South Kordofan governor pledges adequate security for returnees

December 26, 2010 (ABYEI) – Ahmed Haroun the Governor of South Kordofan state has pledged to provide adequate security to protect internally displaced persons returning to their ancestral areas in Abyei and various parts of south Sudan.

Haroun was speaking at the briefing held at Abyei administrative headquarters office with the regions chief administrator, Deng Arop Kuol on December 23.

The 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), gives the oil-producing region special status and the right to decide through a referendum whether the citizens of Abyei transferred to Kordofan in 1905, want to return to the south from where they were originally transferred, or remain part of Kordofan on the northern side of the border.

The peace accord, as agreed by the two parties, allows the semi-autonomous region of south Sudan a similar right to vote in a referendum on whether it wishes to secede from the north or remain part of the currently united Sudan under different system.

However, repeated talks over the future of the oil-producing region of Abyei between the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), which controls the regional government of south Sudan and the National Congress Party (NCP), which runs the central government, have not been successful since they began a year ago.

The SPLM maintain that only the Dinka Ngok ethnic group should be allowed to vote, while the NCP want the Missiriya tribe, who enter the region to access water and graze for their cattle for a few months each year, also to be given voting rights.

Speaking to Sudan Tribune in Abyei town on Sunday, Kuol, who described security situation in the area as “relatively calm and under control” said the visit, which was actually meant for developmental projects being implemented in the area by the federal minister of roads and bridges and accompanied by south Kordofan Governor, was meaningful and important step toward strengthening security relations at the borders.

“The visit was actually for federal minister of roads and bridges who wanted to see roads and bridges projects being implemented in the area, especially the road project linking Abyei with Muglad. Governor Ahmed Haroun, therefore, came as part of this visit, said Abyei chief administrator.

Kuol, a senior member of the southern ruling party also added that the two parties discussed what they had agreed in a security conference held in Kadugli this month.

He said they discussed and agreed a lot of bilateral issues with Governor Haroun to provide adequate security to internally displaced persons returning to Abyei and other areas in the south through areas under territorial jurisdiction of South Kordofan.

“We discussed bilateral issues and one of the important issues we discussed at length both in Kadugli and Abyei was provision of adequate security and protection of internally displaced persons coming to Abyei and other various places in the south.

“We also discussed movement of nomads, especially Missiriya to access water and grazing areas in areas under territorial boundary of Abyei and in the South,” said Kuol.

He said joint a joint security committee would discuss modalities regarding movement of the nomads. This committee, he said, will discuss and find ways to address the issue of 13 people killed from the Dinka Ngoka, by members of Missiriya tribe, during three different incidents early this year.

In March, May and July, the oil-producing region of Abyei witnessed raids and clashes between the Missiriyia and the local police forces in the area. Since they occurred, official meetings were held to discuss traditional methods to resolve them, which continued on Haroun’s visit.

Abyei-administrator-Kuol told Sudan Tribune that prior to Haroun’s visit with federal minister of roads and bridges, “we held a meeting in Kadugli and will also hold a similar meeting from January 5 to 7 to discuss way forward.”

The holding of the two consecutive meetings after exchange visits by the leaders from the two areas, is viewed as attempt to diffuse fears and tension of allegations of troop build ups by both sides.

Sudan’s southern government has accused Sudan Armed Forces, controlled by Khartoum, of an increased deployment of their forces and in other strategic places around the south’s oil fields in recent months.

Speaking to Sudan Tribune in Abyei town, Miyen Alor Kuol, a senior member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, accused the Sudan Armed forces and aligned militias deployed along the north-south borders are mistreating returnees.

“I am told they are possessing sophisticated tank equipped with piercing modern projectiles. They move them about at the check points to scare returnees. The returnees are also subjected to a lot of stops and unnecessary search at check points,” said Alor.

The official said visit of south Kordofan Governor is important because it will send signal to security apparatus to comply with directives and agreements from series of discussions held both in Kadugli and Abyei.

“Governor Haroun is head of the state security committee. He knows what happens in areas under his territorial jurisdiction on daily basis. Therefore, his visit is very important because it will send out strong message to those involved in behaviors which do not encourage strong bilateral ties and free movement of the citizens from the two areas,” he said.

The office of the United Nations Mission in Sudan in Abyei has said it has stepped up beeped up patrols in collaborations with local police and joint integration units representing both the southern army (SPLA) and the SAF.

Speaking to Sudan Tribune on the condition of anonymity having not been authorized to speak to the media, an international aid worker in Abyei said they had observed increased security operations in recent weeks.

“I have observed increment in security measures in recent weeks. Maybe, because of, Christmas celebrations, and the return of internally displaced persons currently found out in open places anywhere in the town or administrative plan to beef up security in the area,” he said.

In Abyei town, internally displaced persons returning after they fled to the north during the north-south civil war, which began in 1989 and only ended when the CPA was signed in 2005.

Many more Abyei citizens fled after clashes in May between the SPLA and SAF Brigade 31 over the control of the town.

As the referendum approaches the SPLM led southern government have returned a large number of people to the area, with the majority having to sleep in the open.

The influx has necessitated increased joint military patrols throughout the day and nights.

Speaking to Sudan Tribune on Sunday at the receipt point for returnees, Awut Acuil Makuac, a mother with three children said they have remained at the reception point after arrival from the north because they have not been identified by any of their relatives.

“We have remained here since arrival on Thursday night because we have not yet been identified by any of our relatives. We hear that our close relatives are in Lou. Others are in Tajalei and none of them has come to receive us,” said Acuil.

The childlike Acuil who returned after marrying a northern policeman from Dongola, with whom she separated following a disagreement over dowries with her relatives, said she left her mother in Khartoum.

“Mother has remained behind because the vehicle she would use developed mechanical fault so it remained to be repaired before taking load and passengers. We could not wait because were registered in another center hence another vehicle. My father and his other wife were in another vehicle and are on the way,” she said.

(ST)