Khartoum replaces representative in Abyei joint committee

By Ngor Arol Garang

October 26, 2011 (JUBA) – Sudan’s government named Elkheir Elfaheem Almaki as its new representative to the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee on 25 October replacing the outgoing Omer Suleiman.

The replacement letter was signed by Idris M. Abdelgadir, state minister at the presidency, who said Khartoum was committed to resolving the dispute between Sudan and South Sudan over the flash point oil-region.

The African Union’s High Implementation Panel welcomed Almaki’s appointment and restated the AU’s commitment to supporting the two parties resolve differences Abyei and other issues that have arisen since South Sudan seceded from Sudan in July.

Boitshoko Mokgatlh, an AU representative facilitating activities for the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee told Sudan Tribune in an e-mail on Wednesday that he hoped the appointment would mean the AU ‘will commence to undertake our responsibilities as defined by the Temporary Arrangements for Administration and Security for Abyei’, an agreement signed in June this year.

The Joint Oversight Committee was established in September as part of an agreement between the two countries to demilitarise the area after Sudan army overran the area in May.

Representatives to the committee from both countries were supposed to appointed by 30 September. South Sudan has accused Sudan of delaying making its appointments to the committee and for not withdrawing its troops from the region before the end of September as stipulated in the deal.

Both Sudan and South Sudan claim the sovereignty over Abyei. The dispute was supposed to have been decided in a referendum in January 2011, however the poll did not take place because of disagreement over who should be allowed to take part.

On Wednesday, Thabo Mbeki, a former President of South Africa who chairs the AU’s High Implementation Panel held a meeting with Sudanese First Vice President Ali Osman Mohammed Taha, which aides described in a telephone interview with Sudan Tribune as “fruitful”.

The aide said that the meeting ‘reviewed post independence issues including Abyei and North-South border”, but declined to give any further comment.

Abyei community calls for accelerated international pressure on Khartoum

Citizens from Abyei on Tuesday called on the international community to exert more pressure on Khartoum to withdraw troops from the area.

The leaders said Sudan has repeatedly failed to keep a commitment to withdraw its forces from the disputed territory by the end of September as stipulated in the Addis Ababa agreement.

“The international community knows very well who is violating the agreement yet remains silent while it has a responsibility to help citizens of Abyei return to their ancestral home land with dignity and respect like other citizens in any country,” said Miyen Alor Kuol, a senior member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).

“For everyone’s knowledge it is no new that the Sudanese army has repeatedly refused to withdraw its troop from Abyei. No withdrawal has not taken place since the agreement was signed in June instead they are raising and giving unnecessary conditions,” he said.

“As community we appeal to the two presidents to live up to their promises as leaders of the two parties to implement the agreement to the spirit of peace, love and cooperation. Resolving differences on Abyei would be the only simplest way to cement and promote strong bilateral ties and cooperation”.

South Sudan says it has already withdrawn its forces from the area in line with the provision of the agreement blaming Khartoum for failing to do the same.

Khartoum says it will withdraw it forces from the area only when the agreement is fully implemented and the United Nations completes its deployment to the area.

So far 1,800 Ethiopian peacekeepers have arrived in Abyei out of a planned UN contingent of 4,200.

The two countries reached an understanding in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa to withdraw their forces from the Abyei area so as to facilitate the return of the displaced population and ensure the smooth beginning of the migration season.”

The Sudanese army took Abyei by force in May in response to what it claimed as attack on its forces withdrawing from the area. The UN estimates that 110,000 inhabitants fled Abyei when the Sudanese army took control of the area.

While Sudan has indicated it is waiting for a full UN deployment before it withdraws, South Sudan says there withdrawal is not contingent on the UN deployment.

South Sudanese officials have said Sudan’s failure to keep to the accord is proof that it does not intend to withdraw from the symbolic, fertile and oil region.

South Sudan split from the north this year after a landmark self-determination vote, agreed in a 2005 peace deal.

Sudan’s Foreign Ministry summoned the British Ambassador to Khartoum on 18 October, over comments made on his blog, which included noting the lack of progress on Abyei.

(ST)