JUBA, Southern Sudan (NSV) - US special envoy to Sudan issued stern warnings to both the north and the south on Saturday, describing the situation in Abyei as "very tense" and "worrisome."
Ambassador Princeton Lyman, who was recently appointed by President Obama to replace Gen. Scott Gration, said the north and the south are bringing heavily military equipment to Abyei, a gesture he said to be in total violation of the recent security arragements that called for withdrawal of all troops from the volatile , oil rich area. Mr. Lyman said both sides are bringing in military equipment to the area at a time when everthing seems to be uncertain around that disputed region. "The danger is that a confrontation in a place like Abyei could get out of hand," he said. "And that could lead them to wholesale war with very serious consequences." Abyei has long been a source of contention for the north and the south. Its status is well addressed in the CPA as conditional on the Ngok Dinka who are supposed to vote on whether to keep it in the north or make it part of the south as was the case before it got transfered back in 1905. But the issue became hard in the run up to the referendum when the north and the Arab Misseriya tribe began to stake some claim to the area, so the fate was left to the presidency to find a situable politcal solution. Mr. Lyman met both Kiir and Bashir in Ethiopia after attending a meeting on Southern Sudan's transition to nationhood. He said both leaders have pledged to not take both sides to war. Mr.Lyman said the issue of Abyei will be his number one priority. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "JFD info" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/jfdinfo?hl=en.
