Kerry denounces repression in Sudan, as US steps up pressure on Juba and rebels
May 25, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Saturday said Sudan represses people in its two southern states because they want a secular state. While Sudanese foreign minister Ali Karti announced that Washington will discuss with Juba its relations with the rebels and bring the latter to the negotiating table.
Kerry spoke about the Sudan at three times on Saturday. In statements to reporters on the sidelines of the AU meeting, he criticised Sudanese president Omer Al-Bashir for imposing the Islamic rule on the people of the South Kordofan and Blue Nile states.
“So that’s the fundamental clash, and what is critical here in my judgement is for President Bashir to respect what the people in South Kordofan and Blue Nile are trying to achieve,” Kerry said.
In both regions “you have people who for a long time have felt that they want their secular governance and identity respected,” Kerry stressed according to the Agence France Presse.
Clashes in Blue Nile erupted a few months after South Kordofan when rebel fighters from the Southern-aligned SPLM-N launched an insurgency against the Khartoum government in June 2011.
Khartoum has repeatedly accused Juba of backing the rebels in Blue Nile and South Kordofan. An accusation denied by South Sudan, which says it has severed all ties with the rebel group.
Following his meeting with Kerry, Sudanese minister Ali Karti from the Ethiopia capital told the state official news agency SUNA that U.S. government has expressed its commitment to exercise pressure to bring rebel movements to the negotiating table.
Karti further stressed that John Kerry affirmed that there will be an open discussion with South Sudan to stop support for rebel groups.
Kerry from his side told reporters that South Sudan’s alleged support for the SPLM-North rebels fighting in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan worried Sudan.
Regarding the relations between the two countries, Karti added that John Kerry expressed genuine desire to improve Sudan-US bilateral relations, pointing out that this is the first time an American official advances an initiative for improving relations.
Since South Sudan’s independence in 2011, Washington issued several statements demanding Juba to end ends its support for the Sudanese rebel groups and work jointly with Khartoum on ways to bring peace to the border region.
ABYEI CHALLENGE AND NEW ENVOY
Following a meeting with the Ethiopian prime minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, the American official talked about the disputed region of Abyei saying a delayed referendum should be held to end the dispute over this area.
“Abyei presents a special challenge and I think we agree that it is critical that Abyei be able to have a referendum,” Kerry said.
He further announced that a special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan will be soon appointed to help to end tensions between the two country after a recent row between Khartoum and Juba over cut off oil flow and accusation of support to rebel groups.
(ST)