Juba officials accuse, Sudanese army deny fresh bombing in the South

By Ngor Arol Garang

December 7, 2010 (JUBA) – Southern Sudan government accused today the northern Sudan army of bombing positions in the greater Bahr el-Ghazal province while the latter denied the allegations.

Northern Sudanese army last month admitted bombing northern Bahr el-Ghazal on 14 November saying it was following rebels from Justice and Equality Government (JEM) after fighting in southern Kordofan. But the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) demised accusation of carrying out a second attack on 24 November.

Southern Sudan minister of information, Barnaba Marial Benjamin Bil, accused today Khartoum army of working to undermine the referenda on self-determination by carrying out regular air attacks in southern Sudan.

“The Sudan Armed Forces are intentionally sabotaging conduct of the referendum in order to return the country back to war. I’m told two of their planes were in western Bahr el Ghazal State today after reports that they have again bombed Northern Bahr el Ghazal State on Monday,” said Marial.

The minister said voter registration processes in the two states of west and northern Bahr el Ghazal have been greatly affected air attacks. “Voter registration processes in Western and Northern Bahr el Ghazal has been greatly affected air attacks on these areas by the Sudanese armed forces. People there have run away and registration centers have been closed,” he said.

Speaking to Sudan Tribune from Nyamelel, an administrative headquarters of Aweil west county, Isaac Lual Chol, county commissioner of the area, confirmed the attack. He further said voter registration in areas along the north-South borders have been interrupted by the aerial bombardments.

“Recent bombardments have discouraged people in areas along north- south borders.” It has affected voter registration there and I’m told that local people have stopped going to the registration centers,” said Chol.

The commissioner however added, he visited villages located to the extreme north and west of the county to encourage them continue with registration. “I visited Majak bai, Machar and all areas which are located along the north-south borders in order to assess their security situation and progress of the voter registration.

The situation until Sunday was calm. People started registering and coming back from where most of them went but started fearing and run away when Sudan armed forces bombed again on Monday,” he said.

Another Southern Sudanese minister and SPLM secretary general called on the international community to investigate the alleged air attacks. He also said Khartoum government intends to break down the vote on southern Sudan independence.

“We call on the Security Council of the United Nations… to form a team of investigation that will also involve the structures for ceasefire implementation between the parties so as to prevent a return of Sudan to war,” said Amum.

SAF DENIAL

However, the Sudanese army spokesperson Al-Sawarmi Khaled dismissed today the accusations but reaffirmed it will continue to hit Darfur rebel groups without violating the southern Sudan border.

“Allegations that SAF bombed positions in Bahr el-Ghazal are baseless. The armed forces did not bomb any areas in southern Sudan,” Al- Sawarmy said in a press statement he put out today.

“Those who promote such allegations did not know the friendly atmosphere that prevailed yesterday the meeting of the Sudanese Vice-President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha and Southern Sudan government Vice-President Riek Machar and the understandings reached between the Sudanese government forces and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA),” the military spokesperson further stressed.

He however stated that the Sudan Armed Forces continue operations to fight and hunt down Darfur rebels on the border between North and South Sudan in Bahr el Ghazal region without penetrating south to 1956 border.

Sudanese government accuses Juba of supporting Darfur rebel groups particularly JEM and a faction of the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Minni Minnawi. Yesterday the semi-official service (SMC) reported that the SPLM is preparing the former presidential senior assistant to resume war in Darfur after the referendum of 9 January.

But Southern Sudan officials denied the accusations of supporting rebel attacks on Darfur from the south.

“There are no Darfur rebels that I know operating in Northern Bahr el-Ghazal. I have never seen them. Who said they are in Northern Bahr el-Ghazal should have told you where they are operating,” said General Paul Malong Awan Anei, Governor of southern state Northern Bahr el Ghazal in statements he made last week.

(ST)