Sudan & South Sudan: Six killed in disputed Abyei. MP calls for UNISFA to protect Abyei people in Abyei Box

STRADDLING an ill-defined border between Sudan and South Sudan, oil-rich Abyei has been claimed by both countries since Juba declared independence from Khartoum in 2011. 

Tabitha Chol, an MP representing Abyei in the Council of States, alleged of a systematic scheme, targeting of constitutional post holders from Abyei by elements from the neighbouring Twic County. She said a former minister from Abyei was also killed in a similar ambush in November last year. 

“We are saying that the issue of Abyei and Twic is taking a different turn, it is like there are invisible hands behind the issue of land. We call on the South Sudan Government to swiftly form an investigation committee to probe the killing of the deputy administrator and the former minister,” Tabitha said. She further called on the United Nations Interim Force for Abyei (UNISFA) to protect the people of Abyei within the Abyei Box.

Read more in the four articles here below.

From Reuters
Reporting by Waakhe Simon Wudu

Writing by Bhargav Acharya; Editing by Jan Harvey
Dated Monday, January 1, 2024, 9:39 AM GMT - here is a copy in full:

Six killed in disputed region bordering Sudan, South Sudan

JUBA, Jan 1 (Reuters) - Six people including a senior local administrator were killed in an ambush by armed men in the Abyei region claimed by both Sudan and South Sudan, local officials said.

The oil-rich region experiences frequent bouts of violence, where rival factions of the Dinka ethnic group - Twic Dinka from South Sudan's neighbouring Warrap State, and Ngok Dinka from Abyei - are locked in a dispute over the location of an administrative boundary.

Abyei Deputy Chief Administrator Noon Deng and his team came under attack along the road from Abyei to Aneet town when they were returning from an official visit to Rummamer county, where they were celebrating the New Year, government officials said.

"His driver and two bodyguards plus two people of national security were all killed," Tereza Chol, a South Sudanese lawmaker, told Reuters.

Bulis Koch, the information minister for Abyei Administrative Area, blamed the Sunday evening attack on armed youth from Twic County of Warrap State, and said the bodies had not been retrieved as of Monday morning.

His counterpart in the Warrap State William Wol said it was still early "to point fingers".

The incident is the latest in a region where dozens were killed in ethnic clashes in November.

Straddling an ill-defined border between Sudan and South Sudan, Abyei has been claimed by both countries since Juba declared independence from Khartoum in 2011.

It has a special administrative status, governed by an administration comprising officials appointed by both countries.

South Sudan erupted into civil war shortly after independence, which pitted President Salva Kiir and his allies against his Vice President Riek Machar.

A peace agreement signed in 2018 is largely holding, but the transitional government has been slow to unify the various factions of the military.

Reporting by Waakhe Simon Wudu; Writing by Bhargav Acharya; Editing by Jan Harvey

View original: https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/six-killed-disputed-region-bordering-sudan-south-sudan-2024-01-01/

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Related Reports

Radio Tamazuj - January 2, 2024 

Juba: MPs want inquest into Abyei administrator’s killing - here is an excerpt and map:

Tabitha Chol, an MP representing Abyei in the Council of States, alleged of a systematic scheme, targeting of constitutional post holders from Abyei by elements from the neighbouring Twic County. She said a former minister from Abyei was also killed in a similar ambush in November last year. “We are saying that the issue of Abyei and Twic is taking a different turn, it is like there are invisible hands behind the issue of land. We call on the South Sudan Government to swiftly form an investigation committee to probe the killing of the deputy administrator and the former minister,” Tabitha said. She further called on the United Nations Interim Force for Abyei (UNISFA) to protect the people of Abyei within the Abyei Box.

View full story: https://radiotamazuj.org/en/news/article/juba-mps-want-inquest-into-abyei-administrators-killing

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Radio Tamazuj - January 1, 2024

Opinion piece by Morris Kuol Yoll - here are some excerpts and map:

Abyei Box is a distortion of the boundary between Sudan and South Sudan

The northern boundary, known as the “Kordofan-Barh el Gazal boundary,” refers to the boundary between the Sudan and South Sudan north of Abyei. This boundary separates Ngok and Messirya. The Southern boundary between Barh el Gazal and Kordofan, as of 1 January 1956, is known as the Kiir River and separates Ngok of Abyei and Twic County. 

The boundary between Twic Dinka of Barh el Gazal and Ngok Dinka of Kordofan, Sudan, was left as it is according to The Hague's arbitration awards ruling of 22 July 2009, as stipulated in the following document: “In respect of the ABC Experts’ decision that “[t]he southern boundary shall be the Kordofan – Bahr el-Ghazal – Upper Nile boundary as it was defined on 1 January 1956,” the ABC Experts did not exceed their mandate” (Report of International Arbitration Awards, P.413).

The Southern Sudan Boundary Background report recommends that the Southern boundary between Twic and Ngok be resolved after 2011 and recommends that physical landmarks be developed to help when the demarcation of this boundary comes forth in the future.

The ABC's "Southern Sudan Boundary Background" report does not refer to the map of the Sudan, which indicates the 1 January 1956 boundary running through the Kiir River, but another map (the current Abyei Box) that crossed the Kiir River with undefined physical boundaries, and a map with no "topography” or landmarks, a map that according to the ABC report could pose problems when the time to demarcate the boundary between Twic County and Abyei Special Administration arrives.

View full story: https://radiotamazuj.org/en/news/article/opinion-abyei-box-is-a-distortion-of-the-boundary-between-sudan-and-south-sudan

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Sudan Watch - January 10, 2009

Former Wall Street banker Philippe Heilberg gambles on a warlord's continuing control of 400,000 hectares of land in South Sudan (Update 1) - here are two excerpts:

There are few regions in Africa as remote and undeveloped as southern Sudan. Unity state, where Philippe Heilberg says he has secured a huge tract of arable land, is inaccessible even by south Sudan's standards.

Jarch Management Group is linked to Jarch Capital, a US investment company that counts on its board former state department and intelligence officials, including Joseph Wilson, a former ambassador and expert on Africa, who acts as vice-chairman; and Gwyneth Todd, who was an adviser on the Middle East and north Africa at the Pentagon and under Bill Clinton at the White House.

View full story: https://sudanwatch.blogspot.com/2009/01/former-wall-street-banker-philippe.html

ENDS

South Sudan: Measles outbreak in Unity State

Health authorities in Unity State have confirmed a measles outbreak in Rotriak payam of #Rubkona County, resulting in two fatalities and the identification of nine new cases. #SouthSudan https://t.co/ZtFe7otTxX pic.twitter.com/gM2yOvuVDN

— Radio Tamazuj (@RadioTamazuj) June 23, 2023

[Ends]

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NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor:

Here is information on measles copied from the website of the UK's National Health Service. Measles can spread to others easily. Stay off nursery, school, or work for at least 4 days from when the rash first appears. Also try to avoid close contact with babies, people who are pregnant and people with weakened immune systems. Measles is spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The rash looks brown or red on white skin. It may be harder to see on brown and black skin.

Measles

Measles is an infection that spreads very easily and can cause serious problems in some people. Having the MMR vaccine is the best way to prevent it.

Check if you or your child has measles

Measles usually starts with cold-like symptoms, followed by a rash a few days later. Some people may also get small spots in their mouth.

Cold-like symptoms

The first symptoms of measles include:

a high temperature

a runny or blocked nose

sneezing

a cough

red, sore, watery eyes

Spots in the mouth

Credit: DR P. MARAZZI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/259736/view

Small white spots may appear inside the cheeks and on the back of the lips a few days later. These spots usually last a few days.

The measles rash

A rash usually appears a few days after the cold-like symptoms.

Credit: DR P. MARAZZI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/259737/view

The rash starts on the face and behind the ears before spreading to the rest of the body.

Credit: Mediscan / Alamy Stock Photo https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-measles-rash-52503125.html

The spots of the measles rash are sometimes raised and join together to form blotchy patches. They're not usually itchy.

Credit: phichet chaiyabin https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/measles-baby-408024505

Information:

The rash looks brown or red on white skin. It may be harder to see on brown and black skin.

If you're not sure it's measles

It's very unlikely to be measles if you've had both doses of the MMR vaccine or you've had measles before.

See other rashes in babies and children

Ask for an urgent medical advice or help if:

you think you or your child may have measles

you've been in close contact with someone who has measles and you've not had measles before or you've not had 2 doses of the MMR vaccine

you've been in close contact with someone who has measles and you're pregnant – measles can be serious in pregnancy

you have a weakened immune system and think you have measles or have been in close contact with someone with measles

Measles can spread to others easily. Call your medical centre before you go in. They may suggest talking over the phone.

How to look after yourself or your child

Measles usually starts to get better in about a week.

After seeing a medical professional, there are things you can do to help ease the symptoms and reduce the risk of spreading the infection.

It can help to:

rest and drink plenty fluids, such as water, to avoid dehydration

take paracetamol or ibuprofen to relieve a high temperature – do not give aspirin to children under 16 years

use cotton wool soaked in warm water to gently remove any crusts from your or your child's eyes

Important

Stay off nursery, school, or work for at least 4 days from when the rash first appears.

Also try to avoid close contact with babies, people who are pregnant and people with weakened immune systems.

How to avoid spreading or catching measles

Measles is spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes. There are things you can do to reduce the risk of spreading or catching it.

Do

wash your hands often with soap and warm water

use tissues when you cough or sneeze

throw used tissues in the bin

Don’t

do not share cutlery, cups, towels, clothes, or bedding

Complications of measles

Measles can lead to serious problems if it spreads to other parts of the body, such as the lungs or brain.

Problems that can be caused by measles include:

• pneumonia
• meningitis
• blindness
• seizures (fits)

These problems are rare, but some people are more at risk. This includes babies and people with weakened immune systems.

Measles in pregnancy

If you get measles when you're pregnant, it could harm your baby.

It can cause:

• miscarriage or stillbirth
• premature birth (before the 37th week of pregnancy)
• your baby having a low birthweight

It's important to get medical advice if you're pregnant and have been in close contact with someone who has measles.

Immediate action required:

Call for medical help if:

You or your child has measles and:

• shortness of breath
• a high temperature that does not come down after taking paracetamol or ibuprofen
• confusion
• seizures (fits)

Get vaccinated against measles

The MMR vaccine can prevent measles. It also protects you from mumps and rubella. The MMR vaccine is offered to all children in the UK. 2 doses can give lifelong protection against measles, mumps, and rubella. Ask a medical professional if you're not sure you or your child have had the vaccine. Find out more about the MMR vaccine

Page last reviewed: 21 February 2022

View original: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/measles/

[Ends]

S. Sudan govt say no to buying a private jet for Kiir

Note from Sudan Watch Editor: Surely if Mr Kiir was an honourable man he would have had the decency to decry proposals by his govt to buy him a private jet and build a residence for him in his hometown and ensure they never saw the light of day while 7 million of his people face a humanitarian catastrophe, 2 million face starvation from famine, many suffer from lack of safe drinking water, food, medicines, security.

It is said that power corrupts.  Mr Kiir spent decades fighting as a rebel in the bush.  He has much blood on his hands.  He considers Kenya to be his second home and wants his children to be naturalised Kenyans. 

It seems to me there is so much corruption in South Sudan, it is a failed state.  Mr Kiir appears to stall for time while feathering his nest, not trusting dealings with Mr Machar.  God help the people of South Sudan.

Article from and by Radio Tamazuj.org

Dated 15 August 2019 - Juba, South Sudan

Proposal to buy private jet for Kiir faces opposition

South Sudan’s parliament has not given the green light to a proposal to buy a multi-million dollar jet for President Salva Kiir, a lawmaker has said.

The parliamentary committee for finance on Wednesday proposed that the government should buy a presidential jet, saying the plane should have eight passenger seats.

Supporters of the proposal say there is a need for the country’s leader to have safe air transport.

Paul Yoane Bonju, the head of the parliamentary committee for information, said many MPs rejected the proposal to spend a lot of money on a presidential jet.

He explained that the lawmakers argued that the money could be better spent to alleviate the suffering of citizens. Bonju revealed that some MPs also came up with a proposal to build a residence for President Kiir in his hometown in Akon.

“But the Members of Parliament who got the chance to contribute decided that the two proposals are not important,” Bonju said.

“Instead the MPs want the money to be used for youth development and they want the money to be diverted to the constituency development fund,” he added.

According to Bonju, the government will not go ahead with the proposal after many legislators blocked it. “The assembly said it is not workable and it cannot be considered in the current economic situation,” he said.

It is the first time a presidential jet has been proposed by members of the national legislative assembly.

South Sudan government currently charters planes from Rwanda Air and Kenya Airways for use by President Kiir.

This month, South Sudan’s oil output has increased to 180,000 barrels per day following resumption of oil production at Block 1 & 2 in Manga Oilfield, which was shut down six years ago due to insecurity in Unity region.

View original article here: https://radiotamazuj.org/en/news/article/proposal-to-buy-private-jet-for-kiir-faces-opposition

Note from Sudan Watch Editor: To be fair, Mr Kiir's predecessor John Garang was killed in a helicopter crash. Many air crashes happen in South Sudan. Mr Kiir should stay home and sort out his country starting with its need for safe drinking water, food, healthcare, medicines, education, safe air travel, the list goes on. I notice that his suits, shirts and ties are looking a lot more expensive.  He's no Ghandi or Mandela.

South Sudan: NCP confident of winning general elections in Unity State

From SRS - Sudan Radio Service, December 3, 2009:

(Bentiu) – The National Congress Party says they are confident of winning the general elections in Unity State.

The NCP secretary-general in Unity state, Dr. Bill Charoa, arrived in Bentiu on Thursday with five other NCP ministers, to mobilize people to register and vote for NCP candidates next year.

[Dr. Bill Charoa]: “The NCP is devising a strategy to win the elections in the state. That is our goal, and with our popularity here we are going to win the coming election in Unity state. That is our target because we know the needs of the citizens. The citizens have the right to determine who will be elected or who will not. We have done very good things in the state, especially under the coalition government. The Minister of Roads and the Minister of Communication are both NCP members and people see the commitment we have to development in the state.”

The NCP team, led by Husama Abdullah, the Minister for Hydrological Resources in the Government of National Unity, is visiting all of the states in southern Sudan.

NEC says 12 million Sudanese people have registered to vote in the elections

Note that according to the statistics, Unity state boasts the highest number of voters registered in any of the 25 states of Sudan. 11 million voters registered in the 15 northern states and 2.5 million voters registered in the 10 states of southern Sudan.

The National Elections Commission has extended the registration period for an extra seven days, to end on December 7.

From SRS - Sudan Radio Service, December 2, 2009:

(Khartoum) – The National Elections Commission has announced that 12 million people have registered to vote in the elections scheduled for April 2010.

Lieutenant-general Alhadi Mohammed Ahmed, a member of the National Elections Commission, announced the figures at a press conference on Tuesday in Khartoum.

[Alhadi Mohamed]: “So far, the number of registered citizens has reached 12 million voters and we think this is a very reasonable number in accordance with the international targets which were set by the United Nations. We are expecting to reach 80 percent, which will be between 13 to 14 million voters. Although we have limited time which has required the elections to be pushed back from April 5 to 11, the adjustment might take us into the rainy season which as we all know limits access to many parts of Sudan, especially the south, the southern part of Blue Nile and South Kordofan and the southern part of White Nile and southern Darfur. All these areas get affected by the rain and their rainy seasons come earlier. So I believe for an election, the number we have is very reasonable compared to the previous registration which was conducted in 1986.”

According to the statistics, Unity state boasts the highest number of voters registered in any of the 25 states of Sudan. 11 million voters registered in the 15 northern states and 2.5 million voters registered in the 10 states of southern Sudan.

The National Elections Commission has extended the registration period for an extra seven days, to end on December 7.

South Sudan: Very few people in Mayom county, Unity state, are registering to vote

Report by Sudan Radio Service, Wednesday, November 25, 2009:

(Mayom county) - Registrars in Mayom county, Unity state say they are facing security and logistical challenges and very few people are registering to vote.

The head of registration at Ruathnyibol payam in Mayom county, Zachariah How Koryom, says he fears they may not register some people in the county.

[Zachariah How]: “There are some areas that can not be reached because of the lack of good roads in the constituency. Another problem is insecurity, because of disagreements between communities. We need the police to take care of security while we are moving from house to house. The people do not come to registration centers because they are not aware of the elections and they do not see the importance of registration. So we are carryiong out mobilization and registration exercises at the same time. In the town, the registration is okay because they understand it. We have registered 11,000 people in Ruathnyibuol alone."

Zacharia How added that Mayom county is one of the areas that has been severely hit by drought this year.

He urges the government to solve the problem before the elections which are scheduled for early 2010.

South Sudan: UN airlifts Paulino Matip’s forces to Juba

According to the following report, about 300 troops of General Paulino Matip were expected to have arrived in Juba over the weekend through the UN air operation which began on Saturday. 

From Sudan Tribune by James Gatdet Dak, Monday, 19 October 2009:
UN airlifts General Matip’s forces to Juba

October 18, 2009 (JUBA) – The United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) has begun airlifting hundreds of guards of General Paulino Matip to the Southern Sudan capital, Juba, from Bentiu, the state capital of the oil rich Unity state.

About three hundred troops were expected to have arrived in Juba over the weekend through the UN air operation which began on Saturday.

Last week, forces guarding the Bentiu residence of the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the SPLA forces, Lt. General Paulino Matip Nhial clashed with another unit of the Sudan people’s Liberation Army (SPLA) in the town, leaving more than ten people dead, mostly soldiers.

The SPLA General Headquarters in Juba described the incident as a purely army affair and had nothing to do with politics.

Southern Sudan Vice President Dr. Riek Machar said the fighting erupted when the house of General Matip was attacked by heavily armed soldiers during which even tanks were used in the attack.

Authorities have been investigating the incident to establish its cause. However, in a public letter attributed to him and addressed to the international community, Gen. Paulino Matip accused the SPLA and its Commander-in-Chief, Salva Kiir Mayardit of plotting against him.

He stated that the attack against his guards was coordinated in conjunction with the state governor at the highest level of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army. Speaking from Bentiu, Governor Taban Deng Gai said there was no intention and there will never be bad intention to plan an action against General Matip because there is no reason that warrants such ill act against a member of the same government.

Machar said the removal of the forces from Bentiu was done with the consent of General Paulino Matip in order to defuse any further tension in the town that might arise because of their vicinity and probable contacts with the other unit.

He commended the positive attitude Gen. Matip has maintained by ordering his guards in the town not to retaliate and by not overreacting negatively to the incident.

He added that the Deputy Commander-in-Chief who is currently sick in Juba is ready to discuss and resolve the matter with his Commander-in-Chief after he recovers his health.

Former forces of General Matip, which officially fell under the description of Other Armed Groups (OAGs), in accordance with the 2005 North-South peace deal, joined with the SPLA in the Juba Declaration on unity of the ranks and file in 2006.

Matip was named Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the army and more than 50,000 of his forces were integrated into the SPLA and other organized forces.

However, some of his forces were reserved to continue under his direct command to provide for his security.

In a press conference he conducted shortly after the Bentiu incident, the President of the Government of Southern Sudan and Commander-in-Chief of the SPLA, Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit said he allowed Gen. Paulino Matip to maintain a number of forces to guard his homes in the region for the purposes of building confidence after the Juba Declaration.

Gen. Matip already has several hundreds of guards at his residence inside Juba and in the outskirts of the town.

The government is currently planning to train and establish a special presidential guards unit in order to centralize providing security for the collective senior leadership.

Click into original article to view 64+ comments.  Click on Matip label here below for related reports.

South Sudan to build its first oil refinery in Akon in north-western Gogrial area of Warrap state

Most of Sudan’s oil is produced from the oil fields located in southern Sudan while the current country’s refineries are all located in northern Sudan.  

98% of southern Sudan’s overall revenues that constitute the annual budgets for the region come from the 50% share of the oil produced in its Upper Nile and Unity states.  

In a meeting on Friday chaired by Vice President Riek Machar Teny, South Sudan's Council of Ministers passed a resolution on a project for building an oil refinery in southern Sudan that will be located in a place called Akon in North-western Gogrial area of Warrap state.  Reportedly, the crude oil that is targeted for refinery will be extracted from Block 5A oilfield in Unity state.

The Council of Ministers also directed the Minister of Energy and Mining to discuss the possibility of building refineries at the sites of the oilfields in Upper Nile and Unity states with any major oil companies that may be interested.

Source: Sudan Tribune, Sunday, 4 October 2009, by James Gatdet Dak.  Copy:
South Sudan to build its first oil refinery in Warrap state

October 2, 2009 (JUBA) – The semi-autonomous region of Southern Sudan has embarked on building its first ever oil refinery in Warrap state for its huge oil reserves as the clock ticks towards referendum on secession in January 2011.

Sudan currently produces more than 600,000 barrels of crude oil per day which bring tens of millions of US dollars on daily basis from the international market.

Most of the Sudan’s oil is produced from the oilfields located in Southern Sudan while the current country’s refineries are all located in Northern Sudan.

98% of Southern Sudan’s overall revenues that constitute the annual budgets for the region come from the 50% share of the oil produced in Upper Nile and Unity states in accordance with the 2005’s peace deal between North and South.

In its Friday meeting chaired by the Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny, the Council of Ministers passed a resolution on the project for building the oil refinery in Southern Sudan that will be located in a place called Akon in North-western Gogrial area of Warrap state.

The project was initiated and presented to the cabinet meeting by the Minister of Energy and Mining, John Luk Jok.

The huge refinery project which is expected to take about three years to complete from the date it kicks off at the construction site will begin by establishing a Joint Venture Company (JVC) with any oil companies interested to partner with the government, finding financiers to fund the project and then JVC finally signing a contract with a national or international company that will implement the project on the ground.

According to a press statement by the official spokesperson and Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Paul Mayom Akech, the crude oil that is targeted for refinery will be extracted from Block 5A oilfield in Unity state.

To transport the crude oil to Akon refinery site, Minister Mayom explained that the Company will also construct a pipeline of some hundreds of kilometers long from the Unity state oilfield.

Mayom said the Government of Southern Sudan will have the biggest share in the $10 million worth JVC ownership body and the share will be represented by the Southern Sudan indigenous Nilepet oil company.

After formation of the JVC and securing of funds, the Company would then advertise the project to any interested national and international companies that would be subjected to competitive bidding process and out of which a winner will sign a contract with the JVC to technically implement the project on the ground.

Tens of thousands of indigenous people of Southern Sudan are expected to benefit from the project as they will be employed to do most of the labor work at the construction sites.

The cost for implementing such an expensive single project is not yet known, but may run into billions of dollars.

The Council of Ministers also directed the Minister of Energy and Mining to discuss the possibility of building refineries at the sites of the oilfields in Upper Nile and Unity states with any major oil companies that may be interested.

The semi-autonomous region earlier resolved to also embark on a separate project to build an alternative pipeline from Southern Sudan to Port Mombassa in Kenya for transporting the crude oil to the international markets.

Currently the crude oil from Southern Sudan is being transported to the international market via Port Sudan in the far North-eastern part of the country through the thousands of kilometers long Chinese-constructed pipeline.

Mayom said the Government stressed the importance of indigenizing the operations of the oil sector so that “Southern Sudan is not caught up” in case it chooses secession in 2011.

Click into the original article to view 40+ comments.

Message to South Sudan's Director General of Education Peter Dak Galuak: All of the East African teachers want to go home but must be paid first

Copy of two emails received today in response to yesterday's report at Sudan Watch entitled South Sudan: State Director for Education denies that 200 unpaid East African teachers in Bentiu want to go home

Dear Jones,

We have read your article from sudanwatch website and the reporting. Now I want to tell you the full story of East African teachers. Since the beginning of this year, paying our salaries has been a problem. We have been paid only four months this year and every time we are paid it is after a serious demonstration. Actually, now it is worse and we are tired of the job because of non payment and intimidation every time we request to be paid. And now all of us want to go home but we have to be paid first.

We are suprised by the statements of the Director General of Education that few people want to go home. They want to politicise an issue that is obvious. In fact, they have never told teachers who want to go home to write down their names and they refused.

The issue is let the government of Unity State pay East African Teachers and let them go home. It's like we are held hostage here. We cannot move without money because we cannot move to Uganda or Kenya on foot.

Please help us to highlight this issue and if you want any more information please email us on eastafricanteachers@yahoo.com

Thanks.

Yours

East African Teachers Representative.
- - -

I also agree with the east africans because on recieving money in August they first demonstrate and when it came to september there are demonstrating again for their five months pay and when i talked to one of them he said that if the government can no longer afford them, then let it lay them off as they suggest. On being paid 2 months they say that its now two weeks ever since the speaker of parliament gave them this promise and the education Minister no longer wants to see them neither does he talk/communicate to them on what is going on. And now there more scared of the security cause some say better they pay them two months with an Air ticket back to their countries.

S. Kordofan: Heglig, the biggest oil field in Sudan, could be a source of potential conflict between SPLM and NCP

Heglig, the biggest oil field in Sudan, could be a source of potential conflict between the SPLM and the NCP. Sudan Radio Service spoke to political analyst Mahjoub Mohamed Saleh from Khartoum on Monday who explained that:

"As long as Unity state is one of the ten southern states it means that Heglig belongs to the south. The ABC report said Heglig is part of Abyei, the PCA said it is not part of Abyei. The southerners are saying if the PCA has removed Heglig from the Abyei area, it should be part of Unity state. The north is saying no, it should be included in Southern Kordofan state. This is the situation now. There is no confusion in the PCA’s verdict regarding Heglig oil field, the PCA’s decision has redrawn the eastern boundary of Abyei which was stipulated in the ABC report. It arbitrates on a certain longitude which excludes Heglig out of Abyei province. The SPLM says it is out of Abyei province but it lies inside Unity state, and Unity state is a southern state. So these are new disagreements and have nothing to do with Abyei.” 

Full story from Sudan Radio Service, Monday, 27 July 2009: Where is Heglig? An Analyst Explains

(Khartoum) – Heglig, the biggest oil field in Sudan, could be a source of potential conflict between the SPLM and the NCP, following the verdict by the Permanent Court of Arbitration which has placed Heglig and Bamboo oil fields outside the Abyei boundaries. Sudan Radio Service spoke to political analyst Mahjoub Mohamed Saleh from Khartoum on Monday. [Mahjoub Mohamed Saleh]: “There is no confusion in the PCA’s verdict regarding Heglig oil field, the PCA’s decision has redrawn the eastern boundary of Abyei which was stipulated in the ABC report. It arbitrates on a certain longitude which excludes Heglig out of Abyei province. The SPLM says it is out of Abyei province but it lies inside Unity state, and Unity state is a southern state. So these are new disagreements and have nothing to do with Abyei.” Since the two partners have reaffirmed their satisfaction with the PCA’s verdict regarding the Abyei boundaries, Mahjoub explains the source of the disagreements. [Mahjoub Mohamed Saleh]: “The south thinks that it (Heglig) belongs to Unity state according to a previous decree made by the former late president Jafar Nimery. Since he had established Unity state he decreed that Heglig becomes part of Unity state. It was named Unity because it had united the south and the north together, that was the logic. But they are saying that as long as Unity state is one of the ten southern states it means that Heglig belongs to the south. The ABC report said Heglig is part of Abyei, the PCA said it is not part of Abyei. The southerners are saying if the PCA has removed Heglig from the Abyei area, it should be part of Unity state. The north is saying no, it should be included in Southern Kordofan state. This is the situation now.” The SPLM said it is prepared to refer the issue of the Heglig oil fields to the PCA, if necessary. However Mahjoub says that the PCA has already announced its final decision regarding Abyei issue. [Mahjoub Mohamed Saleh]: “The court has no other business regarding this issue, it had announced its arbitration as the case was presented by the two parties, and both of them have accepted and welcomed the verdict, finish.” Mahjoub Mohamed Saleh, a political analyst, was speaking to Sudan Radio Service from Khartoum.

- - - USAID 2001 Sudan Oil & Gas Concessions Map Click here to view large version of the following map from Wikipedia.  Click, once or twice, on image at Wikipedia to see full screen size. Heglig, the largest oil field in Sudan

Click here to view Heglig pin pointed on the following map from Wikipedia. Heglig Location in Sudan Coordinates: 11°59′N 27°53′E Country: Sudan State: South Kurdufan Heglig (also spelled Heglieg) is a small town in South Kurdufan state in central Sudan, near the border with Southern Sudan. The area was contested during the Sudanese Civil War. The South Sudanese Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) rebels attacked the oil rigs of Heglig to damage this important source of revenue for the Sudanese government. Heglig oil field Heglig is situated within the Muglad Basin, a rift basin which contains much of Sudan's proven oil reserves. The Heglig oil field was first developed in 1996 by Arakis Energy (now part of Talisman Energy).[1] Today it is operated by the Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Company.[2] Production at Heglig is reported to have peaked in 2006 and is now in decline.[3] The Heglig oil field is connected to Khartoum and Port Sudan via the Greater Nile Oil Pipeline. (Source: Wikipedia) Click here to view larger image of map above showing Sudan's pipeline, North-South boundary, Abyei and oil concessions. Image source: www.stratfor.com