North Sudanese oil workers evacuated from Unity state
April 22, 2011 (JUBA) – Northern Sudanese employees working at the oilfields of South Sudan’s Unity state have begun evacuating as fighting between the South Sudan army (SPLA) as rebel forces under the command of the renegade Peter Gatdet Yak, have intensified for the last four days in the state.
The minister of information in Unity state, Gideon Gatpan Thoar, told Sudan Tribune on Friday from the state capital, Bentiu, that the northern oil company employees were evacuated to Higlig area near the North-South border where the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) have deployed. He said the workers could return to their stations any time, explaining that the decision was based on ensuring their safety in response to anger expressed by the state citizens against northerners whom they accuse of supporting renegade Peter Gatdet.
On Thursday in Khartoum, the undersecretary of the Ministry of Petroleum, Omer Mohamed Khair, confirmed the evacuation saying the 150 oil workers from north Sudan are to resume their work in the Unity state within 24 hours after the end of fighting.
Chinese diplomats in Juba have expressed concern to the Southern Sudanese authorities about the insecurity caused by the fighting and its implications in the oilfields operated by the China National Petroleum Company (CNPC). The Chinese Consul General in Juba this week said more than 200 northern Sudanese drillers and other staff have been asked to evacuate the area for safety reasons by the Unity state government.
Bol Gatkuoth, former member of the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly and the current spokesperson of Gatdets’s rebel group, claimed that the SSLA captured Guong on 19 April, and captured Mankien on 21 April, after two separate clashes with the SPLA forces in the state. Officials of Unity state, including the commissioner of Mayom county, reportedly confirmed the capture of the two towns by the rebel group.
However, SPLA spokesman Colonel Philip Aguer, denied the claim that the second town, Mankien, fell to the rebels. No casualties were reported by both sides.
The rebels claim to seek control of strategic locations in the state to establish a base in the renegade General’s home county, Mayom, from which to command his rebellion against Juba. South Sudan officials suspect that the militia group wants to create a corridor of supply route of weapons and ammunitions from Khartoum to their base in Mayom from which to expand their targets into other areas in the region.
The rebel force of Peter Gatdet is one among the seven other different rebel groups fighting against the government. They are based in Jonglei, Upper Nile, Unity and Northern Bahr el Ghazal states. They claim to be fighting for democracy and justice and against tribalism and corruption.
Most groups began their rebellion due to grievances caused by elections last year but others who were not part of the SPLA in the past like the SSLA accused the South Sudan government of corruption and tribalism.
The South Sudan government rejects the accusations and claim that Gatdet is being backed by Khartoum.
The United Nations Security Council briefing on Thursday on the situation in Sudan raised concern about the increasing violence in South Sudan ahead of formal independence on July 9. In January the South voted to secede in a plebiscite agreed as part of a 2005 peace deal that ended over two decades of conflict.
The 15-member UN body was briefed by the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Atul Khare, who told the Council that a number of internal grievances which might have contributed to the rebellion needed to be addressed in South Sudan.
The UN official’s presentation further highlighted the need to address “ethnic tensions, mismanagement, political and social marginalization, economic development and governance, especially in rule of law institutions “.
(ST)
Hero
North Sudanese oil workers evacuated from Unity state
They must stop supporting these Traitors or the oil will stop flowing.No excuse for anyone who’s wagging war against South Sudan.
dinkador1
North Sudanese oil workers evacuated from Unity state
LET THEM GO AND NEVER CAME BACK IN THE FETURE.
SPLA, THAT IS OURS, ON MORE CHANCE TO THOSE NORTHERNS.
Paul
North Sudanese oil workers evacuated from Unity state
Does Peter Gadet with his SSLA really think he can take over South Sudan even with help from the North? What an Jack@ss!! Monkey will face it since monkey lack innart peaceful means of solving issues.
Bol Deng
North Sudanese oil workers evacuated from Unity state
SPLM is going to learn better by now because they have been giving militia the key position in the army while they fail to understand the heart of those devils who are working hard to destabilize the South Sudan ever since.
Now, its time for SPLM to walk up and adopt the old method of saying no to any militia and if they way it by violence the let us go for it and thing will be fine.
I am so mad about the activities of those militia in the South. I wish i was a commander so that I can uproots these militia in the South Sudan to Khatoum. SPLM must not award any one who rebels against the SPLM/A for any position.
Theone
North Sudanese oil workers evacuated from Unity state
This Empty head animal gave North Sudan oil fields in 1990’s and now this SAVAGE want to give the oil to the North again. WHERE is Salva? why he doesn’t round up these rats and burn them?
I am tired of these animals who have nothing contribute to South Sudan. The only they have done in their animal live is killing. So let them die first!
Bol Deng
North Sudanese oil workers evacuated from Unity state
I am mad indeed because SPLM/A is not doing what they suppose to do against the militias in the South Sudan.
They must react aggressively to the militia of Gadet Yak in a full scale because this violence has reached into the climax of war. This stupid Gatdet must be brought dead to Juba because he is creating the war before the real war that we are waiting. For me, i am very much concerned why SPLA defect in the middle of fight and join Gadet. Is this not war affecting SPLA in most cases? yes, this war is going to be tribal one if SPLM do not respnse very quickly because I hate when these food lovers are always talking aaginst Dinka tribe while Dinka has really fought the real war for decades and they did not attack any tribe base on the tribal line but i am concerned that if this happened,dear all there is going to amajor supprise that South Sudanese will see and the somalia that Majority of Nuer are wishing will be smell soon if we called it alast solution. Caution!
Angelo Ajiech Manyuat
North Sudanese oil workers evacuated from Unity state
Dear readers,
The problem of insecurity need to be addressed seriously by the GOSS before it getting worst. Those pathetic renegades such as Peter Gatdet & George Athor don’t care about the life of other people rather than their own interests. How will Peter Gatdet going to curb corruption while he’s part of a system? In reality, corruption cannot be eradicated by taking arms against your own government, but it can be erased only by codified strong laws. Moreover, president Kiir need to be careful this time otherwise he’ll not last in his job to rise the flag of our independence. In addition, president Kiir should understand why late Dr. John don’t keep Dr. Riak & Dr. Lam Akol closer. Not to be judgememental, I’m quite sure that Dr. Riak has connection with those rebels because he wants to be a president by any all means possible, but it is not going to happen by supporting rebels while getting to understand that war is the worst thing. Needless to say, insecurity will stop in South Sudan as long as those two Drs. still lives in South Sudan period.
Bol Deng
North Sudanese oil workers evacuated from Unity state
The Militias/warlords revealed their colors; Now SPLM must open their eyes. It was once said by William Nyuon Bany that “We have people but few people perform right things”
He is right! This is the same thing which has gone for many years. Yes, there is something going wrong in the South Sudan. In fact, during the South-North war, there were numerous rebellions, but they failed after their dirty tactics has become known. The power struggle leaders employed this kind when there is almost some success; there are some who come up with distortions at the margin of progress. Indeed, I am not going to lecture about the rebellions that had occurred in the South. But these are few: The rebels from Anya Nya2 of Akuot Atem and Gach Tut did it when the South Sudanese turn up in large numbers to take up arms against the Khartoum; there is huge setback from 1983-1985. Not only that but when SPLM/A was about to capture Juba in 1992, rebellions occurred from 1991, 1992, 1993, and there we go: now the South is expecting the declaration of independent in July 9, 2011, and then other rebellions within. So, it’s clear that we have something uncivilized among us-something that do not want success.
The leaders of the Republic of South Sudan must check the source of these rebellions before the situation diffuse across the South Sudan. I felt like there is something going on here in the South Sudan. Something like these rumors circulates back in 1990s when Dr Lam Akol and Dr Riek Machar masterminded their defection in 1991. I was in Panyido in Ethiopia at that time when the recent vice president was about to be arrested but Dr John Garang refuse and he said that let the SPLM/A understands his position of his rebellion. The current vice-president called meetings in Panyido and in Markas- the training camp. He said that this time everybody is going to hear the sound of guns. The current president of ROSS/ Salva Kiir following him, but he was not told to arrest him nor any SPLM/A leaders in Panyido. Eventually, he ends up rebels against the SPLM in August 28, 1991. I was in Pachalla at the time. That rebellions cause the SPLM/A to withdrew some troops from Juba deployment in the airport to Bor counties after the militia(SSIM) of Riek Machar turn against Bor civilians after they failed to overthrow Dr John Garang de Mabior. The same happened in Mageri when William Nyuon Bany defect and many other rebellions were tried by many officers who just seek for immediate leadership positions before the elephant was killed.
I knew that we have problems among ourselves and these are not going to end because everyone is looking for presidency and other high positions. Also, there are others who are still suffering from tribalism which makes them to hate SPLM and its leaders. It was told weeks ago that the Khartoum government is working to ploy a coup against the government of the Republic of South Sudan. The document was verified and there were clear indication that the Khartoum government has been working hard to destabilize the South Sudan. The Khartoum also disclosed that the government of South Sudan needs to know that the current vice-president of South Sudan has a crucial linked with the rebels who rebel against the SPLM. And there has been allegation that the SPLM tactics always reached the rebel leaders in there positions. The rebels received information within the GOSS leadership. The VP of the GOSS gets criticism because he has been talking as if he has connection with the rebellion of General Athor Deng. Riek blamed his party that SPLM/A should not handle this rebellions military but peaceful. While the militia leaders keep ordering the attack to the SPLA barracks in Unity, Jonglei, and Upper Nile states. He further said that the military action will turn to tribal issue. But why did says that responding to rebels militias will turn tribal? This is a clear indication that he might be the centre for coordination. He even once allowed his wife to run against the SPLM as independent and he keep quite as if he was innocent. I can not smoke about him.
These rebel activities reminded me about some questions during the referendum. After I went to the voting center in Janary12, 2011, two of my friends asked me some questions about how I fill about this referendum and whether I am confidence that the South Sudan will be a viable state. One of my friends was from Ethiopia and the other was my neighbor from Khartoum who came to the United States as a child. He works in a company closer to my workplace. My Ethiopian friend (his name withheld) asked me are you sure that south Sudan is not going to be like Eretria or Somalia? When he asked me that question I felt something but I have defended myself that we will be a stable state. I asked him why? He simply says he does not know but curious. After I left, I felt that he might be right because we have enemies of peace and these enemies might cause some destabilizations sometimes after or before the independent of the South through dirty tactics that they did in the past, whereby they used South Sudanese militias against their own people in the South.
My Khartoum friend asked a sensitive questions which make me response little different. He asked me do you think that the South Sudan will achieve this independent, and if that happen ,are you guys going to live in unity because of many tribes in the South who hate each other? After I examined his question, I felt like this Arab guy has something that he knows in our history and struggle. I say that we will achieve this independent like the way we let you sign the CPA ,and I told him that our internal issues will be solve by the GOSS but not individual, so when a country has many tribes, it doesn’t mean that there will be an internal issues. See, how proud I am! But I really know that there are some people out there like Monituel Banypiny and Dr Lam Akol who portrayed the South Sudan to the North/Khartoum. These are things that we must watch out in the Republic of the South Sudan: Power struggle within the leadership and the warlords who sold out their services for survival during the South-North war. What do the militias/warlords who fought until the CPA against the South Sudan really want? The SPLM/A must act militarily now before Khartoum or international laugh at us.
wang
North Sudanese oil workers evacuated from Unity state
To Bol Deng, I don’t think you are concerning about the life of your people back home ( South Sudan) and if your are! You shouldn’t be dancing about tribal war on this web. Please let us not supporting this tribal war
Adam
North Sudanese oil workers evacuated from Unity state
Oh! This is the expected result of the foolish SPLA/SPLM way of running Southern Sudan. What one expect from them but the fragmenting everything we hoped for. SPLM cannot stop the deterioration of the situation anymore. This is how dictatorship and arrogance turn things. More troops will join the rebels in the 4 states, especially those who are going to return from the North after long service in the National Army. We’re witnessing the dismantling of an unborn state.
If oil fields are threatened like this, from where Southern Sudan will get funds? Starvation, disease, backwardness, ignorance, killing and ethnic cleansing will dominate more than ever. We here, know and witness more than what the article is revealing.
The Southerners should up-rise against this corrupted junta. The situations are becoming unbearable. SPLA/SPLM should go to hell. Political parties and rebels should work together. We need a Savior.
Down with SPLA/M. Long live Southern Sudan.
Adam Milawaki, Kuajok, Southern Sudan
Murle Intellectual
North Sudanese oil workers evacuated from Unity state
All the non-dinka must now stop fighting to defend the dinka. Let them be defeated in every military action. It is tribalism that we don’t accept. Some of us will shoot to kill key dinka elements inside Juba itself. From now on some snipers inside Juba town will start work. Death to dinka
Angelo Ajiech Manyuat
North Sudanese oil workers evacuated from Unity state
What the hell you doing in my town Adam anyway? Calling SPLM/SPLA stupid labelling you as our number one enemy. Adam, SPLM are really stupid because they allowed you to stay in Kuajok, right?
actiongatkuoth
North Sudanese oil workers evacuated from Unity state
hey hey!!!!!!!!
Theone,
what the useless things are you talking about???????/
please don,t talk like mad as you are realy mad man,
schame on you,
is there any animals in the South rather than you????????
just go and fill your empty head with skill inorder to talk.
thank,
Green is beautiful
North Sudanese oil workers evacuated from Unity state
Adam
You hopeless like this writter who mention there are rebells in NBeG State.where did he locate rebells in North state?this article is full of lies, quack jounernalist.
Dinka Dominated SPLA
North Sudanese oil workers evacuated from Unity state
The majority of people in nuerland were not provided with any kind of schooling and were completely illiterate, very badly paid, and treated almost as slaves. stil the stupid dog want to give away our oil to Arab again.how many time dose he want to be enslaves by northernse? death to them
Refuter
North Sudanese oil workers evacuated from Unity state
murle dogs like you are not suppose to insult dinkas,can a servant insult his/her master? you are well known of abduction of children,stealing dinkas cows, no different between you and animals,you are living in forest like animals,are you people? even the little education that you have you got it through dinka
dinka the strongest people in the world
its mention in bible(Isaiah ch.18)
mohammed ali
North Sudanese oil workers evacuated from Unity state
The decision was taken by Taban Deng and not by the GOSS.It was meant as a punishment to the north for what Taban alleged as northern support to the rebells.Unfortunately the stopped the oil produnctio and might cause irreberable damage to the oil transporting facilities.This why the Chinese and both north and south government are concerned.
DrMACHAR will be today in unity stste to resolve the problem with Tban and stop him from taking unilateral decisions which will affect the south national interest.
It has already been agreed that workers should go back to do their job within 24 hours.
Already an agremment to protect the oil field by both armies had been signed and there is no question of security as far as workers are concernes.
Stephen Gatloth K
North Sudanese oil workers evacuated from Unity state
Only to the article,
I hope this decision of repelled north workers at the oil field in Unity State will reflect back to the south and Bentiu in particular.Why?definetly those Arabs north are not easy,they will not release our oil share especially 2% since the power still on their hand. what do you think?
It is better to do a things with some calculation and accountibly.Be sure or esteemate how lose and benefit will you be executed your decision.
This impromtu decision is not for people like big ministers,governors and other key official,otherwise one time,one day,you will lose the public income that in turn will be translated as your weakness.
There is a say “people living in glasse houses could not throw stone”.
Whom will you blame if such a cercumincances come? It is not these Arabs working at oil field who torurize our south Sudan,but the gov`t in Khartoum that you alway sits on ruond table and discuss with.These ones are all inocence in that.They are not part of these problems.
Madina Kebir
North Sudanese oil workers evacuated from Unity state
Unity State citizens must united and fought against with those Gatdet Yaka who were pay to destrorying Southern Sudan.
We have confirm that, Gatdet Yaka did not defected with his army but the North Sudan government had called him and gave him militia and Gadet was so foolishly to accepted bribe in order to kills his Southerners Sudanese brothers who are in the SPLA as he was leading them and now is turning to be their enemy what a world can say this primitiveness man. The way this Gatdet started to defection is just like someone who is unhuman to think rational why should the enemy of my people told me something and accepted their Ideas for what reason. The end of Gatdet Yaka to hell so close and Unity State citizens must deny him and his group.
We have also confirm that, the most problems from Gatdet Yaka for why he made a wrongfully choice was because he had over 70 wives recently and the source said, there were too many arguments between all these marriages wives and him as a husband simply, because he can not give them exactly services they wives were seeking and Gatdet had decide to go back to Khartoum government so that, he will be giving money by the Omar al Basir government as it is something that, North Sudan government are interesting to see human beings losing in Southern Sudan because that is how the Khartoum government have been murdering thousand and million people in Sudan but there is no U.N. Can take action for Sudan so what can innocents people do.? They are just dying under dictatorship government while International body are keeping quite this is unforgetable.
We hope the Southern Sudan’s government must do the best they can to deny those militiamen being backing by the Khartoum government and Southern Sudanese from now must have a good plan to deal with Khartoum even when it mean bad relationship with them that is fine. There is no sign of setting good relationship with North Sudan government at any level when such a things have been continuing in six years and then. The GOSS also must speaking to all Southerners Sudanese clearly and to informing them not to accepted their Sons who are now being fool by the Khartoum government against their own will.