African Union postpones Abyei reconciliation meeting
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June 24, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) - The African Union (AU) Wednesday
postponed indefinitely a reconciliation meeting for Ngok Dinka and
Messiriya Abyei community leaders after a last-minute note from the
South Sudanese side.
JPEG - 32.8 kb
AJOC co-chairs Hassan Ali Nimir (L) and (Deng Mading Mijak) shake
hands following the signing of the resolution exchange on 30 March
2015 (Photo courtesy of the AUHIP)
In a bid to break the tensions between the Ngok Dinka and Misseriya
communities in the disputed Abyei area, the co-chairmen of the Abyei
Joint Oversight Committee (AJOC) agreed on 30 March 2015, to bring
together the traditional chiefs of the two communities to discuss
local issues and to promote reconciliation.
However, in a statement released on Wednesday, the Commission of the
African Union expressed disappointment over the postponement of the
Abyei community leader’s reconciliation meeting, which was scheduled
to take place in Addis Ababa, from 20 to 24 June 2015.
Despite previous indication about their participation "the AJOC
Facilitator was informed that the South Sudanese community leaders
would not take part in the meeting in Addis Ababa and that they were
requesting an indefinite postponement to resolve internal challenges
relating to their participation," said the AU commission.
The statement didn’t elaborate on the nature of these "internal
challenges", but indicated that the newly AJOC Facilitator, Boitshoko
Mokgatlhe, met with the Sudanese delegation which arrived to the
Ethiopian capital on 19 June.
"The Messiriya Chiefs underscored the importance of reconciliation
with their brothers from the Ngok Dinka community. They expressed
their readiness to attend any subsequent meeting on this matter, and
the hope that the Ngok Dinka representatives will also be in
attendance," said the African Union.
The African Union stressed the urgent need to hold the traditional
leaders meeting in order to promote reconciliation among the Abyei
communities. Also, it praised the presence of the Misseriya
delegation, adding it looks forward to the full cooperation of the
South Sudanese side.
In October 2013, the Ngok Dinka held an unilateral referenda where
they decided to join the South Sudan. They also refuse the
reestablishment of a joint administration agreed by Khartoum and Juba
since June 2011, pointing that all the efforts should focus on the
organisation of the self-determination vote.
Sudan and South Sudan failed to agree on who can participate in this
crucial plebiscite. Khartoum says the nomad Misseriya are entire
citizens of the contested area but Juba rejects such idea.
The African Union mediation body (AUHIP) led by the former South
African president Thabo Mbeki supported the organisation of the
referendum without the Misseriya. But the African Union Peace and
Security Council refused to endorse the proposal, preferring to
continue efforts to promote a negotiated deal.
(ST)
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