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By Ngor Arol Garang
February 12, 2012 (JUBA) - Juba on Sunday said it is “fully aware” that the government of neighbouring Sudan continues to provide logistical and military support to the militias operating in South Sudan.
- FILE - Armed militia in South Sudan (Reuters)
Juba made the statement just two days after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on non-aggression and cooperation with Khartoum, spelling out clearly international terms and treaties which the two parties should adhere to.
Majak D’Agoot, the country’s deputy defence minister and a lead negotiator on the security affairs between the two countries told reporters upon arrival at Juba International Airport on Sunday from the talks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia that his team brought up to the attention of the mediators Khartoum’s intention to destabilise South Sudan through the use of proxy forces.
“We are fully aware of the activities of the government in Khartoum, especially in the use of militia groups as proxy forces. This is one of the issues we brought up in our discussions with mediators”, Agoot told reporters.
Agoot affirmed Juba’s commitment to honour the MoU but noted that it is not an agreement, as has been reported by some media outlets.
The deal signed on Friday, in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, bears the signatures of Mohamed Atta Elmula Abbas, director general of Khartoum’s National Intelligence and Security Service, Thomas Duoth Guet, director general of Juba’s General Intelligence Bureau and Thabo Mbeki, chairperson of the African Union High Implementation Panel and a facilitator of the negotiations.
It calls upon the two parties to respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while calling on them to refrain from launching attacks against one another; invading, occupying or annexing the territory of the other state; using one another’s airspace without formal agreement; or allowing its territory to be used by paramilitary groups or support rebel groups in one another’s territory.
Juba and Khartoum have long traded accusations of supporting rebel groups in one another’s territories, which they both deny.
A cornerstone intention of the MoU was to end the deadlock between the states regarding the payment of oil transit fees. South Sudan exports its oil via a pipeline which reaches the sea across the border, in the territory of its northern neighbour.
Khartoum demanded US$33 per barrel in transit fees, which Juba refused. In lieu of the payment Khartoum then confiscated oil with a market value, according to Juba, of US$350 million. In response, Juba halted production.
(ST)
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