Abyei administrator in South Sudan seeks recognition of community vote

June 20, 2016 (JUBA) – A South Sudan’s appointed administrator for the contested region of Abyei has launched an advocacy campaign for recognition by South Sudanese government of the Dinka Ngok community’s unilateral referendum vote conducted three years ago.

Chief Administrator Chol Deng Alaak told Sudan Tribune on Monday that the issue of his native region of Abyei has taken long time for both countries contesting the ownership of the area to settle the dispute since the end of the interim period in 2011 when South Sudan became an independent state from neighbouring Sudan.

“I came to Juba for few things. First is to meet with the president and to congratulate him on behalf of the people of Abyei and members of the new government on the formation of the transitional government of national unity. The other issue is to brief him and members of the government on the general situation in the area and to also hear from them about the issue of Abyei,” said Alaak.

The people of Abyei, he said, welcomed the formation of the new government and look forward to including in programs of peace implementation of status of Abyei as one of the issues to be addressed.

“The issue has taken long time and now people are feeling that it is too much to wait for the two countries to settle the differences,” said Alaak.

Ngok Dinka voted unilaterally in 2013 but neither Sudan nor South Sudan recognized the vote.

(ST)