{"id":440437,"date":"2011-06-13T16:14:35","date_gmt":"2011-06-13T16:14:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/06\/13\/sudan-offers-troop-withdrawal\/"},"modified":"2011-06-13T16:14:35","modified_gmt":"2011-06-13T16:14:35","slug":"sudan-offers-troop-withdrawal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/06\/13\/sudan-offers-troop-withdrawal\/","title":{"rendered":"Sudan &#8216;offers troop withdrawal&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div readability=\"131.873466753\"><span><span>13 June 2011<\/span> <span>Last updated at<\/span> <span>12:14 ET<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Sudan&#8217;s President Omar al-Bashir has reportedly offered to withdraw his troops from the disputed town of Abyei &#8211; a flashpoint as South Sudan prepares for independence next month.<\/p>\n<p>Mr Bashir is reported to have made the offer to southern leader Salva Kiir at African Union talks in Ethiopia.<\/p>\n<p>Some 140,000 people have fled recent clashes in Abyei and the neighbouring region of South Kordofan.<\/p>\n<p>Aid workers say pro-southern groups are being ethnically cleansed.<\/p>\n<p>South Sudan is due to secede as part of a peace deal which ended two decades of north-south conflict, which left some 1.5 million people dead.<\/p>\n<p>There are fears that the recent fighting could reignite the conflict, although President Bashir has said he would accept the south&#8217;s independence.<\/p>\n<p>South Sudan&#8217;s Information Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin said the details of what would happen if northern forces withdrew were still being worked out.<\/p>\n<p>Mr Bashir and Mr Kiir are continuing their talks for a second day.<\/p>\n<p>Former South African President Thabo Mbeki and Ethiopia&#8217;s Prime Minister Meles Zenawi are mediating the talks in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div readability=\"7\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"holding\" src=\"http:\/\/news.bbcimg.co.uk\/media\/images\/53377000\/jpg\/_53377454_displaced_kadugli.jpg\" alt=\"Residents gather outside the UNMIS sector headquarters after fleeing fighting in Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan, Sudan, Thursday, June 9, 2011.\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Please turn on JavaScript.<\/strong> Media requires JavaScript to play.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>An AU statement said they would focus on the withdrawal of forces from the disputed town of Abyei, which the north forces seized last month.<\/p>\n<p>It said the talks would discuss &#8220;the dispatch of an African-led international mission to provide security, to provide conditions for the speedy return of displaced people and steps towards a final settlement of the status of the area&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is to arrive in Ethiopian capital on Monday in the latest leg of her Africa tour, is to meet Mr Kiir but not Mr Bashir, one of her aides told AFP news agency.<\/p>\n<p><span>&#8216;Southerners targeted&#8217;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Human rights groups have warned that southerners are being targeted by pro-northern forces in the neighbouring South Kordofan state. Although it is in the north, it is home to many pro-south communities and has been the scene of recent clashes.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;People are being hunted down for their ethnicity,&#8221; John Ashworth, an adviser with the Sudan Ecumenical Forum, told the BBC&#8217;s Focus on Africa programme.<\/p>\n<p>He said many areas inhabited by Nubans were being bombed and shelled by northern forces and that people had fled further into the area&#8217;s hills and mountains to escape the attacks.<\/p>\n<p>During the long civil war, many residents of the Nuba Mountains fought with the south.<\/p>\n<p>Aid workers say that some 40,000 people have been forced from their homes in South Kordofan, on top of some 100,000 in Abyei.<\/p>\n<p>Amnesty International&#8217;s Tawanda Hondora told the BBC&#8217;s Network Africa programme that some people had been arrested outside the UN base in the South Kordofan capital, Kadugli, and were later shot dead.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We think this is the start of what might be ethnic cleansing of South Kordofan, Unity State and Abyei, with the precise purpose of ensuring that, come independence, the areas will not have people who are perceived to be sympathetic to the south,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p>Aid agency offices have been looted, churches have been ransacked and buildings destroyed.<\/p>\n<p>But this was denied by Rabbie Abdelattif Ebaid, an adviser to Sudan&#8217;s information minister.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The armed forces are targeting the rebels. The area has now been freed from all rebels. Everything is now quiet in the main towns,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p>On Friday, the south accused the northern military of bombing areas in Unity State to seize oil fields from the south.<\/p>\n<p>The north-south war ended with a 2005 peace deal, under which the mainly Christian and animist south held a referendum in January on whether to secede from the largely Arabic-speaking, Muslim north.<\/p>\n<p>Some 99% of voters opted for independence. President Bashir said he would accept the verdict of the south, where most of Sudan&#8217;s oil fields lie.<\/p>\n<p>Sudan: A country divided<\/p>\n<div>\n<div readability=\"33.5\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/nol\/shared\/spl\/hi\/world\/10\/sudan\/img\/sud_geography_464.jpg\" width=\"464\" height=\"540\" alt=\"Satellite image showing geography of Sudan, source: Nasa\" \/><\/p>\n<div readability=\"12\">\n<p>The great divide across Sudan is visible even from space, as this Nasa satellite image shows. The northern states are a blanket of desert, broken only by the fertile Nile corridor. Southern Sudan is covered by green swathes of grassland, swamps and tropical forest.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div readability=\"32.5\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/nol\/shared\/spl\/hi\/world\/10\/sudan\/img\/sud_ethnic_464.gif\" width=\"464\" height=\"540\" alt=\"Map showing Ethnicity of Sudan, source:\" \/><\/p>\n<div readability=\"10\">\n<p>Sudan&#8217;s arid northern regions are home mainly to Arabic-speaking Muslims. But in Southern Sudan there is no dominant culture. The Dinkas and the Nuers are the largest of more than 200 ethnic groups, each with its own traditional beliefs and languages.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div readability=\"33.5\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/nol\/shared\/spl\/hi\/world\/10\/sudan\/img\/sud_infant_mort_464.gif\" width=\"464\" height=\"540\" alt=\"Map showing infant Mortality in Sudan, source: Sudan household health survey 2006\" \/><\/p>\n<div readability=\"12\">\n<p>The health inequalities in Sudan are illustrated by infant mortality rates. In Southern Sudan, one in 10 children die before their first birthday. Whereas in the more developed northern states, such as Gezira and White Nile, half of those children would be expected to survive.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div readability=\"34.5\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/nol\/shared\/spl\/hi\/world\/10\/sudan\/img\/sud_water_sanit_464.gif\" width=\"464\" height=\"540\" alt=\"Map showing percentage of households using improved water and sanitation in Sudan, source: Sudan household health survey 2006\" \/><\/p>\n<div readability=\"14\">\n<p>The gulf in water resources between north and south is stark. In Khartoum, River Nile, and Gezira states, two-thirds of people have access to piped drinking water and pit latrines. In the south, boreholes and unprotected wells are the main drinking sources. More than 80% of southerners have no toilet facilities whatsoever.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div readability=\"33.5\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/nol\/shared\/spl\/hi\/world\/10\/sudan\/img\/sud_education_464.gif\" width=\"464\" height=\"540\" alt=\"Map showing percentage of who complete primary school education in Sudan, source: Sudan household health survey 2006\" \/><\/p>\n<div readability=\"12\">\n<p>Throughout Sudan, access to primary school education is strongly linked to household earnings. In the poorest parts of the south, less than 1% of children finish primary school. Whereas in the wealthier north, up to 50% of children complete primary level education.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div readability=\"33\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/nol\/shared\/spl\/hi\/world\/10\/sudan\/img\/sud_food_security_464.gif\" width=\"464\" height=\"540\" alt=\"Map showing percentage of households with poor food consumption in Sudan, source: Sudan household health survey 2006\" \/><\/p>\n<div readability=\"11\">\n<p>Conflict and poverty are the main causes of food insecurity in Sudan. The residents of war-affected Darfur and Southern Sudan are still greatly dependent on food aid. Far more than in northern states, which tend to be wealthier, more urbanised and less reliant on agriculture.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div readability=\"34\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/nol\/shared\/spl\/hi\/world\/10\/sudan\/img\/sud_oil_464.gif\" width=\"464\" height=\"540\" alt=\"Map showing position of oilfileds in Sudan, source: Drilling info international\" \/><\/p>\n<div readability=\"13\">\n<p>Sudan exports billions of dollars of oil per year. Southern states produce more than 80% of it, but receive only 50% of the revenue, exacerbating tensions with the north. The oil-producing region of Abyei was due to hold a separate vote on whether to join the north or the south, but it has been postponed indefinitely.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<p>Read More:<br \/>\n<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/go\/rss\/int\/news\/-\/news\/world-africa-13747039\" title=\"Sudan 'offers troop withdrawal'\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sudan &#8216;offers troop withdrawal&#8217;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> 13 June 2011 Last updated at 12:14 ET Sudan&#8217;s President Omar al-Bashir has reportedly offered to withdraw his troops from the disputed town of Abyei &#8211; a flashpoint as South Sudan prepares for independence next month. Mr Bashir is reported to have made the offer to southern leader Salva Kiir at African Union talks in Ethiopia. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":440438,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-440437","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-local-news"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Sudan &#039;offers troop withdrawal&#039; - Ghanamma.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/06\/13\/sudan-offers-troop-withdrawal\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Sudan &#039;offers troop withdrawal&#039; - Ghanamma.com\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"13 June 2011 Last updated at 12:14 ET Sudan&#039;s President Omar al-Bashir has reportedly offered to withdraw his troops from the disputed town of Abyei - a flashpoint as South Sudan prepares for independence next month. Mr Bashir is reported to have made the offer to southern leader Salva Kiir at African Union talks in Ethiopia.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@ghanamma\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ghanamma\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/06\/13\/sudan-offers-troop-withdrawal\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/06\/13\/sudan-offers-troop-withdrawal\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"\",\"@id\":\"\"},\"headline\":\"Sudan &#8216;offers troop withdrawal&#8217;\",\"datePublished\":\"2011-06-13T16:14:35+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/06\/13\/sudan-offers-troop-withdrawal\/\"},\"wordCount\":975,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/06\/13\/sudan-offers-troop-withdrawal\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"\",\"articleSection\":[\"Local News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/06\/13\/sudan-offers-troop-withdrawal\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/06\/13\/sudan-offers-troop-withdrawal\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/06\/13\/sudan-offers-troop-withdrawal\/\",\"name\":\"Sudan 'offers troop withdrawal' - Ghanamma.com\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/06\/13\/sudan-offers-troop-withdrawal\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/06\/13\/sudan-offers-troop-withdrawal\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"\",\"datePublished\":\"2011-06-13T16:14:35+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/06\/13\/sudan-offers-troop-withdrawal\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/06\/13\/sudan-offers-troop-withdrawal\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"\",\"contentUrl\":\"\"},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/\",\"name\":\"Ghanamma.com\",\"description\":\"News In Ghana - Latest Ghana News Headlines\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Sudan 'offers troop withdrawal' - Ghanamma.com","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/06\/13\/sudan-offers-troop-withdrawal\/","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"Sudan 'offers troop withdrawal' - Ghanamma.com","twitter_description":"13 June 2011 Last updated at 12:14 ET Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir has reportedly offered to withdraw his troops from the disputed town of Abyei - a flashpoint as South Sudan prepares for independence next month. 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