Bashir declares war to “discipline” South Sudan

April 19, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese President Omer Al-Bashir continued his tirade against South Sudan on Thursday with a declaration of war to “discipline” Juba.

Al-Bashir has already taken war rhetoric against South Sudan to unprecedented levels, telling supporters at a rally in the capital Khartoum a day earlier that his goal is to topple the government of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Juba to free South Sudan’s people.

Addressing a similar mobilisation rally in al-Obayid, the capital of North Kordofan State, Al-Bashir said that his country would forget about “carrots” and use the “stick” to “discipline” the leaders of South Sudan.

Dressed in military uniform, Al-Bashir stressed that Khartoum would not cede an inch of its territories to the South Sudan’s army SPLA which he described as a group of “traitors and mercenaries.”

He further accused Juba’s government of being the friend of “Zionism and agents of the West”, vowing that Khartoum will be South Sudan’s first enemy.

Last week, the Sudanese parliament declared South Sudan an enemy state after the SPLA wrestled control of Heglig oil-producing area following the most serious fighting between the two countries since the south seceded in July last year.

“We will be its [South Sudan’s] first enemy and we will work to discipline it and teach it a lesson that [Juba] will never forget” Al-Bashir told the crowd.

He went on to deride the actions of South Sudan’s leaders, saying they have failed to run the country that Khartoum gave them and that even animals are more intelligent than them.

Al-Bashir also poured scorn on indications by the UN Security Council that it might impose sanctions on the two countries, saying he believes neither the US nor the UN will ever punish South Sudan.

“It is up to you to punish them” Al-Bashir addressed the crowd.

In Washington, meanwhile, the spokesman for the US state department, Mark Toner, expressed concern over heightened rhetoric between the two sides and reiterated calls for immediate cessation of hostilities.

Toner noted the “unconstructive” rhetoric being made and said that his country wants to see an immediate and unconditional cessation of violence by both parties.”

He went on to specify that this means immediate withdrawal of South Sudanese forces from Heglig” and “an immediate end to all aerial bombardments of South Sudan by the Sudanese armed forces.”

(ST)