South Sudan lodges complaint against Khartoum at UNSC over killing of Abyei chief
May 7, 2013 (JUBA) – South Sudan on Monday lodged a strongly worded complaint to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) over the killing of Abyei tribal leader Kuol Deng Kuol, warning that until the perpetrators are identified and brought to justice, it is no longer “business as usual”.
“We have started with clear procedures, legal steps. We have now officially filed and deposited our complaint about this brutal act which violates not only the international law but also humanitarian law. Chief Kuol Deng Kuol was not in combat; He was not carrying a gun; not in possession of any weapon. He was purely [an] unarmed civilian killed in the hands of the United Nations. His security and safety was in the hands of the United Nations”, Nhial said, while addressing thousands of mourners who turned out for Kuol’s burial on Monday in Abyei town.
CLEAR VIOLATIONS
South Sudan’s top diplomat said that in the course of the past week, his country has observed a higher number of atrocities being committed in the area by armed groups under the control of the Sudanese government, in what he said was not only a clear violation of the UNSC resolution 2046 but an act that must be condemned and confronted.
“The killing of [the] chief was not just an incident. It was preceded by reports of regular killings in the area. The list of those who have been killed has been filed and the United Nations has the details and we believe the killing of the chief will not be taken lightly nor [do] we expect the international community to consider [Kuol’s death] a normal thing or usual business … We hold the government of Sudan responsible because those who killed the chief are under the control of the government of Sudan. They are no stranger to Sudan”, he added.
Speaking at the same gathering, Pagan Amum, Secretary General of the governing Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), accused Sudan of “doing it again”, explaining that his country had immediately responded and pulled out all armed forces from border areas as required by the UNSC resolution 2046 and the African Union communiqué, but Sudan had failed to comply.
“This brutal act defines the behavior of the government of Sudan. They have done it again. The killing of the paramount chief of this community will have a lot of repercussions, especially on the relations between the Ngok Dinka and the Misseriya. It will have [an] effect on peaceful coexistence. The Misseriya seems [to] not know where their interest lies”, Amum told reporters in Abyei after flying in from Juba on Monday.
“The people of Abyei have suffered a lot in the hands of the government in Khartoum but they will one day be free whether those in Khartoum like it or not. Or whether it will rain blood and fire, they will exercise their right to decide their own destiny. I am confident they will be free. It is just a matter of time”, he added.
REFERENDUM SUPPORT
South Sudan’s deputy defence Minister, Majak D’Agoot, also expressed sadness over the attack and extended his condolences to the family members of those killed, stressing that the government was still committed to a planned referendum in October to decide the fate of Abyei.
South Sudan’s minister of cabinet affairs, Deng Alor Kuol, who comes from the area and is a close relative of the late paramount chief, said the government would use any avenue to pursue the case against those responsible.
Speaking to mourners at the burial, he explained that Ethiopian forces had “helplessly” tried to negotiate with the armed men after they demanded for the chief to be handed over to them.
“Nobody was armed in the convoy. When the convoy was about to leave they shot the chief and he died instantly. We will try to minimize any negative effects as a result of this incident [so as not] to impact negatively on the referendum,” said Alor.
The chairperson of South Sudan’s ruling party (SPLM) in Abyei, Edward Lino, broke down in tears on Sunday as he addressed the media, with those attending the press briefing also overcome by emotion.
“It happened. It has happened in Abyei. Our chief Kuol Adol is killed. I am sad, very sad. I think this is a simple issue, really do we want Abyei or not? If we want Abyei, we shall get it. Am [I] annoyed, why? Because of the Misseriya, they think with all this time they can take away Abyei from the people of Abyei,” Lino said in an emotive speech to media.
PUBLIC ANGER
Meanwhile, thousands of people, including traditional leaders and members of civil society organisations, took the street on Tuesday, carrying placards and calling on the UNSC to live up to its obligations.
Demonstrators also accused Sudan of masterminding the killing of the tribal chief to sabotage the planned referendum.
“They did it. I know those in Khartoum one by one. I was there with them. I know how they do their things. We did not play with them during the war because we were dealing with big issues. Now that the big issue is gone, the people of South Sudan have gotten [their] independent country. It is time we turn to Abyei and ensure they are liberated”, Deng Macham Angui, the chairperson of the Traditional Leadership Council in South Sudan, said on Tuesday.
Angui led the crowd of demonstrators, some of whom began marching from Juba University, while another group started at South Sudan African Park in downtown Juba.
Although some demonstrators travelled in packed vehicles or on motorbikes, the vast majority marched on foot to the headquarters of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), where they presented a petition addressed to UN secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon.
Speaker after speaker accused Sudan of knowingly planning to kill the chief, saying his death will not stop the Abyei population from exercising their right to self-determination.
“The killing of the chief is not the solution. The National Congress Party (NCP) [think the] killing of our chief will deter the Ngok people. They are wrong. The killing has indeed given us more strength. It will unite us and [we] will get this land from them by any means, because it is ours”, Kuol Mijak Ajing a native of the Ngok Dinka tribe who was amongst demonstrators, said on Tuesday.
(ST)