Ethiopian Review

JUBA – The Chairperson of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) has declared the acceptance of the ruling on the boundaries of the disputed area of Abyei by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague.

Salva Kiir Mayardit who also wears two other hats as the First Vice President of Sudan and President of the semi-autonomous Government of Southern Sudan, shortly after the ruling on Wednesday, issued an official statement urging the people of Abyei, Southern Sudan, Sudan and international community in general to stand behind the ruling and support its implementation.

On Wednesday, in The Hague, the Permanent Court of Arbitration redefined the new boundaries of Abyei in a ruling which was final and binding.

Delegations of the SPLM, led by the Deputy Chairperson, Dr. Riek Machar and the National Congress Party’s led government of Sudan, led by Al-Diri Diri Mohamed, attended the declaration of the ruling in The Hague.

Dr. Riek Machar in a statement shortly after the announcement of the ruling described the verdict on Abyei as a “victory for the Sudanese people and victory for peace” in the country. Aldiri Diri also called the ruling a “victory.”

In Juba, citizens generally welcomed the ruling, but were quick to express their concern that the contested oil fields of Higlig had fallen outside of Abyei boundaries to the east.

Higlig oil fields were contested between Abyei Area, Southern Kordufan and Unity state.

The Minister of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Development, Michael Makuei Lueth, explained in a televised interview after the ruling that the fate of the area under which Higlig oil fields fall will be resolved in the North-South border demarcation process.

“What we want is Abyei Area [of nine Ngok Dinka chiefdoms] not oil fields,” he explained, adding that the issue of Higlig oil fields will be tackled by the North-South Border Committee.

The contest on the fate of the oil fields in the next stage will be between Southern Kordufan and Unity state; both of which counter-claim the ownership of the territory in accordance with the January 1, 1956 North-South boundary.

Arop Madut, member of the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly in Juba representing Abyei Area, described the ruling as a “big achievement,” adding that it had brought back to Dinka Ngok their territory which was claimed by the Meserriya tribe.

He added that it was now clear what constituted the Ngok Dinka territory that will vote in the 2011 referendum to either join the South or remain with the North.

The details in the document on the Court’s ruling are yet to be availed to the public for clarity.

- By James Gatdet Dak | ST