South Sudan must not put all ’egg’ on the UN & AU baskets
By Isaiah Abraham May 17, 2012 — The African Union backed talks between Sudan and South Sudan was about to begin this week, but signs are that one party in the conflict (Khartoum), is still dragging its feet, whether to attend the much publicized talks with the Republic of the South Sudan or stay out altogether. They have started to blow hot and cold at the same time. This is how: they have introduced another element called security, an indicator that the issues of boundary demarcation and Abyei are to wait until the question of security for Sudan is addressed. They have asked the AU to stop requesting their troop withdrawal from Abyei. They are relentless in the air bombing South Sudan movable or unmovable targets, and the list is long The AU mediation cases at hand, as we all know, have no reference about security though this matter could have been handled once the borders of the two nations are known. By borders, the two countries could have embarked on patrolling the area, and somewhere the cooperation needed to arrest military tension along international borders would have been easier -brought under control. The boundary issue therefore represents key factor when it comes to security. It can be done in an isolation. South Sudan has no interest to topple Khartoum, as claim by Khartoum. That is the job for the Sudanese people out there, and Khartoum must understand this position very clearly. Whatever differences Khartoum has with other regions affiliated to South Sudan are purely problems of the Sudanese themselves. They will find their own way of resolving their own differences. But for Khartoum to harass Juba on the basis of accusation is not acceptable. If Juba was really keen on toppling Khartoum, our people would have done it. About Abyei, it becomes apparent that Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) are withdrawing as dictated by the AU Resolution. Khartoum to my best knowledge is leaving. No pressure has moved these people away anywhere since 2005. The AU will continue to issue ultimatum but the crackpots in Khartoum will continue to play around with the truth. They are staying there unless a miracle happens! If so, this brings us closer to the topic, in which this little author wants our people to prepare once the diplomatic efforts are exhausted. We must go to the military training or pick up anything so to retrieve by force any piece of land the Arabs has occupied illegally since 1956. Let’s not be like Palestinians whose land remains occupied since 1960s; UN will hear but will not return our lands. In fact they have their own thinking and conclusions about Panthou and other areas occupied by the Northern Arabs. There is no time to waste! Talking has its limit, and once that is done, the other option is to sort things out militarily. Let the UN bring on their sanctions once we secured our land. Sanctions can’t persuade Khartoum to leave Panthou and Hufra Nahas etc. We are united than in any other in any other time before. President Kiir isn’t leading and he must take that we are seeing him doing a good job. South Sudanese wants peace, but not on the expense of our land. His tired song that ‘he can’t go to war’ must be overlooked. We are in crisis and a leader must stand in front and lead his people. If he thinks Khartoum will voluntarily leave Panthou, Abyei, Koda, Kingi etc he is cheating himself. Khartoum understands things differently. However this note isn’t entirely about herald on war; war isn’t nice! Sudanese people in the North and the in the South are tired of it, and they were yearning for a break from war. They wish that there be long term bilateral relations between Sudan and South Sudan. We have a lot in common. We shared a heritage, and our people were ready to swallow the past and move on to live peacefully with our brothers on the other side of the borders. More than fifty years of fighting among us was enough, and non was ready to push for an all out war. There are dividends when the two nations are at peace. A sensible leader in Khartoum would have loved to see the two countries move away quickly from another round of war. President was a good man, until somewhere last year when he lost his head. South Sudan will wait for an outcome from Addis Ababa, but chances are that nothing will changes things on the ground. Some people around President Al Bashir have spoiled him and no longer a man who stood up to challenge successive rulers about problems facing the people of the South. Mistakenly everyone around here thought that President Al Bashir will do everything to preserve the good work he has started long time ago in the Kenyan Capital. By claiming our lands and move to bomb anything, he has lost the confidence of our people and must be fought nail and toe. He has turned ugly! We must return to the business of liberating our occupied lands (including Abyei and Panthou) soon after the doomed talks. There is nothing actually is coming out from AU Addis Ababa Mediation Talks. SPLA will win! On a separate note, where did Mr. Yen Matthew of the SPLM go? At this critical time, Mr. Secretary General (SPLM) could have use this political rising star (Yen), and not the Mr. Bol Makeng (SPLM Secretary for Information) who’s struggling. Isaiah Abraham lives in Juba; [email protected] -- 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 this group at http://groups.google.com/group/SouthSudanKob?hl=en.
