Abyei clashes leave 10 dead – SPLM
February 27, 2011 (WAU) – At least 10 people have been killed and several others injured in an armed confrontation between the Arab-nomadic Misseriya tribe and local police in the oil-producing region of Abyei on Sunday.
The attacks occured days after the delegation of Misseriya tribe leaders visited Abyei with an attempt to pay compensatory money for 12 Dinka Ngok who were killed by members of the Misseriya in the previous attacks. The compensation was part of an agreement between the Dinka Ngok and Misseriya in Kadugli earlier this year.
The leaders, however, returned without the compensation money following discussions, which realized the groups were not part of the Kadugli Agreement.
Speaking to Sudan Tribune from Abyei, Acuil Akol Miyen, head of finance in the Abyei administration, said armed groups identified as members of the Misseriya tribe from Awalad “Mozakina” in collaboration with pro-government militias along the north-South border, staged an attack in Todach at around 4:00am and resumed at 11:30am on Sunday.
Ten people were killed a several others injured according to the official.
“The heavily armed members of the Misseriya tribe from Awalad Mozakina in collaboration with pro government militias operating along the border staged an attack on unarmed civilian settlements and on police post at Todach at 4:00 and 11:30am, killing number of people and injuries several others”, said Acuil, declining to give specific number of people killed and those who sustained injures.
“This happens after Ahmed Dudu, the leader of the Mozakina clan, a section within the Messiriya tribe ordered pulling out of cattle allowed by the Abyei administration in unison agreement with local chiefs as part of the Kadugli agreement to access water and grazing areas”, he explained.
Acuil said the groups were sighted in three different places near where the incident took. He said that he believed they were preparing for further attacks.
“I am told these groups were seen regrouping themselves for possible attacks probably this evening or tomorrow in three different locations along where the fighting took place. They were seen in Difra, Dira and Goli regrouping themselves for possible attacks”, he said.
The official said there were casualties but do not have clear information of how many people were killed or wounded in the attack because the fighting was still going on when he last talked to the people on the ground.
“It is possible some people may have been killed during these clashes but still we do not have clear information at the moment”, he said.
Miyen Alor Kuol, another official in the area, in Juba, confirmed the attack and accused the Khartoum-based government of sponsoring sporadic attacks and killings by arming Misseriya and the groups he said were part of the Popular Defense Forces along the north-south border.
Abyei was due to hold a referendum to decide whether in would remain in the north or be transferred to the south. The poll was supposed to be in tandem with the South’s own plebiscite, in which it chose to secede from the north. However, the poll was delayed as the ruling parties of north and south could not agree over whether the Misseriya should be allowed to take part.
“This is precisely the work of the government in the north. They are doing it for political pressure on the upcoming talks so that we concede. They sent these groups to attack our people as part of strategies and plans to depopulate the area and to tell the international community that the so called Misseriya are part of Abyei and that they deserve representation in the area during the upcoming talks scheduled to resume in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, next Tuesday. Precisely this is the message they are trying to send”, said Kuol
“They have tried to include Messiriya through several proposals including sharing them in our administration and giving the northern parts of Abyei which contains oils without success. Our people have compromised a lot and I do not think they are ready to compromise even an inch this time, come what may”, said Kuol.
The senior member of the SPLM in the area said a total of 10 people have been killed in the clashes.
“The fighting took place this morning at 4:00am and resumed at 11:30am today. And it was still going on when I last inquired from our people on the ground this afternoon. They did not give us full detail but the information we have indicates that 10 people were killed and unconfirmed number of people are said to have sustained injuries on both sides”, said Kuol.
Hassan Musa, the leader from another group of Misseriya called Awalad “Umaran”, in a separate interview with Sudan Tribune from Muglad confirmed the attack to had taken place.
“Yes, I have just been told by Amir Ahmed Dudu now that armed Dinka Ngok supported by the SPLA camouflaged [as] police in Dira, Goli, Todach, Difra and in the surrounding areas have since last week started putting unnecessary check points and stopping herders from taking their cattle further south”.
The Misseriya enter Abyei for a few months each year to find grazing land and water for their cattle.
“This is a clear violation of our rights and it is unacceptable. We have been saying that SPLA forces have been secretly deployed in the area in form of police to block movement of our people with cattle to access water and grazing areas in the south. Members of the Dinka Ngok have equally been armed by the SPLA and opened training camps for them to fight us. This is unacceptable”, said Musa.
Colonel Phillip Aguer Panyang, Spokesman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) in a separate interview with Sudan Tribune from Juba said he had heard of the clashes but denied presence of the SPLA forces in Abyei or training people there.
“There are only joint integrated units there. We do not have SPLA forces in Abyei. No single SPLA soldier is in Abyei as far as I know. Our forces are in the south of Abyei as per the Abyei Road Map. Those in Abyei are joint police and joint military personnel representing both the Sudan armed forces and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army,” explained Aguer, declining commenting on the attack.
(ST)
Ahmed Chol
Abyei clashes leave 10 dead – SPLM
Find a peacefully solution to this Abyei issue as well as Athor’s issue.
Kiir should find all ways to end this Athor’s Rebellion peacefully
Yes SPLA can protect civilians but don’t seeks to extinguish fire! with fire!.
Solving this conflict by military confrontation will give us a LRA situation in Uganda which we don’t want at all.
Again, you will not be able to finish this rebellion overnight by force as some of our top ever drunken officers think. Generals, it will take years, lots of years without progress in South Sudan if you seek military solution with Athor.
Yes, Garang kept kept him close, but why? Because he (Athor) is revered fearless guerrilla fighter with adept military ferocity. With a battalion, he can destabilized the whole south.
Athor as a single man has nothing to loose, since most of his supporters/forces are not even Dinka. It is South Sudan that will be stuck without any progress because of insecurity and the destruction he will cause. What happened in Fangak was just the beginning. Athor’s rebellion will be funded by enemies of S. Sudan and this will prolonged the war in the south. The rebellion may even grow stronger and bigger since anybody dissatisfy with GoSS can join it any time.
Even though Bashir was powerful, he wasn’t able to defeat SPLA just because he had MIGs and Antonovs. Same thing is true in Darfur, there will never be a military solution there, only a peaceful negotiation will bring peace. So don’t be deceived by the helicopters and gunships just bought recently by SPLA. They won’t bring us peace.
Generals, think twice before you all agree to issue orders. You may win the battle, but you will definitely loose the war!, the war of security and development in the South which is our ultimate goal.
An hour of negotiation can spare a country years of war.
Ahmed Chol, whatever begins in anger, ends in shame
LongTweng
Abyei clashes leave 10 dead – SPLM
Massiria tribes will not stop killing if they are not taught a good lesson.
they will thinks that SPLA is not capable of protecting their civilian as so far they have been killing our civilians and are getting a way with it. about time to over ran their temporary dwelling cattle camps.
SPLA need to develop 24/7 reconnaissance mission on all the dangerous territory. If SPLA soldiers are active they will be bored and can creates crimes.
Longtweng
Jeti
Abyei clashes leave 10 dead – SPLM
We’ve finished one liberation (South Sudan) but another liberation has to be done (Abyei). There will be no time Abyei will be part of the North, Khartoum government should know that. Misseriya are not part of Abyei and they know that. Dear Dinka Ngok open your eyes widely and don’t allow yourselves be attacked. Stand firm and we are behind you. President Kiir Mayardit, you still have undone business (Abyei). We want Abyei in the South before independence declaration. We trust you, you will do it.
Aleu
Abyei clashes leave 10 dead – SPLM
Abyei Young men must take training to defend themselves from Misseriya and the others Arabs Forest tribes around there.
The NCP of Khartoum government are telling these Nomadic Arab Forest to claim in Abyei not because of land which they already knowing that, they were been moving for years from place to places, but precisely because of oil producing in the Abyei land. General speaking, Misseriya tribe and others Arab movable tribes have no any right to claim on the Abyei case.
Just to remind people of Abyei in Dinka Ngok chiefdom and the whole Southern Sudanese people that, your land is what God had been given to you to live on it and get something within its your land to live in your life long. As the NCP are so desperately obviously for our oil which they have been successful benefiting for many years instead, our people of Dinka Ngok chiefdom and the Southern Sudanese should have been developping their needs. I think what the North Sudan have been looting in Southern Sudan’s land is enough for them and this is the time for us, we Southern Sudanese people to tell them by face to face that, we are done with you guys.
As a Dinka man and native of Southern Sudanese, I would like to inform my brothers of Dinkas Abyei not to be afraid of finding something to defending yourselves, your community name of Abyei chiefdom, your mother land and you have a very rights to die for or live on it. We Dinka can not listen to their fear tactices which Misseriya and others movable tribes have been trying to attempt in Abyei and many others areas and I think it would be a good Idea also if the people like Pfro, Mading Deng, Deng Alor Kuol and Piny Deng Majok and many others members to educated all Abyei people by telling them that, this is ours mother land and we must do what it will take to live in Abyei, the land of Dinka Ngok chiefdom. Why these people keeping quite for what reason.?
I hope the Nomadic tribes from Northern Sudan will loss a good opportunities which GOSS and Abyei members have been offering for them that, even though they have no any right to claim in Abyei which is truly, we will still allowing them so that, they will continues to grazing in Abyei land and continuing seeking water for their livestocks, will not be block for them unfortunately, the Arab Forest Nomadic tribes have taken NCP of Khartoum’s voices to speaks on the North Sudan government on behalf of them telling them to do so in order for them to get oil in Abyei land. This is considering a walk up call to young Dinka of Abyei Ngok and the Southern Sudanese for that matter. It is your mother land you have absolutely rights to die for or live on it in Abyei land because it is yours and there is no one will take your rights as a Dinka Ngok chiefdom.
DHARCHEP
Abyei clashes leave 10 dead – SPLM
This traumatized event in Abyei and the others regions such as; Ruweng of Biemnom, Panaruu of Panrieng and Aweil plus other is the useless disaster. In every single day,I heard that people are dying in Abyei and else where in Southern Sudan. In fact, I do blame Deng Kuol Arop Biong, the Paramount Chief of Dinka Jok of Abyei who sold Abyei to the Arabs for the seek to educate his children even if he died. Now, in Abyei, most of the people who have a good education are from the family of Deng Kuol Arop Biong. Because Deng Kuol Arop Biong sold Abyei to the Arabs of the North in the past, all the children of Deng Kuol Arop Biong were taken by the Arabs to the North for scholarship. That is why now the Arabs get more tied to Abyei. Abyei in real sense is not Arabs territory, but Deng Kuol Arop Biong gave them some rooms to dwell in. People are shouting about the death of the ten people in Abyei, but the don’t shout about what the family of Deng Kuol Arop Biong are doing in Abyei. This mess is in Abyei is Deng Kuol Arop Biong cause.
As a matter of fact, the blame goes to the family of Deng Kuol Arop Biong for the stupid things they have done. Deng Kuol Arop Biong was the one who settled Messirya to Abyei in 1950. In 1950 when Messirya were been accommodated in Abyei by Deng Kuol Arop Biong because of Salt, they Messirya tried to move to Northwestern Ruweng and confronted the Paramount Chief of Dinka Ruweng Mr Kur Kuot that they wanted to be accommodated as Deng Kuol Arop Biong did to them. As a result, the Dinka Ruweng Paramount Chief Mr Kur Kuot refused to acknowledge their request. So, the went back to Abyei and that is why now their is a big problem especially in Abyei. My blame goes particulary to Deng Kuol Arop Biong, the Paramount Chief of Dinka Jok of Abyei and his children who are now messing up Abyei. They turned Abyei territory as a home of Deng Kuol Arop Biong alone instead of recognizing the others non-family of Deng Kuol Arop Biong Dinka.
One thing that Iam really upset about is when something happened in Ruweng territory of Biemnom, people said that it has been happened in Abyei which is completely wrong. For example, on 02/10/2008, the three Paramount Chiefs of Dinka Ruweng Community of Biemnom County in Unity State, and six soldiers of the SPLA were killed by the SAF when they have came back from Heglig(Toor Aliiny). When that happened, people said that it has happened in Abyei. What people don’t know is that Dinka Jok of Abyei, Dinka Ruweng of Biemnom and Dinka Panaruu of Panrieng are completely different and with different Paramount Chiefs also. Dinka Abyei Chief is called Deng Kuol Arop Biong(Deng Majok),Dinka Ruweng of Biemnom Paramount Chief is called Kur Kuot and Dinka Panaruu of Panrieng is called Miakuei Bill Kuei.
Let say for instance, there is an election in Aweil and Tonj. Can we say that the election was in Twic, Malakal and Bentiu? If not, then why do we always put things on a wrong place where they are not supposed to go? If the Arabs are regrouping themselves in these three location namely; Goli, Difra and Dira according to the article posted, then how can we say that they are in Abyei? Those three areas are from Ruweng territory of Dinka Ruweng of Biemnom. This is the way how people pushed themselves down. The problem of Abyei will never end if they are not respecting their neighbours around them. “Whatever bad things you do to people can still go back to you later on”
This article was written by DHARCHEP MIYAR DHARCHEP from Dinka Ruweng Community of Biemnom of Unity State, Bentiu.
I can be reached at [email protected]
Luthern King
Abyei clashes leave 10 dead – SPLM
I would like to give condolence to our people who lost there life in Abyei may God bless them so that, the may raise in peace.
MAY GOD BLESS SOUTHERN SUDAN.
Tambura
Abyei clashes leave 10 dead – SPLM
Guys
I have brilliant ideas SPLA should change their names to SSSBWA and GOSS should change their name to SSGG or SSG, because SPLA stand for Sudan People’s Liberation Army right?Now Sudan should be change to SS stand for South Sudan.SPLA never Liberate themselves how they can liberate people? They fought in bush for 21 years but they never won war or battles and they fought to Liberate all Sudan and that vision dead when our late leader Dr. John Garang died. Now they should change to South Sudan Army in case if they are going to protect our people which they don’t do, now they should change to SSGGA SouthSudan Gangs Groups Army or South Sudan Stand By Watch Army. I think SSSBWA is fit them for now because our innocent civilians are losing their lives day by day under their watch. GOSS should stand for Government of South Sudan but the name really stand for government of selves service, they should change it to SSG south Sudan Government if they are going to work for interest of our people which they don’t. I think South Sudan Gangs Leaders (SSGL) fit them now. Guys if we don’t unite as a nation south Sudan is going to be fail state, Nuer will hate Dinka, Dinka will hate Nuer and Equestrian tribes will hate all and at end we will kill each others for which tribe is the best to control the rest. I am trying my best to write simple English which every educated level and our young generation can understand in south Sudan. Under my leadership I will change everything I will change the name of SPLA the GOSS and the constitution which I will give power to our women more than anything else they will be on top 1 children 2 and men3, if you care about your children future Vote for new generation, vote for me I will make you proud of your country, I will create Jobs for everybody I will give oil money to everybody want to start business, better health care and welfare, I will build home to everybody, I will even pay for your holidays anywhere in this world what else? I will build high ways underground system international airport in every big city I will bring all kind of industries in our country, the most important I swear I will unite you. Because I knew and understand human nature more than anybody else in south Sudan I have been around the world I visited 36 countries training myself to be leader who will unite his people, what I leaned simple is as long you provide better live to your people the rest of problems will go away. Vote for me in next election I will make you proud of your country.
Tambura