Henry Owuor
20 March 2004
Nairobi — The US government yesterday made proposals aimed at ending a deadlock in the Sudan peace talks.
The deadlock is over an area in the north of the country whose residents would like to be administered as part of the South, once a peace agreement is signed.
The proposal, delivered by US President George W. Bush's special envoy for peace in the Sudan, Mr John Danforth, addresses the disputed region of Abyei, which together with the Nuba Mountains and the Southern Blue Nile are yet to be settled by the parties at the talks in Naivasha. Of the three, Abyei is the most contentious.
The proposal defines Abyei as "the area of the nine chieftains of the Ngok Dinka." Mr Bush suggests an interim arrangement giving Abyei a special status under which it will be self-administering but falling under the presidency.
Abyei is also to get a share of the Sudan oil wealth at the rate of two per cent.
Being an area whose residents have been displaced by the Sudan war, Abyei will be entitled to membership of two provinces: Western Kordofan and Bar-el-Ghazal in the interim after which a referendum would be held on its status.
Abyei is actually located in Western Kordofan, but many of its Dinka people fled the fierce bombing, looting and rape wrought on the area at the height of the Sudan war that has raged since 1983.
Mr Danforth's visit to the talks venue was necessitated by the fact that under US law, President Bush must report to Congress on the progress of the Sudan talks by April 20. Under the law known as the Sudan Peace Act, Mr Bush must report the progress of the talks every six months, meaning that if there is no deal by April 20, he has to report again before US elections, due on November 2.
Showing the frustration of an administration keen to bag a Sudan deal, Mr Danforth asked: "Is the US engagement in Sudan worthwhile? There are so many issues in the world that need out attention."
The Sudan talks have been taking place in Kenya for close to two years under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). The talks are chaired by Lieutenant-General (rtd) Lazarus Sumbeiwo. The delegations are led by Mr John Garang for the rebels and Sudan Vice-President Ali Osman Taha who represents President Omar el-Bashir.
Said Mr Nick Haysom, resource person to Gen Sumbeiywo: "What we are hoping is that we will conclude the outstanding issues by the end of this month. The parties are dealing with a basket of isuues of which Abyei is one."
Already agreed is referendum to decide whether the South is to break away from the North, six years after a peace agreement is signed. Also agreed is a joint army to patrol the South and wealth-sharing.
Still to be agreed is the issue of power sharing. The top issue currently is paper to be released by the rebels responding to government proposals on all the outstanding issues.
Once all the issues are settled, said Mr Haysom, the parties would then have to work on a detailed ceasefire arrangement as, what is currently in place is just a cessation of hostilities and not a full ceasefire.
The top issue currently is paper to be released by the rebels responding to government proposals on all the outstanding issues.
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