Western Equatoria denounces invasion of Abyei territory by Sudan Armed Forces

May 23, 2011 (KAMPALA) – The government of Western Equatoria state organized a peaceful protest in the state capital Yambio in solidarity with the people of Abyei on Monday, after Abyei town was occupied by the northern army on Saturday.

Abyei, a disputed territory on the border between South and North Sudan, was supposed to hold a referendum to decide its future in January. But the referendum did not go ahead due to a dispute over who was legible to vote making it unclear to which part of Sudan the region may belong after July 9, when the South becomes independent.

In response to an attack by the southern army (SPLA) on a northern army (SAF) convoy that was leaving the area escorted by the UN, the SAF took control of the town on Saturday night. The occupation of Abyei has caused thousands of residents to flee the area.

Witnesses told Sudan Tribune that hundreds of Western Equatoria citizens in Yambio, the state capital, converged at secretariat of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), the south’s ruling party, on Monday morning in solidarity with people from the region.

The peaceful protest started with a long marching around the state capital. Students chanted and displayed slogans saying “no more war”, “truthful on your signatory in CPA”, “ICC takes notice of atrocities on Abyei”, “UN to run Abyei Referendum now” amongst others.

Government officials, church leaders, students, businessmen attended the march.

South Sudan is due to be declared an independent state on July 9 after voting overwhelmingly for secession in January’s referendum on self determination.

The acting governor of Western Equatoria state, who is the state minister of information and communications and the spokeperson of the state government Gibson Bullen Wande said the aim of the protest is to “share solidarity with our brothers in Abyei”.

“We are currently telling the government of Sudan under the leadership of Bashir, to stop war on Abyei and we are requesting Bashir and his forces to withdraw from Abyei and leave Abyei in peace,” he chanted.

Wande called upon president Bashir also to respect the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that was signed in 2005 that stated clearly that Abyei would hold a referendum whether to join the South or remain part of the North.

Wande urged the international community to immediately intervene on the Abyei crisis and organize the Abyei plebiscite.

“We don’t want war at this particular moment, we are calling upon the international community that let them immediately intervene into the situation of Abyei and stop the atrocities against the people of Abyei.”

“And we the government of Western Equatoria with all the protestors are saying we want international community with immediate effect to organize the Abyei referendum so that the people of Abyei can decide on their future” stressed Wande.

It is unclear who authorized the ambush by Southern Sudan policemen which killed 22 SAF members. The South Sudan government has apologized for the attack after the UN, US and others asked them to explain why the SAF convoy was attacked.

The SPLM state secretary Manasseh Doboi condemned the atrocities saying the SAF’s actions were in violation of the CPA.

“On behalf of the SPLM we condemn what is happening in Abyei, and we call upon the government of Sudan at least to call off the forces who are now in Abyei, who took control of Abyei. Because the SPLM is no longer in Abyei that is total violation of the CPA.”

Manaseh said war was not an option and the south wants peaceful co-existence with the north despite the separation of the country on July 9. He also called upon the north-south border to be demarcated.

Meanwhile one of the female members of the state legislative assembly Grace Apolo decried that “women have lost most of their children and husbands in the struggle of the nation.” South Sudan’s SPLA fought Khartoum for over two decades before the peace deal in 2005.

“For the communities if Abyei I pass my condolence to all the people living in Abyei that the shedding of the blood in Abyei we are sorry for that we join them in spirit, we are with them in the spirit because we are far to reach them, let them take courage and tell [President] Bashir we are fed up of him” she said.

The chairman of Yambio chamber of commerce Mbiko Barakat said “what Sudan government is currently doing in Abyei is a violation of the CPA. We shall stand with our government of Southern Sudan, and make sure Abyei will be ours and Abyei is ours,” he decried.

George Bullen Mbori a student from Comboni Secondary School called upon the UN Security Council to “take control of Abyei regions because Abyei is for southern Sudan.”

William Deng carried a banner advocating President Bashir’s arrest by the International Criminal Court. Bashir is wanted for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide for the conduct of his governments counter insurgency against rebels in Darfur.

(ST)