CAFOD: 'Peace must be protected in Sudan'

Abyei - CAFOS image courtesy Alertnet

CAFOD has expressed grave concern over the news of violent clashes in the border region of Abyei in Sudan which are endangering the lives of civilians and threatening to destablise the peace between north and south.

In a statement, the agency said: "We call for the continued implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), signed in 2005, which brought an end to 22 years of civil war, and encourage progress towards the creation of two economically viable and peaceful states that enjoy good governance and respect for human rights.

CAFOD's Sudan Country Representative, Vincent Bolt said: "We want to see the governments of north and south Sudan, faith institutions, the UN and all the international community working together urgently to stop this violence and strengthen all moves towards peace. The people of Sudan are so close to achieving a lasting peace and that goal must not be put at risk now. Sudan must not turn back to the darkness of the past, but continue on the path to peace and justice, with mutual trust and respect for each country's security and stability. The international community must act urgently to support that process."

The international medical humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said it received 42 wounded persons during the night between Friday, May 20 and Saturday, May 21 after heavy fighting in Abyei.

MSF added that the nearly the entire population of Abyei town, over 20,000 people, fled the city following the occupation by northern troops.

MSF operates a hospital in Agok, 40 kilometres south of Abyei, where it is treating the wounded.

According to southern leaders, the seizure of the strategic, oil-rich town was both a declaration of war by the northern government and a well-planned attempt to displace the Ngok Dinka people loyal to the south in order to permanently keep hold of Abyei after the south declares independence.

But speaking from Nairobi on Tuesday, 24 May, the Sudanese Ambassador to Kenya HE Mr Kamal Ismail Saeed said that the Northern Sudan was not at war with the South. He said their officers were responding in self-defence after they were ambushed by the SPLA, over 70 soldiers of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) were killed, and more than 120 others are missing. This attack took place while the troops were heading northward as agreed upon by all parties. The SPLA soldiers attacked them despite the fact that they were escorted by UNMIS forces.

He said that the North was ready to let go off Abyei if a free and fare vote to was carried out and the people chose to join the south. "If the people living in Abyei area vote and decide to move to the south then we will let them, Abyei is a small area and we have enough land in the north. If we did let go the whole of South Sudan, why not Abyei?" said Mr Kamal.

Sources: CAFOD/MSF/MISNA