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MISC 84: Letter to the Chairman from the Abyei Solidarity Group in the UK
THE APPOINTED ADMINISTRATION OF ABYEI WITHOUT FUNDING
The Abyei Road Map for the return of the Internally Disabled People (IDPS) and the implementation of Abyei Protocol was signed by the two parties of Government of National Unity (GONU), the National Congress Party (NCP) on one hand and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) on the other hand, following the destruction of Abyei town in May 2008.
In that agreement, the parties agreed to set up Abyei administration in June 2008 under the auspices of the Sudanese Presidency. It took almost six months before the administration was appointed by the Presidency. This delay has undoubtedly contributed tremendously to the suffering of the people of Abyei.
Article 3.6 of the Abyei Road Map for the return of the IDPS and the Implementation of Abyei Protocol states that:
"The Presidency to avail the necessary funds to the Abyei Area Administration for delivery of basic services and running of Administration in accordance with the provisions of the CPA"
Despite assurances by the Presidency that funding would be made available for running the administration of Abyei and for the delivery of basic and essential services, it is regrettable that up to now, no funding has been released by the Presidency.
This deliberate delay in releasing funds for the Abyei administration clearly indicates that once again the return of Abyei IDPS is being frustrated and hindered purposely. The people of Abyei are systematically being deprived from the dividends of peace. It is worth noting that the few people who have returned to Abyei town are either living in tents (if they are lucky) or in open spaces with no shelter or basic and essential services, which are taken for granted in other parts of the world.
Sir,
The Sudanese civil society in the UK would like to bring this issue to your attention and raise awareness of what has been happening on the ground since the signing of the Abyei Road Map. We urge you as well as the international community to put pressure on the GONU to release the necessary funding for the people of Abyei who have suffered for too long.
We believe that the following measures if adopted would help to ameliorate and alleviate the suffering of Abyei people, and sustain the fragile peace, which is already in jeopardy:
1. Funding for the running of the recently appointed administration for Abyei must be released immediately;
2. Reconstructing the recently destroyed town of Abyei and other surrounding areas urgently;
3. Compensating those whose properties were burned or looted in May 2008 as well as the relatives of those who lost their lives or those severely injured;
4. The 2% of the oil revenue as stipulated in the Abyei Protocol and which has not been paid for the last four years must be paid in full immediately;
5. The Presidency promised to fund the infrastructure in Abyei area and this has not happened. Therefore, confidence and trust building measures need to be installed; and
6. International Relief Organisations should be encouraged to go to Abyei and help the resettlement of Abyei people.
In light of these recommendations, we appeal to the international observers who witnessed the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (C.P.A.) namely the UK, the USA, the Netherlands, Norway and Italy, as well as members of the Intergovernmental Authority for Drought & Development (IGADD) and members of the International Community to intervene to support the full implementation of the Abyei Protocol, the Road Map and the immediate resettlement of the people of Abyei.
We believe that your support is instrumental and necessary in order to depict the plight of the people of Abyei and help in holding the Sudanese authorities to account.
9 February 2009 |