---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: "John Ashworth" <[email protected]> Date: 10 Aug 2016 00:52 Subject: [sudans-john-ashworth] Abyei To: "Group" <[email protected]> Cc:
Attached and below please find an article by Tim Flatman, received today. BEGIN HOW IS THE UN PEACEKEEPING FORCE PERFORMING IN ABYEI? By Tim Flatman UNMISS has come under severe criticism in recent weeks. Journalists have criticised its lack of openness. Rights groups have criticised its failure to protect civilians, even in its own camps. Some have called for UNMISS to leave South Sudan entirely, in reaction to calls for a third force. Concerns have regularly been raised about UNMISS’ neutrality or lack thereof, although these concerns have rarely been substantiated materially. It is worth examining how another UN peacekeeping force operating in South Sudan is doing. First, the positives. The presence of UNISFA is welcomed, and seen as necessary by the host population. While they have failed to protect many attacks on civilians in Abyei Area, they have shown themselves considerably more willing to use force to protect lives than UNMISS has in Juba, Malakal and elsewhere. Nothing in this article should be construed as arguing that UNISFA’s mandate should not be renewed. However, there are considerable concerns about lack of neutrality. This is not intrinsic, but due to the susceptibility of UNISFA to persistent Sudanese pressure, and the inability of the South Sudanese government, embroiled in its own concerns, to provide a counterbalance. UNISFA recently closed a peace market opened earlier this year. The peace market was enabling Misseriya traders to trade with recent Ngok Dinka returnees. Everyone benefited – traders prospered, returnees were able to get the things they needed to stay in their villages despite the absence of institutional support, and peaceful relationships were built through daily interactions without the pressure of higher-level negotiations. This year, for the first time in several years, Misseriya migrations have taken place peacefully and with the consent of the host Ngok Dinka community. Village communities have been prepared for the migrations, and for sharing water points, at each stage of the migrations. Communities have worked hard to resolve issues as they have arisen and potential conflicts have been averted. Concordis deserve a good deal of credit for their work, but the real impetus has come from the communities themselves. The Sudanese government, wishing to derail any community-level interaction between Ngok Dinka and Misseriya and to maintain control over all dialogue processes, attacked and killed 2 Dinka traders at Amit market on 29 June, bringing the total number of Ngok Dinka killed in Abyei Area to 11 this year. Ngok Dinka community leaders freely acknowledge that Misseriya community members are not part of these actions and that the killings have been organised by SAF and pro-government militias. UNISFA responded by shutting the market – exactly as the Government of Sudan had intended, and put forward the bizarre claim that protecting the market was not part of their mandate. Surely their mandate is to protect civilians, wherever they happen to be in Abyei Area, as they go about their daily routines. If these comments about the Sudanese government’s intentions appear polemic, consider the repeated imprisonment of Misseriya involved in the peace committee and in the highly successful Concordis-led dialogue process, and the replacement of some of them by NCP leaders. It is the author’s opinion that nomads who actually travel through Abyei Area are better-placed to represent ordinary Misseriya than NCP leaders, and that this action is an attempt to influence and intimidate Misseriya representatives and ensure the government’s agenda, rather than a Misseriya community agenda, is followed in all meetings. The Sudanese government put pressure on UNISFA, especially through AJOC Sudan, to prevent all meetings of the Ngok Dinka and Misseriya peace committees. UNISFA did indeed forbid these meetings – a power they do not legally have – and only allowed the communities to meet again on 21 July. AJOC Sudan has also pressured UNISFA to withdraw protection and evacuate civilian returnees from their villages in locations north of Abyei town. The construction of Athony Airport, and other road construction and communication and broadcasting projects should have been completed three years ago but have been stalled because of Sudanese pressure. UNISFA must demonstrate their independence from the Sudanese government. The community peace market should reopen in its former location, Amit, or possibly Goli. Even Amit was a compromise. The market opened in Ngoong. In the author’s opinion, Ngoong was a better location due to its historic significance as the birthplace of former Paramount Chief Deng Majok, who did so much to improve the relationship between Ngok and Dinka and Misseriya. In any event, UNISFA should not allow the location of the peace market to become a token in the Sudanese government’s game of encroaching ever further southward deep into Abyei Area. UNISFA should provide security for all civilians operating there. UNISFA should announce a date for the completion of Athony Airport, and other delayed infrastructure projects, and ensure it is met. They should acknowledge that they are not authorised to prevent the voluntary meetings of Ngok Dinka and Misseriya peace committees. They should announce that they will fulfil their mandate in protecting Ngok Dinka civilians returning to their former villages regardless of the location. If UNISFA show no signs of standing firm against Sudanese pressure, the international community must provide the counter-balance that the South Sudanese government cannot. They must ensure that UNISFA support all returns of displaced Ngok Dinka in every village they voluntarily return to, and support all peaceful interaction between Ngok Dinka and Misseriya. Tim Flatman and his wife Hannah are regular visitors to Abyei and support the work of churches there. END ______________________ John Ashworth [email protected] +254 725 926 297 (Kenya mobile) +211 919 695 362 (South Sudan mobile) +44 787 976 8030 (UK mobile) +88 216 4334 0735 (Thuraya satphone) Skype: jashworth1 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. 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HOW IS THE UN PEACEKEEPING FORCE PERFORMING IN ABYEI.docx
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