Abyei: Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir backs oil area ruling 'for all'

The President of the Republic, Omar Al Bashir, said the right to vote in the Abyei 2011 referendum will include all the tribes present in the area and not only the Dinka-Ngok.

During a welcome ceremony to NCP's returning delegation from The Hague, Al Bashir confirmed his commitment to implement the arbitration ruling and to support development and stability in the area.

The people of Abyei are made up of Ngok Dinka -- seen as loyal to the former rebel south leadership -- and the Messeria nomads who move in the area following seasonal grazing for livestock and are viewed as northerners.

"All the people in the Abyei area will take part in the referendum," Beshir told the crowd.

Director of Abyei administration, Deng Paul Kuol affirmed that PCA would dispatch specialized panel from the Court to demarcate borders of disputed regions.

Sources: See here below.



Photo: (ST - Sudanese president signs Abyei roadmap agreement - 09 June 2008)

Miraya FM (via ReliefWeb) -Abyei referendum will include all tribes in the area, Al Bashir - Friday 24 July 2009.

Sudan Vision Daily by Al-Sammani Awadallah, Saturday, 25 July 2009 - Al-Bashir Backs PCA Ruling.  Full story:

(Khartoum) - President Al Bashir on Thursday backed an international ruling reducing the borders of Abyei region, but stressed that "all people" in the area would vote in a 2011 referendum on its status.

The ruling, issued on Wednesday by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague after Khartoum complained that a previous border commission had decided on the wrong frontiers, moved Abyei's eastern, western and northern borders.

"We welcome the resolution and we are committed to the implementation of it," Al-Bashir said

On his part, head of the ruling NCP's delegation, Al Dirdiri Mohammed Ahmed affirmed that the ruling included vital achievements, among which is quashing experts' report. 

He said we presented 11 points out of which the Court accepted 7 of them; besides recovering 10,000 square meters equaling the area of Lebanon, further the ruling placed Hegelig oilfields under the control of the government in the North, adding "with the recovering of such field the provisions in accordance with which South Sudan is granted 50% of oil revenues will no longer be binding. The oil of the region will be purely the property of the North."

He indicated that both parties did not get what they were expecting from the decision, but urged the two parties to continue to implement the decision in spirit of mutual consent.

Al-Heriaka Ezaddine, a Messeriya leader affirmed his tribe's support to President Al-Bashir as well as full cooperation and commitment to the implementation of the decision.

Malik Agar deputy chairman of SPLM called for swift and effective mechanism for the implementation of PCA decision on Abyei. Speaking to reporters at Juba Airport, Agar considered the ruling as victory for both parties to the conflict; reiterating SPLM's welcome and commitment to it.

In this context, Director of Abyei administration, Deng Paul Kuol affirmed that PCA would dispatch specialized panel from the Court to demarcate borders of disputed regions.

From AFP, Thursday, 23 July 2009:
Sudan president backs oil area ruling 'for all'

KHARTOUM — Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir on Thursday backed an international ruling reducing the borders of the oil-rich Abyei region, but stressed that "all people" in the area would vote in a 2011 referendum on its status.

The ruling, issued on Wednesday by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague after Khartoum complained that a previous border commission had decided on the wrong frontiers, moved Abyei's eastern, western and northern borders.

"We welcome the resolution and we are committed to the implementation of it," Beshir told supporters of his National Congress Party at its headquarters in Khartoum.

But the president stressed that all Abyei's residents would take part in the region's 2011 referendum -- a pointed remark to a crowd that included leaders of the Messeria Arab nomads.

Deadly clashes broke out in May 2008 in the region, an area claimed by both north and south Sudan, who ended their 22-year war in a 2005 peace deal.

The people of Abyei are made up of Ngok Dinka -- seen as loyal to the former rebel south leadership -- and the Messeria nomads who move in the area following seasonal grazing for livestock and are viewed as northerners.

"All the people in the Abyei area will take part in the referendum," Beshir told the crowd.

"Even if it means giving up my post, I will be with you," he added, in an apparent direct remark to the Messeria.

Under the 2005 peace deal, Abyei will hold a referendum in 2011 on whether to retain special status within north Sudan, or join the south, where a simultaneous vote will be held on independence.

Many in south Sudan are counting on a "yes" vote for independence, and want it to extend over as much of Abyei's oilfields as possible.

The north is determined to retain the precious resources.

Click on Abyei label here below for related reports and updates.