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July 26, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — The technical committee tasked with demarcating the borders between the North and South in Sudan adjourned its activities until next October citing the rainy season which would affect the terrain and logistics, one of its officials said in an interview today.
The Government of southern Sudan GOSS representative Riak Degol told the London based Al-Sharq Al-Awsat in an interview that the committee will nonetheless will carry on with office work and engaging in discussions and submit a report to the presidency afterwards containing the disagreements between the North and South.
Degol said that 75% of the outstanding demarcation process issues are in dispute while the remaining items have been resolved.
However, the official cautioned that it would be impossible to complete the demarcation before the South Sudan referendum scheduled for January 2011.
"According to technical estimates of the difficult terrain, the mission cannot be accomplished in accordance with the dates of the referendum" Degol told the newspaper.
The disclosure will likely escalate fears of a political clash between the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) controlling the North and the Sudan people Liberation Movement (SPLM) dominating the South.
Last week, a senior NCP official accused the SPLM of impeding the border demarcation process saying that the ex-rebels did not name their representatives at the border commission.
The official stressed that the NCP position is clear which is that no referendum can be conducted without completing the border demarcation. The SPLM staunchly rejects this condition saying the key vote must be held as planned.
(ST)
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