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Sudan Tribune

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Dinka Ngok leaders meet Mbeki, reject proposals on Abyei

October 28, 2010 (JUBA) – A meeting held in Khartoum between the African Union (AU) chief mediator, Thabo Mbeki and Dinka Ngok traditional leaders on Wednesday reached a deadlock, after both parties failed to reach a compromise over certain issued proposed as pre-conditions for conduct of a referendum in the oil-rich Abyei region.

Former South African president Thabo Mbeki speaks to the press following a meeting with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in Khartoum on October 25, 2010(Getty)
Former South African president Thabo Mbeki speaks to the press following a meeting with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in Khartoum on October 25, 2010(Getty)

Preparations for the border region’s referendum are way behind schedule with leaders from the south and north unable to agree on vital issues.

Talks in Ethiopia collapsed earlier this month with Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party demanding that nomadic Misseriya tribe, who are aligned with the north, be given voting rights.

This has been rejected by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, which has governed the south since a 2005 peace deal, as they claim the Dinka Ngok are the only permanent residents of the area.

The two sides were due to reconvene for talks in Addis Ababa on October 27 but they have been delayed indefinitely.

A highly placed source told Sudan Tribune that prior to this meeting, Mbeki had met Sudan’s President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who reportedly distanced himself from the ongoing Abyei negotiations saga, instead putting blame on the Messeriya tribe.

In a phone interview yesterday, Abyei area MP, Arop Madut Arop confirmed the outcome of the Khartoum meeting, saying the Dinka Ngok traditional leaders were right to reject any proposal aimed at preventing their quest for a free, fair and transparent referendum.

“How can you as a mediator talk to aggrieved citizens on such matters? This is ridiculous and am not surprised that the Dinka Ngok leaders rejected any form of compromise with no clear grounds,” Arop said on phone.

The MP accused the Bashir’s party the NCP of using delayed tactics aimed at further postponing the Abyei referendum, which is due to take place on January 9.

On the same day southerners are due to begin voting in a referendum on independence from the north.

However, over the past few months, the north and south have been unable to agree on who should be allowed to vote in the Abyei referendum, demarcate the border or establish a committee to run the referendum raising questions about whether it can go ahead.

Mediators such as African Union and the US have started proposing alternative solutions to resolve the issue, which many fear could cause the two side to return to conflict.

Earlier this week, two senior SPLM officials said that south Sudan had accepted a U.S. suggestion that the south annex Abyei by presidential decree if the referendum did not go ahead and instead compensate the north for agreeing to a peaceful settlement on this contentious issue.

Under this new arrangement, the official said, the north could be compensated in the form of interest-free loans, to cover up to half the loss in oil revenues if the south secedes.

South Sudan, according to the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) takes 50 percent of the oil revenues.

On Wednesday, Pagan Amum, the SPLM Secretary General told a forum of southern state governors that his party and their northern counterparts were close to striking a deal post-referendum issues, citing citizenship, security and currency.

An overall framework, he added, had been developed to handle the issue of integrating former rebels the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and the Joint Integrated Units (JIUs), which including members of the Sudan Armed Forces controlled by President Bashir.

(ST)

22 Comments

  • Wal P Muoranyar Biet
    Wal P Muoranyar Biet

    Dinka Ngok leaders meet Mbeki, reject proposals on Abyei
    “Preparations for the border region’s referendum are way behind schedule with leaders from the south and north unable to agree on vital issues.”

    I hate this statement!

    Who set the preparation behind schedule? Who ever delayed it will have to keep it with him or her, but Dinka of Abyei must determine their future on time.

    Reply
  • DASODIKO
    DASODIKO

    Dinka Ngok leaders meet Mbeki, reject proposals on Abyei
    Thabo Mbeki is a bussiness man, he own Sudan electric company with his partner Bashir. All what he is doing is to save his business in Khartoum.
    Please don’t listen to him.He will do whatever he can to hamper South Sudan Refe.

    Reply
  • Young Nation
    Young Nation

    Dinka Ngok leaders meet Mbeki, reject proposals on Abyei
    “Mbeki had met Sudan’s President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who reportedly distanced himself from the ongoing Abyei negotiations saga, instead putting blame on the Messeriya tribe”.

    What a cheap politics from this hypocrite call Bashir. Which intellegent person in the Sudan or outside the country can accept Bashir lies. Does it mean that the NCP government had lost control of the Misseria? Of course not. The SPLM and the people of Abyei must not accept whatever NCP or Misseria are saying or up to. The NCP officials clearly know that the world will definitely condemn them for their failure to fully abide and impliment Abyei referendum. This is why they are placing Misseria on the forefront. However, the whole world is aware that, Bashir and his NCP official have a concrete responsibilty to impose the terms and conditions of Abyei protocol on Misseria if they truly want to impliment the protocol.

    Young Nation is a BA Student at UQ, Brisbane

    Reply
  • Lion Son
    Lion Son

    Dinka Ngok leaders meet Mbeki, reject proposals on Abyei
    Dinka Ngok are absolutely right to reject such a proposals on Abyei since the Abyei is belong to the Southerners at all cases, it is a big wasting of time for Misseriya to be there rather going back to their home land where they had came from. Northerners should also know that borders are already defined since 1956 and Abyei was from the South therefore, it is a big liar for them to own that land unless without nobody.

    Finally, the readers should also stop creating nonsense words on our leaders at the websites such as Riak, Kiir and many others officials it is a waste of time and energy, if you don’t have any word to comment on the article then shut your mouth and have your say somewhere where you have words to say.
    They are our leaders, full stop what is next! Ashame on you guys.

    Big Lion

    Reply
  • Gatwech
    Gatwech

    Dinka Ngok leaders meet Mbeki, reject proposals on Abyei
    Thanks for confirming to Mr. Ajiech Chol who doubted the fact. Ajiech asked me where did I get the information while I was very clear in my message that it was in the newspapers including Al-Sudani. What else does Ajiech need?

    Well, Ajiech wrongly said Kiir had no time to respond to such bulshit accusation. What Ajiech failed to understand is that failure to respond and deny the statement means Kiir knows he said it. It wise to respond to false statements otherwise people who read it and watch it on TV will think it is true.

    Some people will also think that Salva Kiir is a coward who tries to look a unionist when he is in Khartoum in front of Bashir.

    Ajiech, do you see the importance of responding to such bulshit allegation?

    Kiir talked of many things which one cannot understand why he chose to do it.

    And also Dr. Peter Adwok Nyaba on southsudannation.com website said Kiir actually agreed to postpone the referendum.

    This is in the name of not returning the country to war. If that is true, then the country is actually returned to war instead through postponement. May be something different happened in Khartoum to Salva Kiir. Was it fear???

    Reply
  • Bol Bol
    Bol Bol

    Dinka Ngok leaders meet Mbeki, reject proposals on Abyei
    Gatwech,

    I guess you have not learned about Jallaba tactics of divided and rule yet. Salva will be the last person to betray South Sudan’s cause and his records are there to prove it. How many things did the NCP said South Sudanese that were eventually proven to be wrong? Salva is a man of his words and he never falter nor will he ever waiver his positions. I know you are man of intellect and the last thing person of you caliber should do is jump on every single issue and write about it. Khartoum has a lot to loss when South separates and they are going to try to use every single thing available to them in hopes of undermining Southern Sudanese quest to be free.

    Thanks
    ~Bol

    Reply
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