Abyei Conflict – Ceasefire Must Prevail

The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)

Salma Ainesh

28 May 2011

The Commission of the African Union (AU) has noted with very grave concern the violence in the Abyei Area, which escalated since the beginning of May 2011 between the two Parties to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and culminated in generalised fighting in and around the town of Abyei and its subsequent death toll.

These unfortunate developments come at a time of renewed hope towards a political settlement of the Abyei impasse, the resolution of all other CPA remaining issues and the conclusion of the post-referendum matters, in view of the impending independence of South Sudan and the birth of two viable and sister States.

At this delicate period, the AU Commission would like to urge all the Parties to immediately withdraw all the unauthorized forces from the area, in compliance with the CPA and the Kadugli Agreement, and to restrain from any provocative actions.

In that line, the Commission would like to request the United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS) to continue facilitating this exercise.

The AU Commission calls on the Parties to resume the dialogue towards a political settlement on Abyei by returning to the negotiating table under the facilitation of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP), which they have, at the highest level, asked to develop a proposal on resolving the impasse.

Furthermore, the AU Commission reminds the Parties of their common responsibility to protect the civilian population and to ensure their well being, especially in the border areas.

Organising local farmers to form cooperative societies and giving them technical assistance and equipment, can enable them produce as much crops as any large foreign investor.

One does not need hours to see one example of a farm that got help from the first world, and how it fared.

I would say that policies are the only problems that block farmer’s development.

AllAfrica – All the Time