---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: John Ashworth <[email protected]> Date: Sun, May 22, 2011 at 11:03 AM Subject: [sudan-john-ashworth] Fwd: More on invasion of Abyei To: Group <[email protected]>
1. North Sudan Takes Contested Town on South Border NYT By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN Published: May 22, 2011 NAIROBI – The northern Sudanese army has seized a strategic town along Sudan’s contested north-south border in a serious military escalation that has the potential of igniting an all-out civil war, Western officials said on Sunday. A column of northern Sudanese tanks rolled into Abyei, a flashpoint border town on Saturday, after weeks of hit-and-run clashes between northern and southern forces. The southern part of Sudan is gearing up to declare independence in July and both northern and southern Sudan claim Abyei, making it one of the most combustible issues between the two sides. The Abyei area produces a small amount of oil but more than that, it has become a potent, emotional symbol for both northern and southern Sudanese. It has been called Sudan’s Jerusalem because of the difficulties of resolving its status. “The SAF (Sudan Armed Forces) have taken this evening the control of Abyei town and repelled the enemy forces, ” declared a Sudanese state television news bulletin on Saturday night. According to United Nations officials inside Abyei, there were at least a dozen northern tanks now prowling the town. But the United Nations monitoring team in Abyei was hampered from making more detailed observations because several mortar shells landed near the United Nations compound, and United Nations personnel were reluctant to venture into Abyei’s streets. The southern Sudanese forces, who have tens of thousands of heavily-armed soldiers – some of them trained by the United States, have not indicated yet how they will respond. On Saturday night, Philip Aguer, a spokesman for southern Sudan’s military forces, told AFP, “The SAF have entered Abyei, there is still fighting but they have come with tanks, they are shooting and shooting. ” “Our police have been fighting but the SAF have sent many soldiers in, ” he added, speaking by phone from Juba, the capital of southern Sudan. The crisis comes right as a delegation from the United Nations Security Council is in Sudan, visiting both sides in preparation for the division of Sudan this summer. Abyei has been a sore spot for years, a clear potential spoiler in the separation of north and south Sudan. It has a hybrid history, a dusty, arid patch of Sudan that is culturally and ethnically linked to the south and populated by mostly Southerners but incorporated administratively as part of the north for decades. Northern nomads cross through Abyei to bring their herds to watering holes and the area has been like a mosaic of cultures between north and south Sudan. Abyei was supposed to have its own referendum to decide whether it would join the north or the south but that got shelved because of heated arguments over who was eligible to vote. Meanwhile, southern Sudan held a referendum in January in which more than 95 percent of Southerners voted for independence. While its status is unresolved, Abyei has been administered by a joint north-south committee and the only soldiers in the area are supposed to units made up of Northerners and Southerners. But in the past few months, human rights groups have seen a sharp build-up by both sides around the contested border. Over the past few weeks, northern and southern forces have been attacking each other in rural areas around Abyei town. On Thursday, southern forces ambushed a convoy of northern troops, killing more than dozen northern soldiers. Southern forces had staged a similar attack in early May. One Western official on Sunday said that the southern forces had indeed provoked the north and that it was unlikely that northern forces would now withdraw from Abyei. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/23/world/africa/23sudan.html?_r=1 END1 2. UN: Tanks of northern Sudan in contested Abyei By MAGGIE FICK Associated Press JUBA, Sudan (AP) - Northern Sudanese troops appeared to have seized the contested town of Abyei on Saturday night, a U.N. spokeswoman said, increasing fears of conflict as the country's south prepares to become the world's newest country. U.N. officials have seen 15 tanks belonging to the northern army in parts of the town, where earlier mortars slammed against a United Nations base, Hua Jiang said. One of those mortar rounds exploded, but there were no casualties among U.N. personnel, she said. The attack on the compound has prevented the U.N. forces from patrolling this contested town, Jiang said. The violence comes against the backdrop of a four-day visit by the U.N. Security Council to Sudan, starting Saturday. Southern Sudan will become independent on July 9 and the U.N. has expressed concerns about recent violence in Southern Sudan and in several spots across the contested border region. Southern Sudanese army spokesman Col. Philip Aguer said Saturday that the northern army was bombing the area near Abyei from the air for a second day. The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Sudan issued a statement earlier Saturday calling for the immediate cessation of hostilities in Abyei and urging the north and south to protect civilians in the areas where fighting may be ongoing. Southern Sudan's independence - approved overwhelmingly in a January vote - is less than two months away, but the status of Abyei has not been determined. Its future is the most important outstanding issue remaining to be settled between north and south. «There are still air bombardments,» Aguer told The Associated Press on Saturday, referring to the southern army's allegations that the northern army begun bombing Abyei on Friday after clashes there Thursday evening between northern and southern troops. He also said the northern Sudanese Armed Forces attacked four villages in the Abyei area, but said he had no information on casualties. Aguer also said the southern army had received information that a northern army ground force was moving through the area. Jiang said artillery was heard in Abyei on Friday but that the U.N. could not verify more details because of insecurity in the area. Medical aid group Doctors Without Borders said late Saturday they treated 42 wounded people who were brought to their hospital Friday night following «violent clashes» in Abyei. The group received the wounded at their hospital 24 miles (40 kilometers) south of Abyei. Doctors Without Borders said in its statement that «the entire population of Abyei town fled» Saturday morning. The group said it suspended its primary health care programs in Abyei to treat the wounded. Local officials also said Saturday that at least six rebels and soldiers were killed in clashes between the southern army and rebels Friday and Saturday in Unity state. Fighting broke out in two different areas of Unity State when two different rebel groups, which the south claims are both backed by the northern government, attacked villages on Friday and Saturday. The top local official in Unity state's Mayom County, Charles Machieng Kuol, also told the AP by phone on Saturday that four police officers were also killed Friday when they ran over a mine that exploded. The reports of violence follow a sharp escalation in tensions in Abyei after a northern army convoy accompanied by U.N. peacekeepers came under attack late Thursday, wounding two northern soldiers and provoking harsh condemnation from the U.N. mission. The northern army accused southern troops of firing upon the convoy, a charge the southern army denied. The southern military later on Friday accused the north of carrying out bombing runs in the Abyei area, including attempting to hit targets near a strategic bridge across a river in southern Abyei. On Saturday, the United States condemned the offensive near Abyei. While the U.S. said it deplored Thursday's attack by southern forces on a U.N. convoy, it called the north's response «disproportionate and irresponsible.» «The actions being taken by the government of Sudan are blatant violations of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and threaten to undermine the mutual commitment of the CPA parties to avoid a return to war,» the White House said in a statement. It called on Sudan's military to cease its offensive in Abyei and withdraw its forces. Failure to do so could set back the process of normalizing U.S.-Sudanese relations, the statement warned. --- Associated Press writers Philip Mabior in Juba and Bradley Klapper in Washington, D.C. contributed to this report. 220135 may 11GMT END2 3. US condemns Sudan after army takes Abyei WASHINGTON, May 21, 2011 (AFP) - The United States Saturday condemned an offensive by Sudan's army after government troops seized the key town in the contested border region of Abyei, the White House said. A White House statement called on Sudan's armed forces "to immediately cease all offensive operations in Abyei and withdraw its forces from Abyei." "Failure to do so could set back the process of normalizing relations between Sudan and the United States and inhibit the international community's ability to move forward on issues critical to Sudan's future," the statement said. The statement from the White House press secretary said Washington "condemns the offensive operations being undertaken by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in and around Abyei town and today's presidential decree dissolving the Abyei Administration." The statement noted that the United States "deplored the May 19 attack by Southern forces on a United Nations convoy," it added that "this response is disproportionate and irresponsible" and "blatant violations" of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement for Sudan. The comments came after Sudanese government troops Saturday took control of the key town in the contested border region of Abyei after fierce fighting with the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), according to UN and rebel sources. "The SAF have entered (the town) Abyei, there is still fighting but they have come with tanks, they are shooting and shooting," said SPLA spokesman Philip Aguer in Sudan. Officials with the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) and a diplomatic source with a UN Security Council delegation visiting the Sudanese capital Khartoum confirmed the news to AFP. "The SAF have taken the town, it is a major development," the diplomatic source, who did not want to be named, said. END3 4. Sudanese army controls Abyei following heavy fighting English.news.cn 2011-05-22 05:47:45 KHARTOUM, May 21 (Xinhua) -- The Sudanese army has managed to control the Abyei area on the border between northern and southern Sudan following fierce frighting with the former rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) since Friday, the state-run Sudanese Television reported on Saturday evening. "The Sudanese army has managed to impose full control over Abyei city after fierce battles with the enemy and repulsed them out of the city," the TV reported. "The army destroyed two tanks and arrested two of the enemy soldiers. The army is still combing the area and pursuing the remnants of the enemy who fled the city," the report said. In the meantime, Rabie Abdel-Atti, a leading member of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP), told Xinhua that "Abyei belongs to north Sudan and matters had to be put back to their normal course." "It is important that Abyei is under the control of the central government and free of any forces whose presence may constitute a violation for the Abyei protocol," he added. He went on saying that "it is the duty of the government to impose its control over Abyei and provide protection for its population. This is the duty of the government and this is what is happening now. Until a referendum is conducted in Abyei to decide its affiliation, it will remain part of north Sudan and under the control of the government." Meanwhile, Abdel-Atti accused the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) of violating the Comprehensive Peace Agreement ( CPA) when it ambushed a convoy of the Sudanese army, the incident which inflamed the current tensions in Abyei. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Saturday issued a republican decree dissolving the Abyei administration and relieving its chief administrator and his deputy together with the chairmen of the area's five administrations, which indicated cancellation of the Abyei protocol agreed upon by the Sudanese peace partners. Tensions mounted in Abyei after a convoy of Sudanese army and UN peacekeepers was attacked in the area Friday morning, which resulted in the death of 22 Sudanese army soldiers. Violence has aggravated in Abyei since the south Sudan referendum on Jan. 9 which resulted in the separation of south Sudan. A referendum on Abyei was supposed to be held simultaneously, but was postponed due to differences between the NCP and the SPLM over who has the right to vote in the referendum. The NCP said the Mesiria tribe has the right to vote, while the SPLM insisted that only the Dinka Nkok tribe has that right. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-05/22/c_13887327.htm END4 5. North Sudan army takes control of Abyei North Sudan's army gains control of key town in disputed Abyei region after bombing villages and entering with tanks. Al Jazeera Last Modified: 21 May 2011 22:57 North Sudan's army appears to have gained control of the main town in Sudan's disputed Abyei region after fierce fighting with the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), UN and rebel sources said. UN officials saw 15 tanks of the Sudanese Armed Forces, the northern army, on Saturday in parts of the key town Abyei where earlier mortars slammed against a UN base, Hua Jiang, the UN spokeswoman said on Saturday. One of those mortar rounds exploded, but there were no casualties among UN personnel, Jiang said. "The SAF have entered (the town) Abyei, there is still fighting but they have come with tanks, they are shooting and shooting," said SPLA spokesman Philip Aguer. "Our police have been fighting but the SAF have sent many soldiers in," he added, speaking by phone from Juba, the capital of southern Sudan. He said northern forces bombed at least four villages on Saturday afternoon in continuation of last week's attacks. Aguer added that two of the bombed villages were Todach and Tagalei which had been already hit on Friday - a reference to the southern army's allegations that the northern army had begun bombing Abyei that day after previous clashes on Thursday. Sudanese state television’s news bulletin said the SAF expelled "enemy forces" to the south on Saturday evening. Rising tensions The violence comes a day after the UN called for an "immediate cessation of hostilities" which has increased in recent days in forms of clashes that include artillery fire. It also comes a day before a UN Security Council delegation was scheduled to hold talks with the Sudanese government in the country’s capital Khartoum over Abyei. The armies of North and South Sudan, which is due to claim independence from Khartoum later this year, have accused each other of launching attacks in the region. An unnamed diplomatic source on the delegation told the AFP news agency called SAF’s control over Abyei town "a major development". "Elements of the SPLA have pulled back to the south and are no longer in the town, where about 10 T-55 SAF tanks are patrolling," one official at the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), also told AFP. Fighting in the Abyei region has pitted former civil war enemies against each other since January, when South Sudan voted to become independent in a referendum in January. It agreed to a peace deal with the north in 2005, but tensions are high in oil-producing Abyei, where both sides have built up forces. The north has said it will not recognise the state unless the south gives up its claim to Abyei. The US, one of the main backers of Sudan's landmark 2005 peace deal, has deplored the southern forces' May 19 attack on a UN convoy that was lawfully transporting a SAF company. On Saturday, the White House "condemned" the fresh violence in Abyei and called on the SAF to "immediately cease all offensive operations" and "withdraw its forces" from Abyei. "Failure to do so could set back the process of normalising relations between Sudan and the United States and inhibit the international community's ability to move forward on issues critical to Sudan's future," the White House said in a statement. http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/05/201152121531778931.html END5 6. Sudan's Armed Forces announce taking control of Abyei region Text of report by state-owned Sudanese TV on 21 May A few moments ago, a high-profile military source said that the Armed Forces managed to enter Abyei town after it successfully expeled enemy forces outside the town this evening. The source added that the Armed Forces inflicted major losses to the attacking forces and took over two tanks and captured two members of the enemy forces. The source went on to say that Armed Forces has taken full control of Abyei and is now combing the region and pursuing elements of the enemy that have escaped. In this regard, the armed forces performed their Maghrib prayers [evening prayers] in Abyei. Source: Sudan TV, Omdurman, in Arabic 1900 gmt 21 May 11 BBC Monitoring END6 ______________________ 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. You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "sudan-john-ashworth" group. 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