinka. Its African land and it will continue Africans. How can we give African land to those in Saudia Arbia? Will Saudis accept Mecca annexed to any of the Islamic countries let alone Africa?
Laat Ayie Jal
South Sudan president says Abyei belongs to Dinka Ngok
Dear Southerners Sudanese,
I would like to draw your attention to an alarming situation I have encounter while in Rumbek recently. People are not coming out to register. I wonder why? People have been anxiously waiting for this moment in 22 years plus, many comrades have died on the road before they see the sun on January 9th on the rise: Why can you go and register to uplift the spirit of those who died for the cost of this nation? Even people in Diaspora have acknowledged the noble tag on referendum and abstain to vote to avoid the risks of rigging since the counting process is controlled from Khartoum. I thank those in Diaspora who have thought it wise to abstain from registering.
Our people in South Sudan have to come out and register, the whole world is looking at us to decide our destiny especially after these long wars. If we failed to register enough people, the north may not recognize our independence and the world will look at us as stupid majority and embrace the north decision.
Please come out and register !
John M. Atem
South Sudan president says Abyei belongs to Dinka Ngok
Folks,
It makes me feel sick in the stomach every time Kiir’s mention the name of Abyei.
Indeed, Iam growing increasingly sick and tired of hearing people’s mentioning Abyei’s issue when they are doing absolutely nothing to solve it .
The SPLM should not play with words if they donot want to address this time-consuming issue. If Abyei supposedly belongs to Dinka Angok, then why are we not having Abyei’s Referendum commission?
Kiir and his materialistic-minded crooked warlords should only care of enrching themselves and send their children to best schools and leave that issue of Abyei which they have miserably failed to achieve alone.
Folks, what is the point of mentioning issue every time if you are not going to solve it?
It is critically important to dig into the root cause of the problem, analyze it and prescribe solution to that problem; that is a profesional way of addressing problem. It is becoming Kiir’s a habitual habit to talk about issue and do nothing to solve it. Nobody that I Know want these crooked leaders to continue talking about this redundant time-consuming issue.
Now, Kiir is saying that the SPLM will not sign other outstanding issues such as assets, water, national debts, citizenship if Abyei’s issue is not comprehensively addressed. Please , please and please leave that frustratingly stupid problem alone. It is frustratingly too late to talk about it. Where were you for last few months? Were you drinking and partying with your mentally-deprived murdereres, thugs and warlords whom you have surrounded yourself with ? I bet you were not.
Folks, I am not saying surrender Abyei to North, but all Iam saying is that it is too boring and redundant to talk about it if you cannot prescribe solution to it. Yes, I understand Kiir’s growing frustration over the delayment of Abyei Referendum commission, but what else can he do if the National Congress Party donot want to form that body?
Folks, It is becoming increasingly clear that our crooked leaders have high blood pressure of the words and anemia of the deeds. Folks, since the SPLM has miserably failed to realize the people’s of Abyei political aspirations let them not wast their time talking about it.
May almighty God creator of heaven and earth bless the long-suffering, abused and forgotten people of Southern Sudan and guided them into glorious promised land of freedom should they choose to become aviable independent political state in the Upcoming Self-determiantion Referendum.
The writer of this comment is John Atem. He is the orphaned son of late freedom fighter. He has successfully completed Certificates in Agriculture, Peace Education and Diploma in Criminal Justice.
Domke
South Sudan president says Abyei belongs to Dinka Ngok
Mr. Atem, it’s good that you are concerned. However, I hope you know what it is when people say two sides, attemptinting to reconcile, have reached an impasse. SPLM has not (and will never) succumb to such baseless claims—the name “ABYEI” is not in any way a Misyria name. Diplomatic process needs to be exhaused and this can’t finish overnight. I hope you will be ready to join those in the trenches when it reaches the stage I presume you want.
Anyang
South Sudan president says Abyei belongs to Dinka Ngok
Hi folks,
My querry is to “bodylanguage’s experts”, pardon me if Iam little bit bias here guys. To the point, can anyone tell me by looking to the above photo of ” president KIIR & Vp RIEK whether they are at odds with one another or they are showing a working mate gesture.Curious to know,becoz Iam especially sick of Vp’s lack of self-esteem whenever he’s with the our president.