A word from Sudan's Abyei citizens

Akhbar Al Yom newspaper of February 18-24, 2008 availed its forum to Al Missieria political, intellectual and military leaders to express their concerns on the current hot issues in Abyei Area. Likewise, the same newspaper gave an equal chance to Commander Edward Lino W. Abyei in his capacity as Civil Administrator and SPLM Political Commissar of Abyei Area. On the forum was Dr. Kuol Arop Kuol, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture - University of El Daleny and Secretary of Agriculture in the newly established Abyei Area Civil Administration. Their statements were published on February 24 – 26, 2008.

Missieria View Points:-

In their statements, the Missieria representatives on the forum expressed the following:

1. The Missieria hold on to their rights in Abyei Area.

2. They are against implementation of Abyei protocol.

3. They are against the report of the international experts.

4. They threatened to wage war on Abyei citizens if the protocol is implemented.

5. They stressed that they have no problem with the citizens of Abyei.

6. They have established a front and an army for the "liberation of Abyei", and have also formed a government.

On their part Commander Edward L.W. Abyei and Dr. Kuol Arop Kuol, speaking on behalf of Abyei citizens stressed the following points:

1. Dinka Ngok hold on to their historical rights on their homeland as per 1905.

2. Free and safe movement along the traditional pasture routes is guaranteed to Missieria.

3. They called upon the Presidency to implement Abyei protocol as per the Comprehensive Agreement.

4. That the report of the international experts be honored fully.

5. The importance of according due respect to agreements.

6. The importance of keeping the whole Missieria extended tribe out of the current misunderstanding, and to confine the issue strictly between Ngok Dinka and Awlad Kamil and Al Mazaghna. They expressed the readiness of Dinka Ngok to sit down with both Awlad Kamil and Al Mazaghna to sort out differences.
7. That there is no issue that much complicated between Dinka Ngok and the Missieria as a whole, and for that matter with Awlad Kamil and Al Mazaghna.

8. That there shall be no war between Ngok Dinka and the Missieria in Abyei Area.

1. Clarification of the Issue:-

Missieria leaders backed by the President of the Republic say that the international experts have overstepped the mandate, and that they came up with the map of 1965 instead of the map of 1905. In response to this claim Dinka Ngok spokespersons, supported by the First Vice President, President of the Government of South Sudan stressed that the experts did not violate their mandate. Because, when they declared that they did not find a map of Abyei Area for 1905 that was the very reason the Commission was formed and mandated to produce a map showing Ngok Dinka permanent homeland geography as at 1905. This means that had there been a map for 1905 there would have had been no problem to warrant involvement of international experts. It is worth mentioning that there was no map for the Sudan in 1905. It should be mentioned further, that the present Ngok Dinka geographical area was among the three areas made up of a Dinka Twich section and Dinka Rueng that were transferred to Kordofan province in 1905 for pure administrative reasons. In 1932 – 1933 the other two areas were retransferred to their respective previous provinces of Bahr el Ghazal (present Warrap State) and Upper Nile Province (present Unity State).

2. Factors that Impede Implementation of Abyei Protocol, and the Culture of Dishonoring Agreements:-

In his well known book; (Sudan: Too Many Agreements Dishonored), Mr. Abel Alier made it known that Northern Sudanese are prone to dishonor agreements at least with South Sudanese. As an example, Mr. Alier mentions that Northerners violated 1947 Juba Conference understanding that promised to give South Sudan a special treatment to help close the gap of development between the two parts of the country. Then the Addis Ababa Agreement was unilaterally abrogated in 1983. Then there was this constant interference in political affairs of the South through dissolution of Southern regional governments especially those that did not win Northern favor. Accordingly we do see this feet dragging in implementing the Comprehensive Agreement. We are witnessing this adamant refusal to implement Abyei protocol which Northerners assume that it is the soft part of the Comprehensive Agreement body. By so doing they would like to take advantage of the sudden departure of Dr. John Garang de Mabior and the advent of First Lieutenant General Salva Kiir Mayardit as First Vice President. They erroneously assumed that HE Salva K. Mayardit is a novice in the world of public responsibility, and that he could be easily confused and knocked off his feet if faced with a rushing number of mind boggling problems, and that this way he would forget Abyei protocol. It should be known that First Lieut. General Salva K. Mayardit is a well seasoned soldier, a man that nothing can escape. Then people were surprised to hear that the experts have violated the mandate. So far this is a precedence in which experts are accused of lacking understanding about what a mandate implicates. They were also accused of bias against the North. Furthermore, the National Congress Party announced that Abyei protocol has been "put in a fridge". All these events have taken place in the face of the extreme patience the First Vice President, President of the Government of South Sudan exhibited, being a partner in a government charged with the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement including Abyei protocol. All this gave Dinka Ngok the impression that the NCP is not willing to implement Abyei protocol.

3. A Wish to Get Rid of Abyei Protocol:-

It can be discerned that the NCP is doing what it can to derail the Comprehensive Agreement in the understanding that this can happen simply by getting rid of Abyei protocol first. In the meantime word flew about that Abyei protocol is made to satisfy a few individuals. However, inspite of all this commotion no one has ever heard the voice of the Vice President Mr. Ali Osman M. Taha. Mr. Ali Osman Taha was the man who co-signed the Abyei protocol, and co-mandated the international experts of Abyei Boundaries Commission. Hence, Mr. Ali Osman Taha knows very well that the experts have not violated their mandate.

4. The Recent Security Issues in Abyei Area:-

In juxtaposition with the wish to get rid of Abyei protocol an explanation can be given regarding the serious security events that had recently taken place in Abyei Area starting December 2007, January, February, March 2008 as an attempt to undermine the appointment of Commander Edward Lino W. Abyei as Civil Administrator and Political Commissar in Abyei Area. In addition to serious fire exchange and many casualties sustained by the parties involved in Abyei Area, those events were also translated in Mohamed Omer Al Ansari's move to form a government and an army to "liberate Abyei". He did all this without impunity, a signal that any person any time anywhere in the Sudan can form a government and an army. Is this not the situation in Somalia?. The appointment of Commander Edward Lino W. Abyei as Civil Administrator in Abyei Area came from the First Vice President, President of the Government of South Sudan. He did this after consulting Abyei protocol, the provisional constitutions of the Government of South Sudan and the Government of National Unity. It is to be remembered that the Presidency has not contravened this appointment up to this moment.

5. Where does Abyei Area Belong:-

This question is relevant in view of the present and future developments in the Area. Abyei protocol defines it as the area of Dinka Ngok nine chiefdoms transferred to Kordofan in 1905. In a statement published in Akhbar Al Yom newspaper of March 3, 2008 Dr. Mustafa Osman Ismail mentions that Edward Lino W. Abyei- recently appointed Civil Administrator in Abyei Area. "…knows very well that Abyei is part of North Sudan even if the National Congress Party and the Sudan People Liberation Movement agree and up to the time of referendum…" In contrast Dr. Francis M. Deng mentions the following in Akhbar Al Yom of January 7, 2008:-

Abyei belongs to South Sudan, and it was annexed to west Kordofan for administrative reasons. But, what is important are the people of the Area, what do they want? During the time of Nimeiri it was given a right to remain in the North, or return to the South. But, that part of the agreement was not implemented, The citizens of Abyei were among the first who took part in the last war, and I supported the idea of giving Southerners the right of self determination, and I did not want them to secede. But, I wanted the responsible officials, especially in the North to make unity attractive, otherwise the country will disintegrate. I would say the same thing on Abyei because they were given a right to remain in the North, or opt to join the South. If we want Abyei to remain in the North we have to create conditions that make it to remain in the North. This is not done by force, but rather through development. Without going into details Abyei is known as a Dinka homeland, and Abyei is not part of Kordofan, and remaining as part of Kordofan does not solve a problem. Let us recall what Mukhtar Babo Nimir had said; that Abyei is a Dinka homeland. And when he was asked by the border commission he said he would prefer not to speak so that he would not embarrass his people. Nevertheless, all these are well known facts. Abyei issue is a sad matter. All in all there should be a satisfactory solution.

It could be said that although Dr. Mustafa Osman Ismail speaks on behalf of the NCP to challenge Dinka Ngok citizens, he does not know anything about the Area. If anything, he knows Abyei, perhaps through the barrels of oil that flow out of its oil wells. Therefore, his statement quoted above should not be taken seriously.

Let us remind Dr. Francis Deng kindly that rights are never given, but are taken. Like the rest of the other five protocols which make up the Comprehensive Agreement, Abyei protocol is a result of the struggle of our sons and martyrs whose fountains of blood did soak the plains and valleys of South Sudan so that it may grow liberty and dignity. Rather, it is worth that their blood gives forth a protocol worth respect and implementation and to help grow delicious fruits translated into stability and development on their homeland.

6. Our Position in Regards to Al Missieria::-

1. It is reiterated that we the citizens of Abyei have no problem with the Missieria tribe as a whole in regards to Abyei protocol. If the Missieria think that they have a problem, they may approach the appropriate authorities whom they know very well. They may choose to take a route that can lead them to achieve their rights. Therefore, we ask upon Al Fayareen and Al Falaita to come forward and take the initiative from the hands of the Missieria extended tribe and face the Presidency, or any other that they deem appropriate to achieve their rights.
2. We ask upon the Fayareen and the Falaita not to involve the whole Missieria extended tribe in the issue, because this complicates matters much further.

3. We would like to make it known that Abyei protocol is final, because it is a result of the struggle of generations. Its price was very high. This means that, we the citizens of Abyei Area tenaciously hold on to the protocol and the report of the experts in letter and spirit. We affirm our support for our Civil Administration recently instituted. We firmly stand behind our leader First Lieut. General Salva K. Mayardit. We take this opportunity to honor the memory of our fallen hero Dr. John Garang de Mabior. We seize this opportunity to call upon the Presidency to honor its financial obligations for Abyei Area long overdue as per protocol.