Sudan’s CPA parties set up joint committee to address security in Abyei

March 4, 2011 (ABYEI) – The Parties to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement adopted a number of measures to calm the situation and to avoid further deterioration in Abyei. The stakeholders also agreed on the need for a quick political solution.

“The meeting addressed the immediate security situation in Abyei and adopted specific steps to ensure the implementation of the Kadugli Agreements of 13 and 17 January, said the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) in a statement released on Friday.

The adopted measures “include establishing a standing committee consisting of representatives from the two parties, the two armies, the two police forces and security services as well as the command of the JIUs.”

Tensions have been rising in Abyei since a referendum on the future of the region did not take place in January. While another plebiscite on the independence on South Sudan went ahead on schedule, and saw a landslide vote in favour of secession.

The recent confrontations involving local police and the Missiriya cattle herders began on Sunday 27 and continued on Monday 28 February 2011. Reports from the Abyei administration and Misseriya leaders indicate that 15 people were killed and 13 others wounded in the attack which took place on Sunday 27, and 70 were killed as 43 sustained injuries in further fighting on Monday 28 February 2011.

The fighting resumed on Wednesday 2 March. Locals and officials from the Abyei administration said 68 were killed and 38 sustained injuries, bringing the total of people killed to 153. Sudan Tribune on Thursday and Friday witnessed the burial of more than 52 people killed in the clashes.

Southern Kordofan governor stated the meeting agreed that a political solution is the only way to solve the issue of Abyei. He further said that the standing committee will meet within 48 hours as the high level joint mechanism will meet again with 10 days.

Hosted by the UNMIS, the meeting was attended from Khartoum side by Salah Gosh, Presidential adviser for security affairs, minister of the Interior Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid and the governor of Southern Kordofan Ahmed Harun. While the Southern Sudan government was represented by Nihal Deng Nial, minister of SPLA affairs, Deng Alor GOSS minister of international cooperation, and Kual Deng the deputy director of GOSS security service, all are from the disputed region.

“The purpose of our visit is come and to assess the general security situation and deliver a message of assurance from the president of the government of south Sudan, General Salva Kiir Mayardit and commitment of the entire SPLM leadership to resolving the issue of Abyei before the July 9, said Deng Alor after the meeting.

“We said this in the meeting and it was resolved to end hostilities with immediate effective and embark on ways to resolve political disputes in the area at the higher level. The United Nations together with local police and Joint Integrated [Units] representing Sudan People Liberation Army and Sudan Armed Forces have been mandated to increase patrols in areas under Abyei”, Alor further said.

The visit of the South Sudan government high level delegation coincided with a demonstration staged by local residents of Abyei on Friday. The angered protesters called on the international community to ensure immediate stoppage of the killings and the full implementation of the Abyei protocol without any concessions.

The demonstrators destroyed some UN vehicles while the meeting between officials from north and South Sudan was taking place inside the UN compound in Abyei.

Speaking to the protestors outside the camp of the United Nations Mission in Sudan in Abyei, Deng Alor reassured them saying the people and the government of south Sudan are with the people of Abyei.

“President Salva Kiir Mayardit and all the people of south Sudan are with you seeking ways to resolve dispute in Abyei. We have all the options”, said Alor, without going into details.

The senior SPLM member advised demonstrators not to behave violently toward United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) office in the area even if they think UN is not helping them. “Try to control your angers and respect them even if you think they are not helping you”, said Alor.

He said the South Sudan President had sent them with a message calling for immediate cessation of the hostilities. “We have come with a message from president of government of south Sudan. This message calls for immediate cessation of hostilities,” said Alor.

Abyei, situated on the border between north and south Sudan was supposed to vote in January to decide whether the oil-producing region would join the south in separating from the rest of Sudan in July.

The vote did not go ahead after the South’s ruling SPLM rejected the demands of the Khartoum government, that the Arab nomadic Misseriya tribe be allowed to take part in the vote. The cattle herding Misseriya enter the state for a few months each year to find pasture and water.

Negotiating teams from the two sides are currently meeting in Ethiopia to resolve the Abyei dispute and other CPA and post-referendum issues including oil, water, border demarcation, national debt, currency and future relations. Some members of the SPLM have said the negotiations should stop accusing the NCP of being behind the recent clashes.

This week the South Sudan ruling party SPLM accused their northern counterpart, the National Congress Party (NCP) of supporting the attacks through the Sudan armed Forces (SAF). An allegation strongly denied by the SAF’s spokesperson Khaled Al-Sawarmi.

Colonel Phillip Aguer, the SPLA spokesman, in an interview with Sudan Tribune, said on Friday 4 March that the Missiriya backed by the SAF overran a local police position and burned the whole village to ashes. “Nothing was spared. The Sudan Armed Forces overpowered the strength of the local police and overran their post, killing almost all of them”, said Aguer.

The senior military officer in the southern army also refuted statements by the spokesman of the northern Sudan army, Colonel Khaled Swarmi, that SAF troops did not participate in the attack. Aguer said the recent fighting in Abyei witnessed the use of heavy artilleries and tanks which are not owned by the civilians.

“The Sudan Armed Forces have shamelessly and unsubstantially tried to deny participation of the government troops in the Abyei clashes but there are hard evidences showing participation of the Sudan Armed Forces,” he said.

“One of the evidences showing participation of the Sudan Armed Forces is the use of tanks and other heavy machine guns mounted on vehicles to attack civilians and burn their villages. Tell me, which tribe on earth that owns tanks and aircrafts to supply weapons and ferry away wounded. The Sudan Armed Forces used military aircrafts to supply arms and ammunitions to popular Defense Forces paid by the government as their troops”, further said SPLA spokesperson.

Contacted by Sudan tribune, Hassan Moussa, leader of a Misseriya clan, denied getting military support from SAF troops. “There were no government troops fighting alongside us. The Sudan Armed Forces never supported us.”

The Deputy Abyei Chief Administrator, Rahma Abdurrahman, in a separate interview with the press shortly after finishing the high level meeting declined to comment on allegations that the Misseriya recieved military support from the northern army.

“I cannot give you any comment on these allegations. You contact spokesman of the Sudan Armed Forces for clarifications. I do not speak for them”, said Rahma.

(ST)