Jau is part of South Sudan territory, minister says

February 29, 2012 (JUBA) – Juba on Tuesday refuted Khartoum’s reports that Jau lies north of their shared international border, and that South Sudan was involved in clashes there on Sunday, between insurgents and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF).

South Sudan’s minister of information, Barnaba Marial Benjamin, at a press briefing on Wednesday told journalists that the National Congress Party’s (NCP) claims about Juba’s involvement were false.

“They are claiming in the media in Khartoum that the Sudan People’s Liberation Army [SPLA] participated in Sunday’s attack. Get it well. This is not correct. We are not involved in what took place on Sunday in anyway”, Marial told reporters.

Marial said SAF “has been moving into the territories of the republic of South Sudan with intention to occupy oil fields and at some points they entered Jau in December before they were repelled, so they decided to put up a camp on the other side of lake, where they have been shielding positions of the SPLA without any response. Our people have never responded until today because we do not believe in violence”.

Marial reiterated South Sudan’s claim that Jau is part of Parieng county of Unity state. Khartoum claims it is part of South Kordofan.

In South Kordofan SAF are fighting a coalition of rebel groups know as the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF), which includes the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North. The NCP claims SRF led the Jau attack.

“South Sudan has nothing to do with what is going on in Sudan,” said Nhial Deng Nhial, South Sudan’s minister of foreign affairs.

Deng added that although the South Sudanese people had fought for peace, they would reserve their right to self-defense.

(ST)