Kiir Urges Bashir To Remove SAF In Abyei, Sudan

The President of the Government of South Sudan and the First Vice President of the Republic of Sudan, Salva Kiir has urged President Omar Hassan Al Bashir to withdraw the Sudan Armed Forces from Abyei and to respect the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

President Kiir said that the existence of SAF in the oil rich region hinders all the peaceful mechanisms to address the issues between the two parties. However, their exit will give room for peaceful resolutions.

Since last week, misunderstanding conflicts hit the Abyei area as thousands fled after President Bashir released three decrees dismissing the leadership of Abyei, dissolution against the Abyei administration and Abyei area Council.

Kiir was addressing the press in Juba today at the New Presidential Palace J-One while his ministers and information officers attended. The President reiterated his commitment to the full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, CPA which guarantees the governance of Abyei.

“I must State here that, we are committed to peace and we are not going to agree on anybody who wants to drag us into war,” President kiir said.

Kiir added that South Sudan forces will embrace a close bilateral relationship with its counterpart in the North. “We need them and they need us,” he elaborated.

He urged the North population not to be dragged again into a new bloody war by the recent regime. He further urged the SAF to be more alert in maintaining security for peace in the still largest African country. “I even need to appeal to the SAF not to do this. They are tools to be used for keeping peace not war”.

Kiir said the decisions of Bashir on Abyei on 20th May were beyond his ruling powers since he didn’t consult him as a member of the Presidency. “He did not consult me,” he said. He therefore called for the immediate withdrawal of SAF.

“I’m calling Bashir to pull out the SAF from Abyei and allow international forces to be deployed,” Kiir urged. The president explained that, his army, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, SPLA did not intend to hurt anybody in the region.

He described all allegations launched on his leadership as “unfounded.” The President explained that, the allegation followed a misunderstanding between two soldiers, an SPLA and SAF hence accelerating the conflict.

“It should be made clear that nobody was intended to fight the UN or SAF. If the SPLA was mistaken to shoot the UN convoy it should have been investigated,” Kiir said.

He described the deployment of SAF on 20th May within six hours saying that it didn’t justify any retaliation against the misunderstanding of the two soldiers, but a pre-arranged plan in Abyei.

“Since 2005, SAF has not withdrawn from Abyei. Sudan has no capacity to deploy such forces within six hours in Abyei,” Kiir said while ruling that; “It should have been investigated.”

“We still believe that we shall resolve the remaining part of the CPA,” Kiir said while appealing that; “Fighting should not be used as a solution to address the problems of the people of Abyei.”

He reiterated the commitment by the GOSS in maintaining security and assured the gathering that, the planned 9th July independency of South Sudan will go as scheduled. “South Sudan will become an independent State on the 9th of July 2011. No insecurity or anybody will limit,” he stressed.