Embassy of the Republic of the Sudan: SPLA Militias in Southern Kordufan Are a Threat to Peace and Security in Sudan

WASHINGTON, June 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being issued by the Embassy of the Republic of the Sudan:

The security threat in Southern Kordufan is a great concern to the Government of Sudan. Peace has been in constant jeopardy with the presence of the SPLA armed militia groups operating in the midst of civilians. Per the terms of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), these remnants like other armed entities were supposed to have joined either the Southern or the Northern armies. This is clearly and unequivocally stated in the security arrangements of the agreement, which mandate the prompt implementation of a program for Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) of these forces, a process chaired by a British scholar and one that is supposed to be finalized before July 9th. The Government has since the signing been steadfast in urging these factions to fulfill the terms of the agreement. However not only did the latter refuse to comply, they attacked the national army on sight, triggering the displacement and the humanitarian situation that the world is now witnessing and which the army has since been trying to contain.

Their political leader himself just suffered a devastating defeat in the recent elections conducted in the region. But recognizing the results was never in the agenda as his clique revealed during a prior visit to Washington and which was also very evident is his campaign slogan, "I win or I attack." This is despite wide international endorsement of the elections as free, fair and transparent. Refusing to concede or disband, they have instead opted to maintain their militia status in flagrant violation of the landmark agreement, a position that must be condemned internationally and against which decisive actions must be taken. He has publicly stated his pursuit of a regime change, this being at the cost of scores of civilian lives. Even now, the government still exercises tremendous restraint and has proposed to reverse the status quo to what it was prior to June 5th before the militias attacked. Imperative to note is that Southern Kordufan is not a disputed area as some in the media are erroneously peddling. It is entirely a northern region and whose inhabitants await only a popular consultation to determine how they would want to be governed within the north. The existence of militias in the territory is therefore not in the least tenable.

With regards to Abyei, it is crucial to remember the events that led to this point. It was the latest from a string of attacks carried out by the SPLA on the SAF and UN peacekeepers that provoked this firm response. Security in the region had been lacking due to the illegal presence of the SPLA forces in the region who constantly committed atrocities against civilians. The national army will do all it can to make sure that this insecurity does not return and will leave only when there are mechanisms in place that preclude this possibility. Yet the Government of Sudan understands that there is no military solution to the problem, hence the talks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where President Bashir himself went to meet with his vice president in a show of his commitment in this regard. The African Union's Panel led by president Mbeki has already made proposals that the parties are considering and which give hope that an agreement could possibly be reached if the other side approaches the matter with the right intentions and the international community willing to support a just and peaceful solution.

Embassy of Sudan Press and Information Office, phone: +1-202-338-8565, or fax: +1-202-667-2406

SOURCE Embassy of the Republic of the Sudan

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