By Godfrey Olukya 10-1–1012
Although South Sudan and Sudan governments recently held talks on how to resolve boundaries conflicts in Ethiopia’s capital Addis-Ababa, South Sudan has now said that it wants the problem to be solved by a referendum while Sudan wants it to be solved politically.
Abyei region, which is at the border of the two countries has been a contentious issue which has led to the two countries to fight one another. The oil rich area is claimed by each of the two countries because they say that according to the map it belongs to them.
South Sudan’s minister of Cabinet Affairs, Deng Alor Kuol ,while addressing journalists in Juba last evening, openly rejected resolving Abyei issue politically.
He said,’ We can not allow Abyei status to be dealt with politically. We can not accept Sudan’s claim that the status of the contested Abyei region should be resolved politically rather than through a referendum.’
Alor who had just returned from Kenya said that South Sudan decided to transfer Abyei issue to the Peace and Security Council of the African Union. He said that the AU will subsequently table it at the UN Security Council.
He said,’The decision of the Sudan people’s liberation Movement (SPLM), the government of the republic of South Sudan and President Kiir in the latest meetings was that Abyei’s file should be moved to the Africa Union peace and security council and then to the UN security council. The AU,especially Mbeki committee will this month present the issue to the UN security council possibly on the third week of this month.
Sudan on the other hand said that a referendum would not solve Abyei boarder conflict. Sudan’s foreign ministry spokesperson Al-Obeid Ahmed Marawah indicated Sudan’s preference for a political agreement over the disputed Abyei area.
Marawah said,’ A referendum might bring war between the two countries.’
Recently the two countries reached an agreement on south Sudan exporting her oil through Sudan. The exportation had stopped due to what South Sudan had referred to as exploitation by Sudan.
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