South Sudan
July 11, 2011
Forwarded from Charlie Barebo
From: [email protected] on behalf of John Ashworth
Sent: Mon 7/11/2011 5:33 AM
To: Group
Subject: [sudan-john-ashworth] Fwd: Independence Day 4
1. The birth of South Sudan brings with it hope and freedom
The Mercury (South Africa) July 11, 2011
By Fr Chris Townsend
We have never been a country before
On the eve of independence in South Sudan, I was sitting under trees
with a small community of neighbours in an area called 'High
Jerusalem' The afternoon leading to the evening had an atmosphere I
can only describe as high point south african - the sort of feeling we
had during our own transition in 1994 and the feeling of the World Cup
2010. I had even heard vuvuzelas. Flags everywhere.
Sitting near the Nile, in the insect dark, we were celebrating a meal.
The South Sudanese had decided on this night of liberation that there
would be a type of passover seder.Stories of pain, oppression and
slavery were followed by stories of hope. Bread was shared, songs and
the new national anthem was sung, candles were lit and there was
dancing - the quiet, eager dignity of a people set free.
I couldn't help thinking that this is what we should have done in 1994
- encouraging neighbours to take their time to share stories. But
maybe we weren't ready, with our apartheid living and apartheid minds.
Maybe it is something that we can imitate though - a chance to tell
stories and listen - not to public hearings, but the personal TRCs
among neighbours.
On the day, sitting under the shade reserved for the not quite VVIPs
(thankfully so - we didn't get as burnt as they did...) with a press
of bodies around us constantly streaming forward to see this new day,
was an experience in humility. For while we were there as guests,
friends, donors, supporters, this was not our day.
The Jubilation of seeing the flag raised, the quiet confidence of a
new consitiution and country was only outdone, for me, by the 'hand of
god' moment when the power failed before al bashir could start
speaking. When he eventually finished, the crowd gave him a very
polite, almost english, clap and then spontaneously stood up and waved
him off. Priceless. An unmistakable sign.
al bashir and his policies of Islamicization and Arabification are the
latest in the long timeline of the former Sudan's struggle with
identity and centralization. Even before the coup that bought this
particular latest calculating genocidal barbarian to power (these
words are carefully chosen and used), the dynamic in Sudan had been
Khartoum directed. Almost all post-colonial leadership has come from
four small ethnic groups - Arab, Islamic, northern.
Powerfully, South Sudan has committed to reverse these tendencies of
centralization, coersive religious compliance and a single Arab
identity by publically committing to a multicultural, diverse and
secular state.
The republic of South Sudan has a long way to go - the lack of
development and infrastructure is chronic. Many Southerners who were
in the North have fled south to few schools and less opportunity.
But arriving at the very little Airport of Juba, six months after
departing after the referendum, clearly shows how great the energy is
for explosive growth - South Sudan is a country of enormous potential.
As the Catholic Archbishop of Juba, Paulinus Loro said on welcoming
his guests to a certain chaos before the celebrations - we have never
been a country before.
Fr Chris Townsend is the Information Officer of the Southern African
Catholic Bishops' Conference. This is his second trip to South Sudan
representing the Conference and the Denis Hurley Peace Institute.
END1
2. Bishop of Sherborne sees 'jubilant' birth of South Sudan
BBC 10 July 2011 Last updated at 07:41 ET
A Dorset bishop who was invited to South Sudan to see the country
celebrate its independence said it was a "jubilant" occasion.
The Diocese of Salisbury has had links with the region for 39 years
and has sent several figures to the region.
Bishop of Sherborne, Dr Graham Kings, said it was important to show
support for the new nation.
During the trip he also spoke to religious leaders about the drought
in the Horn of Africa.
He has backed an international aid effort.
The Disasters Emergency Committee said £6m was donated by the British
public following a television appeal shown in Friday.
Dr Kings said: "It is tragic and it is worth raising the alarm now and
raising money now to help them rather than wait for the famine to
happen.
Civil war
"They are terribly worried about it, they want to put their weight
behind an international effort to raise money."
The bishop was speaking from Juba, the capital of South Sudan.
He was invited by Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul of the Episcopal Church
of Sudan to participate in the celebrations of independence after
years of civil war.
He said: "It began as the biggest street party I have ever been part
of on Friday night.
"As we came to midnight there was a service at the cathedral, there
was jubilation.
"We even had some water thrown on us so we were sort of baptised at
the birth of a nation, it was phenomenal."
He added: "We are interconnected in the worldwide church and the
Diocese of Salisbury has been linked with the Episcopal Church of
Sudan for 39 years.
"Throughout the civil war the bishops would come out and take the
risks that other people were taking here and join in with them."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-14098585
END2
3. South Sudan leader says prepared to grant citizenship for Northerners
July 10, 2011 (KHARTOUM) - The president of South Sudan Salva Kiir
said on Sunday that he is willing to grant all Northerners the
nationality of the newly formed state in a move that will likely put
pressure on Khartoum.
This week the Sudanese cabinet approved changes to the immigration law
which would automatically strip all Southerners of their citizenship
though it is not clear how this would be practically implemented.
Khartoum has already terminated the employment of all Southerners in
the government and military.
The status of Southerners in the North and Northerners in the South
has yet to be agreed on between the National Congress Party (NCP) and
the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) as part of
post-secession arrangements.
Last month officials from both sides said that they agreed on granting
citizens in both countries nine months to obtain necessary residency
permits or prepare for departure. However, they did not say on what
basis would residency be granted to those applying for it.
In a meeting with leaders of Northern and Southern political parties
today, Kiir said that his country needs the expertise of Northerners
but he strongly criticized Khartoum's previous move of stopping the
flow of goods and services to the South by closing the borders saying
it was made to pressure him.
Kiir also said that he would allow Northerners in the South to become
citizens adding thar he hoped Khartoum would reciprocate. He noted
that many Southerners in the North want to stay where they are.
The South Sudan leader stressed that his government would give
Northerners the priority in investments and the job market.
He added that pledges by him and president Omer Hassan al-Bashir would
be nothing but "lies" unless they are acted upon.
"On my end I began implementation and started with issues relating to
citizenship and investments for Northerners," Kiir said.
(ST)
END3
4. Kiir reappoints Machar as new Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan
July 10, 2011 (JUBA) - The president of the newly born Republic of
South Sudan (RSS), Salva Kiir Mayardit, has issued a presidential
decree reappointing Riek Machar Teny as the vice president of the new
independent nation on Sunday.
Kiir on Sunday evening issued six presidential decrees for the new
republic which were read on the official South Sudan television as
breaking news. Decree one relieved Machar as the vice president of the
previous Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) while decree two
reappointed him as the vice president of RSS.
Kiir issued decree three allowing all the presidential advisers
appointed under the previous GoSS to continue in their respective
advisory positions until the government is reorganised.
In decree four, Kiir relieved all the ministers in GoSS and
reappointed them in decree five as caretaker ministers in their
respective ministries until the government is formed. The decree
prohibited the caretaker ministers from taking any major decisions or
being involved in contractual agreements in their ministries.
All the chairpersons and deputy chairpersons of the independent
institutions are allowed by decree six to continue in their respective
positions until the government is reorganised.
The statement from the office of the president has stated that the
vice president, Riek Machar, shall take an oath of office as the new
vice president of RSS on Monday morning.
The caretaker ministers shall also take oaths as national caretaker
ministers. According to the decree, the ministry of regional
cooperation shall become the ministry of foreign affairs; the ministry
of legal affairs shall become the ministry of justice; and the
ministry of internal affairs will become the ministry of interior.
The president and the vice president shall consult and form the next
government of the new independent country.
(ST)
END4
5. CBOS to Deal with South Sudan Banks as Foreign
Posted on Monday, July 11 @ 00:20:00 UTC by admin
Sudan Vision
By: Shadia Basheri
Khartoum - Central Bank of Sudan (SBOS) has issued decisions related
to banking dealing between the North and South in the wake of
proclamation of South Sudan state.
CBOS in a letter addressed to banks and financial institutions
decided that dealing with South Sudan banks in the same manner
regarding dealing with other foreign banks, and that transfers should
not be made unless required coverage is provided by transferring bank
in transferable foreign currency; all measures and regulations
regarding incoming and outgoing operations and transactions in foreign
currency should be followed in same manner applicable in the two
states.
In a circular yesterday the Bank announced freezing whatever related
to Item 14 regarding the protocol for wealth sharing related to
monetary policies, currency, loans, and freezing all banking circulars
issued accordingly. It decided to suspend the chapter related to
traditional banking system policies in South Sudan mentioned in the
circular regarding policies of CBOS for 2011 dated December 28, 2010.
The Governor of CBOS has decided to break clearing house with
commercial banks operating in south Sudan as of July 9, stop
withdrawal of checks issued by banks in South Sudan and all their
branches in north Sudan as of same date. It has also decided to
separate and stop working with electronic systems represented in
banking network.
The bank advised all exchange and money transferring service companies
having branches in South Sudan to reconcile the situations of their
branches there. Various decisions regarding separating Sudan Central
Bank and South Sudan Bank in respect of accounting and individual
affairs were made.
CBOS attributed decline in exchange rate to injection operations that
supplied banks and exchanges with adequate foreign currency to cover
their need to finance and import to meet people's demand for travel
and medication.
Director General of executive services, Hazim Abdulgadir pointed out
that the bank would continue to supply exchanges as well as banks with
needed foreign currency during next period, which is expected to bring
down exchange rates after fears relating to secession and predictions
of its impact on exchange rate have ceased.
Abdulgadir reiterated that the country's exports like gold and
non-petroleum commodities promises sure foreign currency reserves.
http://www.sudanvisiondaily.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=77763
END5
6. Sudan Official Blames 'Interference' for the Country's Split
Peter Clottey
VOA July 10, 2011
A prominent member of Sudan's ruling National Congress Party (NCP)
says foreign interference in the country's internal affairs has led to
the split of Sudan into two countries.
Rabie Abdelati Obeid said the NCP regrets signing the 2005
Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). But he added that the northern
government will foster good relations with the newly independent
Republic of South Sudan despite the split.
'We regret signing the CPA because there was a clear clause that the
SPLM and the NCP should work together to achieve unity," said. "But
unfortunately, the SPLM was under the influence of the west and
instead confused the southern people to opt for secession."
Obeid insisted the northern party has kept its part of the agreement
it signed with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM).
But, opponents say the NCP provoked conflict with policies that
marginalized non-Arabs and mostly blacks in Sudan. They cite the
ongoing crisis in Darfur as well as the independence of South Sudan as
examples of the NCP's policies.
"This is not a legitimate accusation," responded Obeid, "because the
problem of the south did not start when President Bashir came to
power. This problem started after the independence of Sudan. A lot of
national governments failed to resolve this problem and the war
continued for more than 20 years."
With the signing of the CPA in 2005, the north and south ended
two-decades of war. Analysts estimate that more than two million
people died and four million others were displaced during the
conflict.
Among the requirements of the CPA were a settlement of boundary issues
between the two regions, and a referendum to determine the future of
the oil-rich enclave of Abyei.
"Instead of blaming President Omar al-Bashir for splitting Sudan," he
continued, "they should look into the fulfillment and the sincerity of
the CPA because other people are not ready to implement [their] part."
He said the northern government deserves "praise" for accepting the
results of the referendum and recognizing the new nation, which he
said forms part of the 2005 peace accord.
"Before the referendum [earlier this year on the south's
independence], President Omar Hassan al-Bashir said that we will be
the first country to recognize the new independent country. And that
is why I think Saturday will be a normal day," said Obeid. "We have
already seen to the implementation of the fulfillment of the NCP when
it signed the CPA, [and] when it accepted the results of the
referendum."
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/Sudan-Official-Blames-Interference-for-the-Countrys-Split--125299418.html
END6
7. Sudan's Omar Bashir warns about disputed Abyei region
BBC 10 July 2011 Last updated at 23:35 ET
Sudan President Omar al-Bashir has said the disputed border region of
Abyei is a source of potential conflict with newly independent South
Sudan.
Abyei remains part of Sudan and the protocols governing it must be
respected, Mr Bashir told the BBC a day after South Sudan's
independence.
He spoke of his sadness over the division of his country, but said it
was a price worth paying for peace.
The south struggled to break away for decades at a cost of 1.5 million lives.
President Bashir said he would have preferred to preserve the unity of
Sudan, in an interview for the BBC's Hardtalk programme on the day
after South Sudan gained independence.
But the will of the people in the south had to be respected to avoid a
return to armed conflict, he conceded.
Asked about potential sources of friction in the future, Mr Bashir
pointed to Abyei, a border area claimed by both north and south.
Fighting in Abyei and another border region, South Kordofan, forced
some 170,000 people to flee their homes in the run-up to southern
independence.
Both sides agreed to withdraw their troops, leaving a 20km (12-mile)
buffer zone along the border, in a deal brokered last month.
The BBC's Peter Martell in the southern capital, Juba, says the
agreement is not easy to implement, because parts of the border are
still contested and have not been demarcated.
In a clear warning to the south, Mr Bashir said there could be renewed
hostilities if agreements on disputed areas such as Abyei were not
respected.
'Ethiopian troops welcome'
He said Abyei was a part of Sudan and could only join the south with
the approval of nomadic Arab tribes in a future referendum, which he
described as an unlikely scenario.
He said he wanted United Nations peacekeepers currently patrolling the
region to leave.
But he welcomed the prospect of their replacement by Ethiopian troops,
a move endorsed by the UN Security Council earlier this week.
"The Ethiopians have a mandate to keep peace in the zone, so we
welcome the Ethiopian troops. Both of us welcome them, because they
are capable of doing their job, unlike the current troops who have
failed to keep peace in this zone," the president said.
"There are some arrangements, and as of now we are talking about
creating some institutions. Two presidential representatives from each
side. These are the authorities which will be running Abyei,
security-wise and service-wise."
"There's a protocol on Abyei - a protocol that governs Abyei if
there's a peaceful solution. But in the past, we were forced to fight
when they [the south] tried to impose a new reality."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14101950
END7
______________________
John Ashworth
Sudan Advisor
- encouraging neighbours to take their time to share stories. But
maybe we weren't ready, with our apartheid living and apartheid minds.
Maybe it is something that we can imitate though - a chance to tell
stories and listen - not to public hearings, but the personal TRCs
among neighbours.
On the day, sitting under the shade reserved for the not quite VVIPs
(thankfully so - we didn't get as burnt as they did...) with a press
of bodies around us constantly streaming forward to see this new day,
was an experience in humility. For while we were there as guests,
friends, donors, supporters, this was not our day.
The Jubilation of seeing the flag raised, the quiet confidence of a
new consitiution and country was only outdone, for me, by the 'hand of
god' moment when the power failed before al bashir could start
speaking. When he eventually finished, the crowd gave him a very
polite, almost english, clap and then spontaneously stood up and waved
him off. Priceless. An unmistakable sign.
al bashir and his policies of Islamicization and Arabification are the
latest in the long timeline of the former Sudan's struggle with
identity and centralization. Even before the coup that bought this
particular latest calculating genocidal barbarian to power (these
words are carefully chosen and used), the dynamic in Sudan had been
Khartoum directed. Almost all post-colonial leadership has come from
four small ethnic groups - Arab, Islamic, northern.
Powerfully, South Sudan has committed to reverse these tendencies of
centralization, coersive religious compliance and a single Arab
identity by publically committing to a multicultural, diverse and
secular state.
The republic of South Sudan has a long way to go - the lack of
development and infrastructure is chronic. Many Southerners who were
in the North have fled south to few schools and less opportunity.
But arriving at the very little Airport of Juba, six months after
departing after the referendum, clearly shows how great the energy is
for explosive growth - South Sudan is a country of enormous potential.
As the Catholic Archbishop of Juba, Paulinus Loro said on welcoming
his guests to a certain chaos before the celebrations - we have never
been a country before.
Fr Chris Townsend is the Information Officer of the Southern African
Catholic Bishops' Conference. This is his second trip to South Sudan
representing the Conference and the Denis Hurley Peace Institute.
END1
2. Bishop of Sherborne sees 'jubilant' birth of South Sudan
BBC 10 July 2011 Last updated at 07:41 ET
A Dorset bishop who was invited to South Sudan to see the country
celebrate its independence said it was a "jubilant" occasion.
The Diocese of Salisbury has had links with the region for 39 years
and has sent several figures to the region.
Bishop of Sherborne, Dr Graham Kings, said it was important to show
support for the new nation.
During the trip he also spoke to religious leaders about the drought
in the Horn of Africa.
He has backed an international aid effort.
The Disasters Emergency Committee said £6m was donated by the British
public following a television appeal shown in Friday.
Dr Kings said: "It is tragic and it is worth raising the alarm now and
raising money now to help them rather than wait for the famine to
happen.
Civil war
"They are terribly worried about it, they want to put their weight
behind an international effort to raise money."
The bishop was speaking from Juba, the capital of South Sudan.
He was invited by Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul of the Episcopal Church
of Sudan to participate in the celebrations of independence after
years of civil war.
He said: "It began as the biggest street party I have ever been part
of on Friday night.
"As we came to midnight there was a service at the cathedral, there
was jubilation.
"We even had some water thrown on us so we were sort of baptised at
the birth of a nation, it was phenomenal."
He added: "We are interconnected in the worldwide church and the
Diocese of Salisbury has been linked with the Episcopal Church of
Sudan for 39 years.
"Throughout the civil war the bishops would come out and take the
risks that other people were taking here and join in with them."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-14098585
END2
3. South Sudan leader says prepared to grant citizenship for Northerners
July 10, 2011 (KHARTOUM) - The president of South Sudan Salva Kiir
said on Sunday that he is willing to grant all Northerners the
nationality of the newly formed state in a move that will likely put
pressure on Khartoum.
This week the Sudanese cabinet approved changes to the immigration law
which would automatically strip all Southerners of their citizenship
though it is not clear how this would be practically implemented.
Khartoum has already terminated the employment of all Southerners in
the government and military.
The status of Southerners in the North and Northerners in the South
has yet to be agreed on between the National Congress Party (NCP) and
the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) as part of
post-secession arrangements.
Last month officials from both sides said that they agreed on granting
citizens in both countries nine months to obtain necessary residency
permits or prepare for departure. However, they did not say on what
basis would residency be granted to those applying for it.
In a meeting with leaders of Northern and Southern political parties
today, Kiir said that his country needs the expertise of Northerners
but he strongly criticized Khartoum's previous move of stopping the
flow of goods and services to the South by closing the borders saying
it was made to pressure him.
Kiir also said that he would allow Northerners in the South to become
citizens adding thar he hoped Khartoum would reciprocate. He noted
that many Southerners in the North want to stay where they are.
The South Sudan leader stressed that his government would give
Northerners the priority in investments and the job market.
He added that pledges by him and president Omer Hassan al-Bashir would
be nothing but "lies" unless they are acted upon.
"On my end I began implementation and started with issues relating to
citizenship and investments for Northerners," Kiir said.
(ST)
END3
4. Kiir reappoints Machar as new Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan
July 10, 2011 (JUBA) - The president of the newly born Republic of
South Sudan (RSS), Salva Kiir Mayardit, has issued a presidential
decree reappointing Riek Machar Teny as the vice president of the new
independent nation on Sunday.
Kiir on Sunday evening issued six presidential decrees for the new
republic which were read on the official South Sudan television as
breaking news. Decree one relieved Machar as the vice president of the
previous Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) while decree two
reappointed him as the vice president of RSS.
Kiir issued decree three allowing all the presidential advisers
appointed under the previous GoSS to continue in their respective
advisory positions until the government is reorganised.
In decree four, Kiir relieved all the ministers in GoSS and
reappointed them in decree five as caretaker ministers in their
respective ministries until the government is formed. The decree
prohibited the caretaker ministers from taking any major decisions or
being involved in contractual agreements in their ministries.
All the chairpersons and deputy chairpersons of the independent
institutions are allowed by decree six to continue in their respective
positions until the government is reorganised.
The statement from the office of the president has stated that the
vice president, Riek Machar, shall take an oath of office as the new
vice president of RSS on Monday morning.
The caretaker ministers shall also take oaths as national caretaker
ministers. According to the decree, the ministry of regional
cooperation shall become the ministry of foreign affairs; the ministry
of legal affairs shall become the ministry of justice; and the
ministry of internal affairs will become the ministry of interior.
The president and the vice president shall consult and form the next
government of the new independent country.
(ST)
END4
5. CBOS to Deal with South Sudan Banks as Foreign
Posted on Monday, July 11 @ 00:20:00 UTC by admin
Sudan Vision
By: Shadia Basheri
Khartoum - Central Bank of Sudan (SBOS) has issued decisions related
to banking dealing between the North and South in the wake of
proclamation of South Sudan state.
CBOS in a letter addressed to banks and financial institutions
decided that dealing with South Sudan banks in the same manner
regarding dealing with other foreign banks, and that transfers should
not be made unless required coverage is provided by transferring bank
in transferable foreign currency; all measures and regulations
regarding incoming and outgoing operations and transactions in foreign
currency should be followed in same manner applicable in the two
states.
In a circular yesterday the Bank announced freezing whatever related
to Item 14 regarding the protocol for wealth sharing related to
monetary policies, currency, loans, and freezing all banking circulars
issued accordingly. It decided to suspend the chapter related to
traditional banking system policies in South Sudan mentioned in the
circular regarding policies of CBOS for 2011 dated December 28, 2010.
The Governor of CBOS has decided to break clearing house with
commercial banks operating in south Sudan as of July 9, stop
withdrawal of checks issued by banks in South Sudan and all their
branches in north Sudan as of same date. It has also decided to
separate and stop working with electronic systems represented in
banking network.
The bank advised all exchange and money transferring service companies
having branches in South Sudan to reconcile the situations of their
branches there. Various decisions regarding separating Sudan Central
Bank and South Sudan Bank in respect of accounting and individual
affairs were made.
CBOS attributed decline in exchange rate to injection operations that
supplied banks and exchanges with adequate foreign currency to cover
their need to finance and import to meet people's demand for travel
and medication.
Director General of executive services, Hazim Abdulgadir pointed out
that the bank would continue to supply exchanges as well as banks with
needed foreign currency during next period, which is expected to bring
down exchange rates after fears relating to secession and predictions
of its impact on exchange rate have ceased.
Abdulgadir reiterated that the country's exports like gold and
non-petroleum commodities promises sure foreign currency reserves.
http://www.sudanvisiondaily.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=77763
END5
6. Sudan Official Blames 'Interference' for the Country's Split
Peter Clottey
VOA July 10, 2011
A prominent member of Sudan's ruling National Congress Party (NCP)
says foreign interference in the country's internal affairs has led to
the split of Sudan into two countries.
Rabie Abdelati Obeid said the NCP regrets signing the 2005
Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). But he added that the northern
government will foster good relations with the newly independent
Republic of South Sudan despite the split.
'We regret signing the CPA because there was a clear clause that the
SPLM and the NCP should work together to achieve unity," said. "But
unfortunately, the SPLM was under the influence of the west and
instead confused the southern people to opt for secession."
Obeid insisted the northern party has kept its part of the agreement
it signed with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM).
But, opponents say the NCP provoked conflict with policies that
marginalized non-Arabs and mostly blacks in Sudan. They cite the
ongoing crisis in Darfur as well as the independence of South Sudan as
examples of the NCP's policies.
"This is not a legitimate accusation," responded Obeid, "because the
problem of the south did not start when President Bashir came to
power. This problem started after the independence of Sudan. A lot of
national governments failed to resolve this problem and the war
continued for more than 20 years."
With the signing of the CPA in 2005, the north and south ended
two-decades of war. Analysts estimate that more than two million
people died and four million others were displaced during the
conflict.
Among the requirements of the CPA were a settlement of boundary issues
between the two regions, and a referendum to determine the future of
the oil-rich enclave of Abyei.
"Instead of blaming President Omar al-Bashir for splitting Sudan," he
continued, "they should look into the fulfillment and the sincerity of
the CPA because other people are not ready to implement [their] part."
He said the northern government deserves "praise" for accepting the
results of the referendum and recognizing the new nation, which he
said forms part of the 2005 peace accord.
"Before the referendum [earlier this year on the south's
independence], President Omar Hassan al-Bashir said that we will be
the first country to recognize the new independent country. And that
is why I think Saturday will be a normal day," said Obeid. "We have
already seen to the implementation of the fulfillment of the NCP when
it signed the CPA, [and] when it accepted the results of the
referendum."
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/Sudan-Official-Blames-Interference-for-the-Countrys-Split--125299418.html
END6
7. Sudan's Omar Bashir warns about disputed Abyei region
BBC 10 July 2011 Last updated at 23:35 ET
Sudan President Omar al-Bashir has said the disputed border region of
Abyei is a source of potential conflict with newly independent South
Sudan.
Abyei remains part of Sudan and the protocols governing it must be
respected, Mr Bashir told the BBC a day after South Sudan's
independence.
He spoke of his sadness over the division of his country, but said it
was a price worth paying for peace.
The south struggled to break away for decades at a cost of 1.5 million lives.
President Bashir said he would have preferred to preserve the unity of
Sudan, in an interview for the BBC's Hardtalk programme on the day
after South Sudan gained independence.
But the will of the people in the south had to be respected to avoid a
return to armed conflict, he conceded.
Asked about potential sources of friction in the future, Mr Bashir
pointed to Abyei, a border area claimed by both north and south.
Fighting in Abyei and another border region, South Kordofan, forced
some 170,000 people to flee their homes in the run-up to southern
independence.
Both sides agreed to withdraw their troops, leaving a 20km (12-mile)
buffer zone along the border, in a deal brokered last month.
The BBC's Peter Martell in the southern capital, Juba, says the
agreement is not easy to implement, because parts of the border are
still contested and have not been demarcated.
In a clear warning to the south, Mr Bashir said there could be renewed
hostilities if agreements on disputed areas such as Abyei were not
respected.
'Ethiopian troops welcome'
He said Abyei was a part of Sudan and could only join the south with
the approval of nomadic Arab tribes in a future referendum, which he
described as an unlikely scenario.
He said he wanted United Nations peacekeepers currently patrolling the
region to leave.
But he welcomed the prospect of their replacement by Ethiopian troops,
a move endorsed by the UN Security Council earlier this week.
"The Ethiopians have a mandate to keep peace in the zone, so we
welcome the Ethiopian troops. Both of us welcome them, because they
are capable of doing their job, unlike the current troops who have
failed to keep peace in this zone," the president said.
"There are some arrangements, and as of now we are talking about
creating some institutions. Two presidential representatives from each
side. These are the authorities which will be running Abyei,
security-wise and service-wise."
"There's a protocol on Abyei - a protocol that governs Abyei if
there's a peaceful solution. But in the past, we were forced to fight
when they [the south] tried to impose a new reality."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14101950
END7
______________________
John Ashworth
Sudan Advisor
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