UN official warns north against future attacks on independent S. Sudan
July 5, 2011 (JUBA) – As South Sudan prepares to become Africa’s newest nation in a few days time, a senior UN official has warned the Khartoum regime against future military aggression on the former, saying any form of attack would contravene international treaties.
The South is due to become independent following a successful self-determination referendum in which its population overwhelmingly chose separation. The vote was a key part of Sudan’s 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) which ended over two decades of war between North and South, in which two million people died.
Gressly, also outlined some of the notable achievements of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) through out his six-year and half year tenure at the helm, saying over 2,800 anti-personnel and anti-tank mines have either been removed or destroyed, including nearly 590,000 pieces of unexploded ordnance across the 10 states of the semi-autonomous region.
“Over $200m was invested in this vital exercise and as a result of their combined efforts, over 18,000 kilometers of cleared roads have been opened up across southern Sudan to facilitate the revival of commerce and other sectors of the regional economy,” said Gressly, who is set to become the regional director for the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in West Africa.
He further lauded efforts of the UNMIS peace keepers especially in the establishment of the ceasefire joint military committee, a body said to have played an instrumental role in the disengagement of the two armies and reportedly monitored the removal of all Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) units from southern Sudan. This process, according to Gressly, was completed in early 2008.
UNMIS, its regional coordinator emphasised, played an instrumental role in conflict mitigation as an intermediary between the two CPA parties, each time conflict situations aroused, citing two incidences of fighting in Malakal, the Upper Nile state capital in 2006 and 2009.
“In both instances, UNMIS used its good offices to help de-escalate tension between SAF [Sudan Armed Forces] and the SPLA [Sudan Peoples Liberation Army] units and restore peace and normalcy to the situation on the ground in that city,” Gressly said.
On July 9 the SPLA will become the official army of the independent Republic of South Sudan. The South accuses the North of backing the various rebel groups that exist in South Sudan – an allegation always denied by Khartoum.
The border between North and South is ill-defined and contested leading the two sides to agree a 10 kilomentre buffer either side of the border to try and avoid conflict. However, most post-independence issues have not been agreed upon and are being debated under the auspices of the African Union in Addis Ababa.
Among the main issues yet to be decided upon are how to split oil revenues, currency, national debt/assets, water rights and citizenship.
(ST)
Mi diit
UN official warns north against future attacks on independent S. Sudan
if bashier will attack south sudan after independence of july 9 then that will be deemed foreign invasion on another country according to international law.
Matata
UN official warns north against future attacks on independent S. Sudan
Oh Gosh, Let them try attack south Sudan, they will regret throughout their life.
2 days to goooooo!
Wad Burri
UN official warns north against future attacks on independent S. Sudan
Congratulation Mr. Gressly for completing your mission and also for the promotion. Can You shed some light on the money spent by the mission versus acheivement made? Now you are leaving the south, how far has your mission helped in redressing the real core problems of the region. The north is just one devil cursing the south, what did you to the others?
Cibaipiath Junub Sudan
UN official warns north against future attacks on independent S. Sudan
Mr Gressely, You made good remarks. Long live for you.
Mr Point
UN official warns north against future attacks on independent S. Sudan
UNMIS has done good work in routine clearing of mines. It has been useless when conflict has occurred in Abyei or Kordofan. Civilians have not been protected from murder by Sudan army. That may change in future.
A court in the Hague recently held Dutch UN peacekeepers responsible for failure to protect 3 muslim refugees in July 1995 in Srebrenica. The Dutch peacekeepers handed the men over to Bosnian Serb forces who killed them outside the UN compound.
Those with responsibility to protect civilians will be held accountable at a higher standard of responsibility than in the past. The UN will have to be more visible in conflict, and not outside it.
padiit gaga
UN official warns north against future attacks on independent S. Sudan
This unfinish weeping from Bashir that is why the want to attack southsudan to mess up this inpendent, he knew that the fat of sudan is in the south. However, his heart crying will not end because he will remain poor for ever. North sudan is dry every season the rain rain once a year which mean the will have no place to farm their crops. south will remain with their feilds.
The independent of south sudan is disaster in north because the land is empty.
God bless South Sudan.