---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: John Ashworth <[email protected]> Date: Wed, Nov 28, 2012 at 12:27 PM Subject: [sudan-john-ashworth] Sudanese Troops Still Occupy Bahr El Ghazal Territory To: Group <[email protected]>
Sudanese Troops Still Occupy Western Bahr El Ghazal Territory The state government advisor on boundaries and inter communal affairs, Mr. Misskeen Musa Abdelmukarum has confirmed to Gurtong that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) are still occupying the South Sudan territory in Raga County of Western Bahr el Ghazal state. By James Deng Demo WAU, 27 November 2012[Gurtong] - Abdelmukarum who recently visited Raga County said that the Sudanese troops are still occupying Kafia Kangi, Kpadipi, Horfa el Nhasa, Songo and Enrodon areas which are on South Sudan territory in accordance to 1/1/1956 borders. ‘‘However the Sudan and South Sudan have last September signed a marathon cooperation agreements which include border and security agreements in Ethiopian Capital Addis Ababa, the Sudanese armed forces are daily amassing their troops along side of Kafia Kangi, Balbala and some parts of South Sudan in Raga County but now confirmation of any attack they carried out,” Abdelmukarum said. He said that during the visit to Raga has he witnessed that the residents lack clean drinking water, medications and the harvest has been badly affected by the weather since the SAF prevented the agriculture activities in the areas through aerial bombardments during the rainy season. The area is also affected mostly due to poor road and communication networks. Abdelmukarum said that the presence of Sudanese troops in the area did not reflect the recent signed cooperation agreements that paved way for a demilitarize border zone and free movement between the two countries and described it as violation of the agreement which require the negotiation team and mediation partners on both sides to investigate the present of SAF in the areas. Establishing a demilitarized zone along the border has been a major point of disagreement for the neighboring countries. Both countries have last month promised to pull out their soldiers back 10 kilometers from each border. Sudan's army had last week confirmed it attacked an area near the South Sudanese border where Darfur rebels had set up a compound, but South Sudan said bombs landed on its territory, killing five people. The incident adds to growing concern over delays in implementing security and oil deals which the leaders of Sudan and South Sudan hailed in September as ending conflict, after they fought along their undemarcated border in March and April. The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebels accused the government of bombing around the disputed border region, after the army had threatened to use force. Sudan and South Sudan dispute the area, which Sudan considers to be part of East Darfur state. The Sudanese Revolutionary Front is an alliance of rebel groups from different Sudanese states. It says it is fighting to overthrow the Arab-dominated Khartoum regime. The Samaha region is one of five areas disputed by Khartoum and the South's government in Juba. They have not been able to resolve the disagreement despite African Union (AU) mediation which led to the September deals that included a demilitarised border buffer zone designed to cut support for insurgencies in Sudan. Sudan has long accused South Sudan of working with the JEM, a charge denied by the South. But suspected JEM fighters were seen alongside South Sudanese troops during border fighting between Sudan and South Sudan in April. The two nations have not been able to agree on practical steps to implement the September pacts, the AU said on November 10, urging "full and timely implementation". Khartoum accuses South Sudan of backing those rebels in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states. http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/ArticleView/mid/519/articleId/8574/Sudanese-Troops-Still-Occupy-Western-Bahr-El-Ghazal-Land.aspx END ______________________ John Ashworth Sudan, South Sudan Advisor [email protected] +254 725 926 297 (Kenya mobile) +211 919 695 362 (South Sudan mobile) +27 82 050 1235 (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. 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.co.za/group/sudan-john-ashworth -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" 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 https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
