---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: John Ashworth <[email protected]> Date: Tue, Mar 29, 2011 at 11:53 AM Subject: [sudan-john-ashworth] Fw: NCP on Abyei and transition To: Group <[email protected]>
Some of this may be rhetoric to raise the stakes in negotiations, but nevertheless it is worrying. The affirmation that NCP's "position on the Abyei issue is backed by the Abyei Protocol" is an incredible claim, as it is in fact the NCP which has breached the protocol time and time again. That "the international community" affirms NCP's position, and NCP's "acceptance of the American proposal", are a measure of how misguided US and international policy and understanding of the Abyei issue have been, with General Gration largely responsible for that. "Abyei will remain part of North Sudan in accordance with 1956 borders and international arbitration, in case the referendum does not take place or the issue is not settled" is a recipe for instability.The international community must no longer collude with NCP in breaching the CPA on Abyei. While Abyei may lead to war in the short term, Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile have the potential for war in the longer term, as the popular consultations, even if "free and fair", will not meet the aspirations of the people, and already there are calls for "self rule" and even secession. That there is no mention of this as a major challenge to stability in the country and the region is typical not only of the two ruling parties in Sudan but also of the international community. John BEGIN NCP: Abyei to Remain With North Posted on Tuesday, March 29 @ 00:15:00 UTC by admin Sudan Vision By: Zuleikha Abdul Raziq Khartoum – The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) affirmed that its position on the Abyei issue is backed by the Abyei Protocol and the international community. Both had acknowledged the right of all Sudanese residing in the area of Abyei to take part in the proposed referendum on whether Abyei belongs to the North or the South. Leading NCP figure Dr. Mandoor Al Mahdi, affirmed that Abyei will remain part of North Sudan in accordance with 1956 borders and international arbitration, in case the referendum does not take place or the issue is not settled. He further confirmed that Abyei and other pending issues, including borders demarcation, security arrangements and mistrust between the north and south, will remain obstacles in Sudan's political arena. He accused, in an interview with Sudan Vision Daily to be published later, the leading figure of Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) Deng Alor of his involvement in the armed conflicts took place between Misseriya and Dingka recently. "Alor always seeks to escalate disputes between Misseriya and Dingka by his stances on issue whereas he always calls that only the Dingka have the right to vote in the referendum, and this contradicts Abyei Protocol", he said. Al Mahadi affirmed that the NCP offered the utmost concessions to resolve Abyei issue the most prominent of which is it acceptance of the American proposal that states that any one has resided in Abyei from 180-500 days has the right to vote in the referendum. With regard to the complaint raised by the SPLM to UN Security Council (UNSC), Al Mahadi said, "There are groups within the SPLM led by Pagan Amum seek to disturb relations between North and South despite that Amom is running the post of minister of peace in government of South Sudan (GoSS) and he is doing so through the approach he adopts by resorting to the West." Al Mahadi pointed out to Pagan's previous stances on the issue of lifting sanctions from Sudan whereas he demanded USA Administration not to lift the economic sanctions but even he asked the Administration to impose more economic sanctions on Sudan. With regards to the case of forged documents raised recently by the SPLM, Al Mahadi said that such documents are false and that Amum and his group has raised it before two years and that the case had been tackled at that time, pointing out that re-raising it in internal and external media aimed at deluding the world that the relations between the North and the South are still tense. He calls upon the leadership of the SPLM to isolate these groups and take a stance similar to that of the NCP which obliged its membership to follow NCP line and approach especially those groups that were supporting secession so as to maintain good brotherly relations between the North and South. With regards to the form of relation of NCP southerners with the NCP after 9 July next, Al Mahadi said that Shura Conference of South Sudan sector in the NCP that was held lately has decided on all these issues and arrangements were taken at both levels, the north and South. He denied that his party has the intention to establish a branch in the South, stating that the South has become another state and the same thing applies to SPLM. But he added that the matter is subject to the leading figures of the SPLM in the North, as they are free if they want to form another party according to the constitution and law. Al Mahadi slammed the stances of the SPLM which still support Darfur rebel movements and provides them with material and logistical support. He downplayed the recurring attempts of the opposition forces to topple the regime through popular and military uprisings, explaining that the current regime came through elections whose impartiality was witnessed by the whole world and accepted its outcome. "Rules of peaceful transference of power necessitate that elections should be the only instrument to change the regime, rather than chaos and disturbing social peace," Al Mahdi said. He denied that offer of the NCP regarding the broad-based government is a tactical one, affirming that it is a serious and unconditional proposal set forth for all political parties in order to maintain peace despite that his party, the NCP, has overwhelmingly won last elections. Al Mahadi affirmed that dialogue between NCP and other political forces is open except on the known firm principles which are Islamic Sharia and the legitimacy of the NCP rule which came through elections. Al Mahdi is optimistic and is expecting that the dialogue between NCP and Umma National Party will lead to an agreement. "I am optimistic", he said, disclosing start of dialoging with the Democratic Unionist Party (the Original) on constitution and other issues, hoping that the it comes out with a draft constitution acceptable by all parties. http://www.sudanvisiondaily.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=71986 END ______________________ John Ashworth Sudan Advisor Sudan Ecumenical Forum [email protected] +254 725 926 297 (Kenya mobile) +249 919 695 362 (Sudan mobile) +27 82 853 3556 (South Africa mobile) +44 750 304 1790 (UK/international) +88 216 4334 0735 (Thuraya satphone) PO Box 52002 - 00200, Nairobi, Kenya This is a personal e-mail address and the contents do not necessarily reflect the views of any organisation -- The content of this message does not necessarily reflect John Ashworth's views. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, John Ashworth is not the author of the content and the source is always cited. 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