An official of Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party (NCP) said both his party and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) are capable of resolving all outstanding issues ahead of south Sudan’s scheduled 9th January referendum.
Rabie Abdelati Obeid said foreign influence and interference is causing confusion among Sudanese which he said sets a dangerous precedent ahead of the referendum.
“Both partners, SPLM and National Congress Party believe that the war will not solve the problem between south and north. And the only way to achieve security and to resolve problems was to sign a peace agreement and that is what happened.”
Obeid further said the NCP is committed to fully implementing the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement which he said was intended to bring about “peaceful co-existence between north and south.” He added that.
“I don’t think the NCP has the intention to attack the south. What is between the north and south is the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. What concerns the NCP is how to implement the CPA and how to conduct the referendum in a peaceful way and to be transparent and also freedom for the people to opt for either secession or unity.”
His comments came after top U.N. officials expressed new concern about Sudan, where tensions between the north and south are rising as the south's vote on independence draws closer.
Sudan's U.N. ambassador, Daffa-Alla Elhag Ali Osman warned Monday that the country could slip back into another civil war if a referendum goes ahead in the oil-rich Abyei region in January without Khartoum’s consent.
NCP official Obeid said “outsiders” should stay away from interfering in Sudan’s internal politics.
“I advise all these external people, external countries and foreign organizations to be far away from the two partners (NCP and SPLM) because the CPA mentioned clearly how to solve the problems… Any intervention by external country will not facilitate the way for the two partners to implement the CPA.”
Meanwhile, in a report Monday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned that planning for both votes is running well behind schedule.
He said he was “deeply concerned” about the situation in Abyei, where he said the lack of progress is exacerbating tension on the ground. Both referendums are part of the 2005 peace agreement that ended Sudan's 21-year north-south civil war.
