Reports from the area say that the violence started when a policeman was stabbed by a butcher from the Messiriya tribe. He had refused to move to a new market in Abyei town. Also, as the police fired in the air to disperse the crowd, the SAF soldiers fired back believing they were under attack.
However another conflicting report says the two forces disagreed on how to deal with the butcher issue.
Source: Sudan Tribune 13 December 2008 by James Gatdet Dak. Copy:
TWO POLICEMEN KILLED IN ABYEI AFTER CLASHES BETWEEN POLICE AND SUDANESE SOLDIERS- - -
December 12, 2008 (JUBA) – Northern Sudanese soldiers clashed today with some Abyei police members who belong to the southern Sudan government. Two policemen were killed in a misunderstanding that started with a scuffle between them and a butcher in the old market of the disputed area.
The Special Representative of the Secretary General for Sudan, Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, Head of UNMIS, deplored the incident and confirmed that members of the Joint Integrated Unit (JIU) and the Joint Integrated Police Unit (JIPU) were involved in the deadly fighting.
Last June the two peace partners, the NCP and the SPLM agreed, in order to avoid such violence as it was the case last May, to withdraw their units from the contested area, and to deploy only joint military and police units in Abyei.
Reports from the area say that the violence started when a policeman was stabbed by a butcher from the Messiriya tribe. He had refused to move to a new market in Abyei town. Also, as the police fired in the air to disperse the crowd, the SAF soldiers fired back believing they were under attack.
However another conflicting report says the two forces disagreed on how to deal with the butcher issue.
This latest clash comes after six months of relative peace in the area.
Heavy fighting erupted in May this year between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) in the disputed oil rich region of Abyei, resulting to hundreds of casualties, destruction of the whole town and displacement of tens of thousands.
Government of Southern Sudan’s Minister for Presidential Affairs, Dr. Luka Biong Deng, said tensions were high on Friday in Abyei town after the deadly clash . He further said a number of people were reported killed and some others wounded and that civilians started fleeing the town for their safety.
Abyei Area’s Chief Administrator, Brig. Arop Moyak, is reportedly heading to the region to arrest the situation.
A roadmap agreement, which resulted to formation of interim administration within interim boundaries constituting Abyei Area, was reached in June by the parties to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed in January 2005.
The agreement also saw the implementation of wealth sharing and security arrangement protocols in the area after three years of stalemate.
The head of the UNAMIs called on all parties and residents in Abyei, as well as people residing in Diffra and Agok, to remain calm. He asked that they offer their full cooperation and support to the Abyei Administration in the maintenance of peace and law and order.
He also urged the parties to take all necessary measures to avoid any further outbreaks of violence, and to ensure that today’s unfortunate incident does not impede the peaceful implementation of the Abyei road map.
The oil rich region according to the CPA will decide in 2011’s referendum to either annex to Southern Sudan or remain with northern Sudan in case the South votes for independence in the same year.
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Copy of 5 Comments at Sudan Tribune article above
1. Comment 13 December 2008 07:24, by julius mowanga
It’s very obvious that the enemy of the liberated South Sudan, are active disengage, neither than concede to CPA. SPLM became like a consignement agent, meddling in matters considered as matter of life or death. Accordinglly, SPLM presence in the area is not functional, and causes a lot of provocative tenssions. Messeriya and Jeng-Ngok are cousins, lived for centuries together as one, but the greediness of NCP/SPLM’s officalls detorirated the insecuriy situation by those who call themselves sons-of Abyei; who are behind all these atrocities.
The area aknowledges the rule of public administration, which represents all the dwelling tribes and Maraheel as well. The involvement of SAF and SPLA ,is politically motivaed in order to secure some political gains, and lofty unaccountable funds.
Thus; the consequental reactions will bear more divission among the Abyei communities, and will lead to a further escalated conflicts. Underestimating the capabilities and the aggression potentiuality of Non-Dinka residents in the area, backed by NCP Prior to the oil and petroleum discoveries, all Abyei people, lived as one nation,but....willn’t let the people socially benfit, or strengthen their relationships and enhance their commitment. Peace management is far difficult than a war’s, but even though, no one can restrain a human being, accesesing ....etc...
NEW-SUDAN O yeeee... SPLA O yeeee
2. Comment 13 December 2008 by Martino Looding Nyekinyang
U shall not provok the army.
3. Comment 13 December 2008 by Deng Gai
Dear Southerners, there is no doubt that the NIF regime want to cause trouble in this country so that they use their newly bought military equipment thinking that they are the only solution to the current situation, but they are wrong on this issue because south Sudan now is more united and the SPLA is more equiped than they were before, to resist the NIF and its supporters but military option is not the best solution as wanted by the SPLM patterner.
So let remain vigilant and support our GOVernment rather than critizing it at this stage of time.My advice to HE Kiir Mayaardit is to act quickly to appoint the Defense Minister because we can not do without him/her while his/her services are need.
4. Comment 13 December 2008 by Martino Looding Nyekinyang
Gai, you are talking about oposit of the whole situatin of South unity or SPLA millitary strength. Right now, Dinkas are not the ones fight in abiyei, but Equatorians and some Nuers. Your message may be intended for those who are not on the ground or perhaps you are trying to fool arbas. Kiir is not sending his(BEGERS) to war zon, though all 32 tangs and trucks drivers currently in Newsite(Kakurotom) are from Kiir familly. They will never go to fight in Abiyei,. wait and see.
5. Comment 13 December 2008 by Trueson of Southerner is Back
What did these idiots of NCP want from the richest land of Sudan and they are not orgins of this land? They are alway creating problem that left people dead every month for no reason.
you wait we are sending our coward leader of EDF Big Logic with ten thousands troops to go and exerice the wrestling with you.
Big Logic don’t run to Uganda, go go to Abyei
+ + + Rest In Peace + + +
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