KENYA/FILE: South Sudan's information minister accuses Khartoum of continued bombardment of its oil fields and says Juba will not go back to war with their neighbour

Record ID: 362231

  • Title: KENYA/FILE: South Sudan's information minister accuses Khartoum of continued bombardment of its oil fields and says Juba will not go back to war with their neighbour
  • Date: 3rd April 2012
  • Summary: HEGLIG, SUDAN (FILE- 2011) (REUTERS) WIDE OF OIL FIELDS
  • Embargoed: 18th April 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya, Sudan
  • City:
  • Country: Sudan Kenya
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAD7BAA6MVAWM3DS4PY5CB01EWP
  • Story Text: South Sudan said Sudanese forces were still bombing on Monday (April 02) regions in the oil-producing area straddling their border, but insisted the newly-independent state would not be dragged into war.
    Western nations fear the border clashes, which broke out a week ago, could escalate to a full-blown civil war between the mainly muslim north and the South where most have either Christian or animist beliefs.
    Speaking to the media in Nairobi, the South Sudan Information Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin said South Sudanese President Salva Kiir was adamant the country would not be dragged back into conflict.
    Benjamin criticised the African Union for its slow pace in moving to mediate between the two parties.
    "The African Union should be taking its responsibility, there is nowhere on earth where a sovereign another sovereign state goes and bombs another sovereign state and the whole, everybody is quiet. I think this is completely wrong we believe that our position is to defend our territorial integrity which we will do. We will not cross into the republic of Sudan but we will protect our territorial integrity we know that there are outstanding issues that are remaining which we believe that the duty of the African Union high implementation panel led by president Mbeki should be in a position to resolve these issues," Marial said.
    The United Nations and the United States fear the clashes could escalate and re-ignite a civil war between the mainly Muslim north and the South where most adhere to Christian and animist beliefs.
    "For the last month, the republic of Sudan in Khartoum has been bombing mostly the unity state and our oil fields for the last month they have been actually bombing villages and small towns and as we speak today they are still continuing bombing some of these areas," Benjamin added.
    Sudan's army spokesman has denied allegations made by South Sudan that it had attacked Manga and Panakuach in Unity State.
    South Sudan became independent from Khartoum under a 2005 peace agreement that ended decades of civil war which killed 2 million people.
    Both sides were supposed to resume talks this weekend but African Union officials said on Sunday key members of Sudan's delegation had yet to arrive.
    According to South Sudan Minister for Information, Khartoum is no longer interested with talks with the South. While refereeing to a statement he attributed to Sudan State Minister of media.
    "According to the statement of the state minister of media, Sanaa Hamad el Awad who is the state minister of media in the republic of Sudan had this to say, 'Khartoum is no longer pursuing a policy of diplomatic engagement with Juba but rather a policy of war, securing borders an iron fist and double retaliation.' I think this is a very serious statement to come from the republic of Sudan a partner with whom we have signed a peace agreement and have agreed to have two viable states," Benjamin added.
    Benjamin said Sudan's interior minister was now in Addis Ababa, where the AU's headquarters are located.
    The two sides also need to decide how much the landlocked South must pay to export its crude oil through Sudan. Juba has shut down its entire oil production to stop Khartoum taking oil as compensation for what it calls unpaid transit fees.
    Benjamin said his president had assured his citizens that South Sudan will not go back to another war with Sudan.
    "Our president, General Salva Kiir Mayardit who is the chairperson of the SPLM in fact assured the citizens of the republic of South Sudan that we are not to take back our citizen's into war once again. We believe the remaining issues can be resolved through peaceful dialogue using the African Union and other of course international organizations which have contributed so much for us to reach at this level," Benjamin added.
    As well as agreeing a halt to further hostilities, the two sides need to decide how much the landlocked South must pay to export its crude oil through Sudan. Juba has shut down its entire oil production to stop Khartoum taking oil as compensation for what it calls unpaid transit fees.
    Both countries have also yet to mark a 1,800 km (1,200 mile) border, much of which is disputed, or find a solution to the disputed border region of Abyei. Each side also accuses the other of supporting rebels on each other's territory.
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