South Sudan Says Voter Eligibility for Abyei Referendum Remains 'A Grey
Area'
19 July 2012
Juba - South Sudan said on Wednesday Sudanese president, Omar al-Bashir, has
agreed to hold a referendum to determine the future of the contested Abyei
region but that voter eligibility still remains a "grey area".
Sudan and South Sudan presidents met on the sidelines of the African Summit
in Addis Ababa on 14 July in an effort to break the stalled talks between
the two countries. The meeting was seen positive by the two parties as
Bashir and Salva Kiir agreed on a number of issues leaving the details to
their negotiating delegations.
"The talks are progressing well. We have been holding direct discussions
without involving a third party. Actually this spirit started with lead
negotiators. Sudanese defense minister Abdel Rahim Mohamed Hussein and I
started direct discussions after returning from Khartoum", Pagan Amum, South
Sudan's lead negotiator, said on Wednesday.
Amum confirmed that South Sudan's president Salva Kiir pledged a
transitional financial package to the government of neighbouring Sudan to
close financial gap created by the secession which allowed Juba to inherit
three-quarters of oil production.
When South Sudan seceded in 2011, analysts said oil will prevent a return to
war and ensure stability in the relations between the two countries.
However, it is now one of the main causes of conflict between them and
complicated the resolution of the other issues.
Amum added that Bashir confided to Kiir during the meeting in Addis Ababa
his commitment to resolving all outstanding issues, including the final
status of Abyei.
Luka Biong Deng, a chief representative of South Sudan's president at the
Abyei Joint Oversight Committee also expressed optimism at the possibility
of reaching a final agreement on the status of the area and confirmed
Bashir's agreement to hold a referendum for the area, but made no mention of
a consensus reached over voter eligibility.
"The issue of voter eligibility remains a grey area. The South is expected
to make this issue of eligibility clear and to include Ngok Dinka and other
residents, except nomads from the north or South. Equally the chairperson of
the referendum commission should be somebody who knows the context as the
opinion of the commissioner will be critical in the conduct of the
exercise," said Deng.
Abyei is a contested region between the two Sudan's. It is overdue a
referendum which it was afforded as a stipulation of the 2005 Comprehensive
Peace Agreement which ended Sudan's civil war in 2005. The referendum which
would allow its citizens to vote on its future is yet to happen as the
eligibility of different ethnic groups is still a matter of contention;
specifically the nomadic Misseriya who spend part of the year in Abyei and a
traditionally aligned to Khartoum.
"A referendum for Abyei will be held. President Bashir has accepted the
formation of the Abyei referendum commission. Five members will be selected.
They will nominate two people and we will nominate two other people and a
chairperson will be given to someone with an independent political and
ethnic affiliation to the two sides", Amum explained.
He said Kiir told the South Sudanese lead negotiating team in Addis Ababa,
after their direct discussion, Bashir pledged to "take two steps" to
resolving the conflict whenever Kiir "takes one step forward", to prove his
seriousness and commitment to settle the disputes between the two countries.
Amum also explained that Kiir "officially conveyed one solid message of
acceptance of the African Union Peace and Security Council Roadmap by the
Government of South Sudan and compliance with United Nations Security
Council Resolution number 2046. President Kiir also pledged commitment of
the leadership of government of South Sudan to assisting Sudan with
transitional financial package and readiness to assisting Sudan in resolving
disputes in the two areas."
He also explained that South Sudan "will use our contacts with friendly
countries forgo debts with Sudan but only when we agree to resolve all
outstanding issues."
Sudan is subjected to US economic sanctions since 1997. The US Congress,
which is hostile to Khartoum, refuses to remove it providing that Darfur
conflict, Abyei, and now South Kordofan humanitarian crisis be resolved
before to consider the issue.
Pagan further added that another presidential summit would be held before
the deadline of August 2, during which the duo would review details of the
negotiations and discuss possible final solution to ending impasses.
Luka Biong, from his side, praised president Kiir for holding direct talks
with president Bashir without involving third party. He added that the "move
was appreciated by all the circles".
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Received on Thu Jul 19 2012 - 18:54:44 EDT
