EU speaks out in Sudan

EU speaks out in Sudan
Just few minutes ago a press release regarding “Southern” /Sudan came out from the corridors of EU council in Luxembourg. It has nothing new to offer for easing the tense situation in Darfur, south Kordufan and southern Sudan. This can be attributed to two facts the first one is that EU is not quite sure about whether the government of the North will recognize the new born country or not. Despite the fact the recognition of the North is not important since Southern Sudan came to this point after an agreement (CPA) and democratic referendum with 98% choosing secession. But not recognizing Southern Sudan opens for continued hostilities and the Sudanese are back to war again. The future of UNMIS is still not clear with a decision from the government of Sudan to terminate the existence of the mission with the termination of the CPA.

The second fact is that EU knowledge about the development of the scenarios in Sudan is very limited. The situation in Southern Kordufan is very volatile, the negotiation are going with the Darfurian rebels factions as well as military operations in the region. Southern Sudan itself is suffering from dormant rebel groups waiting for their share of power whether on ethnic or individual basis.

It rather alarming that EU conditions the engagement of the international community by the implementation of the popular consultation in Blue Nile and Southern Kordufan. What has been going on in Darfur for years is more terrible than what has been going on in Southern Kordufan. But it appears that EU is trying to use the carrot method to convince SAF to draw its troops from Abeyi. EU knows quite well that the issue of debt is very central to the future relation between Sudan and the international community. But EU has no any concrete suggestion for how this problem can be solved.

It is also interesting to see that EU condemned blocking of the north-South roads which are quite inevitable to humanitarian access and transport of food to the south.

It is also quite interesting to see how EU will approach the issue of security in Southern Sudan. All of us know that Southern Sudan lacks the basic infrastructure to provide support to its citizens in a region flooded with small arms. According the press release: Council will urgently take forward consideration of ways to provide support to South Sudan's civilian capacity-building requirements in the field of security.
Southern Sudan is now promised access to the markets of EU under "Everything But Arms". This simply says “Nothing except Oil” since we know that southern Sudan production and export is almost nil.



To read the press release click on this link:

http://www.developmentdays.net/Documents/COUNCIL%20OF%20THE%20EUROPEAN%20UNION%20Council%20conclusions%20on%20Sudan%203101st%20FOREIGN%20AFFAIRS%20Council%20meeting%20Luxembourg,%2020%20June%202011.pdf

JEM attakerar oljan i Södra Kordufan

Situationen i Södra Kurdofan förvärras dag för dag. Det kommer rapporter via facebook och telefon från Kadugli att det är tusentals personer som är på flykt just nu.

Har också fick veta att en grupp från Justice and Equality (JEM) har attackerat Heglig flygplats. Nedan är de raderna som har kommit genom ett pressmeddelande från (JEM)

June 11th 11: A small military contingent belonging JEM Kordofan branch made a successful attack at Heglieg Airport, Thursday June 9th. The successful attack and brief occupation of the airport were meant to send a clear message to oil companies that use of their airports and other facilities by GoS, its army and militia will not go unpunished by the Movement.

Abeyi is the most possible start point

If the director general of Sida, Ms Gornitzka, during the presentation of the World development report yesterday, refers to the high number of women who participated and voted during the last election in southern Sudan in April 2010 as a result of Sida's contribution to financing the electoral process. And if she also relates this support to increased women participation in decision-making in Sudan, this means that we have concrete results examples for what aid cooperation can achieve. But it is not that simple. That desirable change would not have been reached by only allocating tens of millions Swedish crowns to the Joint Donors Team/Fund in Juba or UNDP in Khartoum to finance the election process. We should not forget what civil society organization have been doing to inform and educate women about their rights to participate in the lasting election and the referendum.



The two examples mentioned by the director general can also be regarded as credit for the government of Sudan. The electoral law of Sudan gave women for first time in history 25% of the parliamentary seats. At the same time the opposition in Sudan regarded the election as illegitimate and boycotted the voting at the last minute before opening of the polls.

Still much more is needed in dealing with the conflict in Sudan not only between the north and the south but also between the center and the west. Much of the aid coming in Sudan does not really goes for peace and confidence building. And that portion of aid expended in basic service delivery has been helping both governments in the north and south to invest in new arms and weapons to be prepared for renewed war. Abeyi is the most possible start point as many expected and according to the reality on the ground.

The video: This video was presented on the state-owned TV in Khartoum and shows how SAF entered Abeyi.