Friday, October 21, 2011

SPLM’s Luka Biong rejects conditional withdrawal of troops from Abyei

Luka Biong a minister in the SPLM, the ruling party of South Sudan disputes the withdrawal of Sudanese military forces (SAF). The government in Khartoum has stated that they will withdrawal troops once Ethiopian troops have fully deployed in Abyei. However, Biong explains that there has been no agreement with regards to the number of troops Ethiopia will deploy in Abyei. Further, the number now deployed, 1800, is greater than the number of SAF troops in the area. Yet, Khartoum has no withdrawn its troops.

Biong also states that the presence of SAF troops in Abyei is the only disrupting element. Further, he claims that Sudan and Ethiopia agreed to give the position of speaker of the Abyei area legislative council to a memeber of the SPLM. This has not been done which further complicates the political situation.

Essentially, Biong believes the area should be under SPLM control and the SAF should completely pull out of the area. He also wants to keep Ethiopian troops in Abyei for security and stability.

http://www.sudantribune.com/SPLM-s-Luka-Biong-rejects,40321

Stephen Phelps

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