Abyei and the possibility of war…

Abyei, that oil rich region in the North-South border, is arguably one of the most sticky issues that threathens the CPA and could possibly draw the country back to the cycles of war!

Today, Northern troops entered Abyei after the NCP expressed their objection to the appointment of an SPLM Administrator for Abyei.

According to the Protocol on the Resolution of the Abyei Conflict, Abyei, the district or territory,  is defined as “the area of the nine Ngok Dinka chiefdoms transferred to Kordofan in 1905“. The document further notes that “the Misseriya and other nomadic peoples retain their traditional rights to graze cattle and move across the territory of Abyei.” Come referendum in 2011, the citizens of Abyei will have a seperate ballot to determine whether Abyei becomes part of the North (Kordofan State) or the South (Bahr El Ghazal).

The Abyei Boundaries Commission (ABC) established by the Presidency to establish and demarcate the boundaries of that oil rich area transferred to Kordofan in 1905, released a report popularly known as the ABC report. Although all/both partners had agreed that the findings of the commission will be considered binding, the NCP and President Bashir have totally rejected the findings of the ABC… In a public rally in front of thousand of his ‘holy warriors’ El Bashir said the south should soak the ABC report in water and drink it!

The SPLM seems to be keeping their cool, but pressure is mounting on the SPLM as the NCP continues to ‘misbehave’ and drag their feet in issues previously agreed upon. Recently, SPLA soldiers were reportedly attacked by heavily armed Misseriya gunmen and fingers are being pointed at the NCP in Khartoum for arming them. Now the northern army is building up in Abyei and who knows what will happen tomorrow!

Hmmm…