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SUDAN / ABYEI ROADBLOCK
STORY: SUDAN / ABYEI ROADBLOCK
TRT: 2:50
SOURCE: UNMIS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ARABIC / ENGLISH / NATS
DATE: 25-27 JANUARY 2011, ABYEI, SUDAN/KHARTOUM, SUDAN
25 JANUARY, 2011/ ABYEI, SUDAN
1. Wide shot, Petroleum station
2. Med shot, Petroleum station
6. Med shot, a man pouring fuel
7. Close shot, a man with gasoline
8. Med shot, two men exchange money
9. Wide shot, people in street
10. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ajack Choll:
“The price of the fuel was 30 Sudanese Pounds but it has gone high up to 70 Sudanese Pounds because of the Arabs who blocked the road - also because of the looting on the way the merchants are afraid if looting happens.”
11. Wide shot, people on street
12. Wide shot, two girls and a man in market
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Deng Arop, Chief Abyei Area Administrator:
“It seems that there are some kinds of a policy these days not to allow goods to go to south Sudan and come to Abyei. So that has negatively affected the market of Abyei and that is why you don not get goods. It means that the components of the free access to returnees to goods coming down to Abyei and further to South Sudan are not really respected.”
14. Med shot, people backing sacks
15. Med shot, a man backing
16. SOUNDBITE (English) Deng Arop, Chief Abyei Area Administrator:
“The authorities of Southern Kordofan and specially those of Mujlad should be vigilant and serious enough to make their people - I mean the armed group to respect the recent agreement they entered into. If that does not happen then for sure other parts of the agreement will not be respected by the people who are supposed to respect them this is very important.”
27 JANUARY 2011, KHARTOUM, SUDAN
17. Wide shot, President Omar al Bashir, with Silva Kiir and Taha
18. Med shot, President Bashir
19. Med Shot, President Bashir and Thabo Mbeki, Chairman, African Union High-Level Implementation Panel on Sudan
20. SOUNDBITE (English) Thabo Mbeki, Former South African President, Chairman, African Union High-Level Implementation Panel on Sudan:
“Now the work around Sudan referendum has been completed the principals. The presidency will then engage the issue of finding the final solution the permanent settlement to Abyei issue. So we discussed matter today and they agreed both President Bashir and First Vice President Silva Kiir that they will coordinate to engage each other in a situation of peace and security and stability in the Abyei area they will continue their work then to find a final solution to this issue and continuing to treat it as urgent.”
21. Med shot, people in market
22. Wide shot, people in street
Recent tensions in Abyei between the Dinka and Misseriya tribes have led to various roadblocks consequently affecting the transportation and price of commodities.
Gasoline is scarce and the price per gallon has more than doubled in Abyei area following the roadblocks. Food prices are also on the steady increase.
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ajack Choll:
“The price of the fuel was 30 Sudanese Pounds but it has gone high up to 70 Sudanese Pounds because of the Arabs who blocked the road - also because of the looting on the way the merchants are afraid if looting happens.”
But as accusations continue to be pointed towards different groups of people the implementation of a 17 January agreement between leaders from both the government of Sudan and the Government of Southern Sudan on security issues is yet to be fully implemented.
SOUNDBITE (English) Deng Arop, Chief Abyei Area Administrator:
“It seems that there are some kinds of a policy these days not to allow goods to go to south Sudan and come to Abyei. So that has negatively affected the market of Abyei and that is why you don not get goods. It means that the components of the free access to returnees to goods coming down to Abyei and further to South Sudan are not really respected.”
A number of security arrangements which could lead to the free movement of Misseriya nomadic tribes migrating southwards in search of pasture and the free movement of returns to the south through Abyei and some into Abyei, is yet to be fully met.
The agreement in part resolved to move 300 police out of Abyei town and replace them with two battalions (1,200) of Joint Integrated Units (JIUs) composed of joint forces of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army and the Sudan Armed Forces. The JIUs are expected to escort and patrol in Abyei to ensure that the two groups have safe passage.
SOUNDBITE (English) Deng Arop, Chief Abyei Area Administrator:
“The authorities of Southern Kordofan and specially those of Mujlad should be vigilant and serious enough to make their people - I mean the armed group to respect the recent agreement they entered into. If that does not happen then for sure other parts of the agreement will not be respected by the people who are supposed to respect them this is very important.”
Some JIUs have been deployed and they are yet to start their work whilst and the main roads remain closed.
Meanwhile a recent meeting, on 27 January, between Sudan’s President Omar Al Bashir and First Vice President Salva Kiir and Second Vice President Ali Taha met to discuss pending issues on Abyei and recent unrest in the area and other post-referendum related concerns. The Presidency agreed to continue to dialogue on various pending issues on Abyei and also highlighted the need for the quick deployment of the JIUs.
Also speaking after the meeting the Presidency was former South African President and Chairman of African Union High-Level Implementation Panel on Sudan Thabo Mbeki.
SOUNDBITE (English) Thabo Mbeki, Former South African President, Chairman, African Union High-Level Implementation Panel on Sudan:
“Now the work around Sudan referendum has been completed the principals - the presidency will then engage the issue of finding the final solution the permanent settlement to Abyei issue. So we discussed matter today and they agreed both President Bashir and First Vice President Salva Kiir that they will coordinate to engage each other in a situation of peace and security and stability in the Abyei area they will continue their work then to find a final solution to this issue and continuing to treat it as urgent.”
Residents in Abyei were meant to participate in a concurrent referendum on whether to join the North or South, but an agreement on the modalities for such a vote has not been reached.
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