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UN relocates staff members out of Abyei as Luka Biong resigns

May 24, 2011 (KADUGALI) – The United Nations in Mission in Sudan has relocated hundreds of its civilian staff members out of Abyei after troops from the Khartoum controlled Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) occupied Abyei town on Saturday.

Armored personnel carriers manned by Zambian soldiers serving with the international peacekeeping force patrol the streets of Abyei, Sudan Tuesday, May 24, 2011 (UNMIS)
Armored personnel carriers manned by Zambian soldiers serving with the international peacekeeping force patrol the streets of Abyei, Sudan Tuesday, May 24, 2011 (UNMIS)
Over 25 tanks accompanied by heavy artillery mounted on vehicles, some of which surrounded the United Nations Camp until Sunday morning, launched a direct attack on the town. Some bombs landed in the United Nations compound, resulting in significant damage of some vehicles and equipments.

The seizure of the oil-producing region town of Abyei came following an attack in which 22 SAF soldiers were killed while their convoy was withdrawing out of Abyei on Thursday 19 May.

The military takeover saw intensified and organized looting as well as burning of houses belongings to civilians who fled the town. Some people are believed to have been killed but numbers are yet to be confirmed. An estimated 20,000 have fled the town.

Brigadier General Tajadin, the overall commanding officer of the forces of the Sudanese Army, on Saturday night declared in a message to the United Nations in Abyei that the town was under control of the Sudanese Army.

“The Sudan Armed forces have entered Abyei. We are in the town. The town is currently under our full control”, Tajadin told head of the United Nations in Abyei at 10:30pm on Saturday while giving assurances that staff members of the United Nations would be safe.

“We will do our best not to inflict harm on you. United Nations is not our target. We do not have problem with the United Nations. It is not our enemy”, said General Tajadin through a translator.

Despite the safety assurances, the United Nations on Monday says it considered relocating some of its staff members for safety purposes as well as lack of food in the town and fear of possible retaliation.

A UN member of staff who wished to remain anonymous, as they were not authorized to talk to the media, told Sudan Tribune that some staff were “frightened” and wanted to leave the area.

“We requested relocation because most of us have family members who fled this violence and are confused. Others are frightened by exchange of fire and fear of being harmed in the cross fire. This is why we needed relocation. The other reason is that there is no food. The town is empty. People have run away. There is no where to get food if even there is money,” the UN staff member says.

He said that some staff members had been relocated to Kadugli while others were taken to Wau.

Guang Cong, head of the United Nations office in Abyei, said most of the staff expressed concerns and demanded to be relocated on a provisional basis until the situation stabilizes.

On Tuesday, May 24, Luka Biong Deng, a minister of cabinet affairs in the Government of National Unity in Khartoum announced his resignation over the capture of his native town of Abyei and the dissolution of its administration.

He accused Sudanese government of committing war crimes under the watch of its president, Omer Hassan Al-Bashir, and that he could not continue to be part of it.

(ST)

16 Comments

  • Land-of-Cush
    Land-of-Cush

    UN relocates staff members out of Abyei as Luka Biong resigns
    UN staffs must leave the town for their safety.
    As enemy has taken the town forcefully so they can do no much.

    Luka Biong have taken a right decision to resign from NGU as no way out to face your enemy who kills your mum, dad, sister, brother and children while still under his management. Also all south Sudanese ministers in NGU must resigns too because what happen in Abyei need our concern not only Luka Biong. If they don’t care about Abyei incident ok we them one by one and they will not grant any position in future.

    Reply
  • Ayuel Bong
    Ayuel Bong

    UN relocates staff members out of Abyei as Luka Biong resigns
    Mr.Former Minister Luka Biong,you have made a brave decision not to be a part of crimes against your own people. In fact, people of Southern Sudan deserve you credibility and that will be a spirit of leadership so go ahead and we as people of Southern Sudan with dignity and respect behind you.

    Reply
  • Aleu
    Aleu

    UN relocates staff members out of Abyei as Luka Biong resigns
    If the International community are not able to do something like what they did in Libya then, they have to leave Sudan right now without delay. There is no reason for U.N. to stay in Sudan when civilians are been murders in their presence since they went in Sudan.

    It is very hard to tell what the U.N. want to do in Sudan when many violation have been made by Khartoum government and nothing been done to save innocents people particular, in Southern Sudan and the Darfur region. In my view I think U.N. must get out because people are dying in their faces since they took over responsibility and none action was been taken.

    A shame to International to let the dictatoship who have been indicted murdring innocents civilians. Please get out in Sudan and let Southern Sudanese and Darfurian dies alone.

    Reply
  • Madut Tong
    Madut Tong

    UN relocates staff members out of Abyei as Luka Biong resigns
    Dear readers,

    The allegations that SAF and the NCP made that they were bringing peace to Abyei prove to be false. this is clear from the reaction of UNMIS in the area, they are not in peace because they fear that they can get harm by this terrorist army. You cann’t bring peace by occupying the area by force, this also should be a lesson for all those who want to bring change in the south through military means. It doesn’t work for it only kill, displace, and cause insecurity in the area. Peace is only attained through negotiation and agreements.

    Dr. Luka Biong has made a great decision to sympathize with the people of Abyei, this is the reason he took arms during the civil war against this tyrany government. Those who do not know the history of struggle in the south after Addis Ababa agreement says that the war broke in the south in May 1983, but it started years before 1983, by the Akobo rebellion followed by Abyei citizens in late 1970s. the move by SAF reminded me of the long war between the so called Mesyriya and the people of Ngok Dinka and I hope it will not happen again. Let’s seek peaceful means of solving this problem.

    Reply
  • liberator3
    liberator3

    UN relocates staff members out of Abyei as Luka Biong resigns
    Son of bastard (Luka Biong Deng Majok)

    Your father Deng Majok for few of children like you to go to school. but now, South is leaving you wanted to come back well, that is good. but people like you have created so much division in the South when you were a top Kiir adviser and you helped rigged and threatened people during last year elections.

    But you ran to Khartoum to have a position in Al-Bashir Government in order to get some petro dollar into your pockets now that the situation is beyond your control, you have decided to come back South. please, stay away from the South Sudan political system until you decided to go and fight for your land in Abyei and may we can allow traitors like you back in the fold with some conditions.

    You have done a great damage to the South. Deng Alor to should step down from that Regional corporation porfolio since, he is in the same fold with you..all he does along with his brother Arop Deng(the head mission of Ethiopia) is praticing tribalism against Southerners who helped liberate South. please go to Abyei and liberate it from Jallaba first before talking to fisrt class citizens of the South.!!!!!

    Reply
  • Cibaipiath Junub Sudan
    Cibaipiath Junub Sudan

    UN relocates staff members out of Abyei as Luka Biong resigns
    Dear Southerners,
    I am now connected with you once and again. I have been engaged and out of the media to read your comments after the invasion of Abyei which loving citizens of the South are not happy about.

    Dear Southerners, the facts remained in its history. We are Southerners though some of us are spying against us to stand with criminals Arabs. The SAF controlled over Abyei is a total violation of the Abyei Protocols, the Resolutions in the CPA and PCA. Killing of the innocent civilians in their own land is optimum genocide in Abyei.

    However, I do really appreciate the decision of Dr. Luka Biong to rescind from the Government of National Unity. It is in its place and there is no need for him to be in the Government that kills his own people in their land. Dr. Luka should resign as he did although remaining one month ahead to quit the GONU. He shuold do it though it is a matter of one or few hours left. He took a wise decision. We all need to support him.

    UNMIS should now take the challenge on why civilians are being killed in their Presence. International community are aware and have already voiced out their condemnations against aggressive attacks by Bashir and its SAF.

    Yes, the arabs (SAF) are celebrating these days of their victory. Victory is paid through human loses. One day, Southerners will proclaim victory of Abyei by all means.

    Reply
  • monykuc, Southerner
    monykuc, Southerner

    UN relocates staff members out of Abyei as Luka Biong resigns
    The resignation of Cabinet Minister in the government of national unity as the result of 19 may takeover of Abyei by Sudan Arm Forces is a significant decision. I appreciate that partriotism.

    Reply
  • Mr. Truthteller
    Mr. Truthteller

    UN relocates staff members out of Abyei as Luka Biong resigns
    South Sudanese,

    SAF will remain to control Abyei until we declare our independence on July 9, 2011. We can’t foolishly fight in Abyei at this time.

    Look, even the administrator of Abyei, Arop whatever, has fled like a woman up to Wau in Western Bahr el Ghazal leaving Aweil and Kuajok, which are near to his people who fled from Abyei.

    Luka Biong’s so-called resignation is just a joke. He knows that he has only 43 days any way to be forced to resign from Northern cabinet as a minister according to the CPA that ends on July 9.

    If he was really serious about Abyei then why didn’t he resign in January when Abyei was denied to conduct the referendum like the South?

    He will only miss one month salary because Kiir will reappoint him as minister in July during the formation of transitional government.

    His resignation is not a serious business but prompted by fear of unknown inside Khartoum before July 9.

    That is all, folks!!!

    Reply
  • Mr. Truthteller
    Mr. Truthteller

    UN relocates staff members out of Abyei as Luka Biong resigns
    Luka Biong’s so-called resignation is just a joke. He knows that he has only 43 days any way to be forced to resign from Northern cabinet as a minister according to the CPA that ends on July 9.

    If he was really serious about Abyei then why didn’t he resign in January when Abyei was denied to conduct the referendum like the South?

    He will only miss one month salary because Kiir will reappoint him as minister in July during the formation of transitional government.

    His resignation is not a serious business but prompted by fear of unknown inside Khartoum before July 9.

    That is all, folks!!!

    Reply
  • Mr. godfather master of reality
    Mr. godfather master of reality

    UN relocates staff members out of Abyei as Luka Biong resigns
    NOW IN JUBA many SPLA soldiers refuse to go and fight
    for Salva kirr government
    simply because of tribalism and corruption

    there salaries is not been paid on time

    FOX’S that means WE DO NOT HAVE NATIONAL ARMY TO PROTECT SOUTH
    FROM ANY INVASION
    SOUTH SUDAN IS NOW A FREE ZONE ANY INVASION FROM ANYWHERE WILL NOT FACE A SINGLE FIGHT FROM DINKA’S GOVERNMENT AT ALL

    that’s why DINKA’S GOVERNMENT RUNNING THERE BIG MOUTH IN JUBA WITH OUT ACTION
    we will never see any action whats so ever
    in the near future

    SALVER KIRR WILL NEVER PROTECT SOUTHERNERS FROM ISLAMIC NORTH
    WE ARE DOOM UNDER DINKA’S GOVERNMENT

    NOW WE KNOW THAT THEY HAVE NEVER LIBERATE SOUTH SUDAN AT ALL
    OTHER TRIBES HAVE DONE THAT JOB

    Reply
  • Marco A. Wek
    Marco A. Wek

    UN relocates staff members out of Abyei as Luka Biong resigns
    Mr. Devilfather, if SPLA refused to go and fight as you claim, then why don’t you and the southern food and higher position loving militias go and fight instead. Useless people like you knows only the windier talks.

    Who told you Salva wants to fight before July 9th? Time is yet to come and those talking the talk will stop talking at the right time. North is praying for the south to react at this time to service their interest but they know south is not the south they knew in fities and sixties and they know that. The right time is yet to come mouron.

    Reply
  • Buffalo One
    Buffalo One

    UN relocates staff members out of Abyei as Luka Biong resigns
    Mr. Truth-Teller,
    I agree with you because a person can not stop the fire when it reaches the roofs.

    Abyei citizens should understand that taking a wrong decision could affect the entire live of the coming Generation. Poor tradition leaders of Abyei left a bad legacy behind in which the blessed soldiers who fought tirelessly for the cause of South Sudan are dying today innocently, a war we never expected.

    The so-called Abyei leaders are queuing up for leadership here in Juba and never take a lead to fight their invited enemy. Shame on Luka Biong, Deng Alor, and Pieng the son of a disgruntled Deng Majok who brought all these chaos in Abyei.

    Reply
  • Wise Fox
    Wise Fox

    UN relocates staff members out of Abyei as Luka Biong resigns
    Something secret Southerners do not know about the planned of Deng Majok’s sons, as they have planned it to set the ambush that claimed 22 lives of SAF Soldiers during their evocation from Abyei as disputyed by UNMIS to reduced their number as discussed.

    Before the ambush was set, Biong, Alor, Lino, Ping and Kuol Dem were disappointed by President Bashir’s speech on State Television, as he was addressing the public that Abyei will remain as part of North, if South Sudan really wanted to be independent on 9 July 2011.

    Hence, Deng Majok’s sons have rushed to create tension in the area by ordering South Sudan forces to ambush SAF resulted of killing 22 SAF/NCP troops, so that SAF can heavily respond, and the entire country will go back to war, as wanted by SAF/NCP and there will be no independent of the South after that. So Deng Majok’s sons can not lose their position of ministers in the GoSS if Sudan remain as one country.

    That was all about Deng Majok’s sons theories.
    And was really funny for them, to do such a horrible plan that can ruin the future of all South Sudanese because, of Abyei that their Groundfather Deng Majok have sold to Kadukle.

    Reply
  • Wise Fox
    Wise Fox

    UN relocates staff members out of Abyei as Luka Biong resigns
    Let Dr Biong go to hell and makes his appeal or resignation there in hell. As he was the one who planned that invasion so that Sudan can go back to war. and to hold his position In the GoSS.

    Reply
  • Wise Fox
    Wise Fox

    UN relocates staff members out of Abyei as Luka Biong resigns
    Mr. who do think to be belame now, Southerners are angry with Salva Kiir and his leadership, so we shouldn’t avoid pointing finger at him. Because, He did mass up yes he did.

    Reply
  • Green is beautiful
    Green is beautiful

    UN relocates staff members out of Abyei as Luka Biong resigns
    Mr Godfather,
    These soldiers who refused to go to war did not refuse because they were not paid but because they were cowards.
    thanks

    Reply
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