Reinstating West Kordofan state “dodging responsibility”, says SPLM-N
April 12, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement- North (SPLM-N) criticised Sudan’s government decision to re-establish West Kordofan state and described it as “dodging responsibility”.
President Omer Hassan Al-Bashir abolished West Kordofan state in August 2005, and established the greater South Kordofan while some of its territory was affected to North Kordofan state.
The measure was part of the provisions of a protocol related to the resolution of the conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile state encompassed in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of January 2005 between the Sudanese government and the former South Sudanese rebels SPLM-N.
The SPLM-N’s secretary of information in Nuba Mountains / South Kordofan, Jatika Amoja Delman, in a press statement on Friday, considered the approval of proposal to re-establish West Kordofan state a move that will push the region towards more suffering and marginalization.
Dalman further blamed NCP’s Misseriya members for the decision, saying “Their loyalty to Khartoum’s regime contributed to the continuing deterioration in the region”.
He said that Dar Misseriya region remained vulnerable to marginalization since emergence of the central state in Sudan; pointing out that the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) looted the region without providing the minimum elements for development.
West Kordofan is the home of Misseriya tribe and where are located the oil fields in the current South Kordofan.
The governor of South Kordofan, Ahmed Haroun, said in statement following the cabinet meeting that the bill fulfilled one of his election campaign pledges.
He underscored that it is also a step towards promoting decentralisation, considering the new state of West Kordofan as a push to the process of development and stability in the country.
The NCP included the reinstatement of West Kordofan state among its electoral pledges for the elections of South Kordofan governor in May 2011. Since, a commission was set up to prepare the separation of the two states.
During his visit to South Kordofan last December, Sudanese First Vice President, Ali Osman Taha announced that West Kordofan state will be soon reestablished as a separate territorial administrative entity during the celebrations of the Independence Day in January.
Different reports said the re-division of the region can intervene in the framework of a political agreement between the Sudanese government and the rebel movement
However, Delman stressed that reinstating West Kordofan state is nothing but a tactical move by the NCP aiming at misleading people of the region and distracting them from their repeated demands for development.
He called upon the people to resist the decision and press the regime to provide tangible development services, adding “There is no solution other than overthrowing Bashir and restructuring Sudanese state to ensure a fair distribution of wealth.
The rebel groups, including the SPLM-N, and Sudanese opposition parties proposed in a political declaration (New Dawn Charter) released last January to divide the country into 8 regions with two independent administrative entities in Kordofan.
(ST)