A politician in the Abyei region yesterday expressed extreme resentment at news reports saying that Sudanese President Al Bashir agreed to divide the Abyei area, and confirmed the SPLM party’s adherence to the judgment of the African Peace Council.

In statements to the Russian news agency, RIA Novosti, Russian envoy Mikhail Margelov had described a meeting with President Bashir in the capital Khartoum. The statements, as translated into an Arabic version on RIA Novosti, quoted Margelov as saying that Bashir had expressed willingness to split Abyei between Dinka Ngok and Misseriya.

Mr. Chol Shang Chol, SPLM secretary in Abyei, told Radio Tamazuj that there is some discomfort amid the citizens of Abyei because of the remarks of the Russian envoy on Sunday who said that Sudanese President has accept the division of Abyei disputed area between Sudan and South Sudan.

Shang explained that such statements confuse citizens, and expressed his surprise at the remarks, whether from al-Bashir or the Russian envoy, questioning how the government of Khartoum could accept that Abyei be divided as it is a disputed area and under international tutelage.

He added that Bashir deals with Abyei as a cake which he can divide as he wishes, and assured the citizens of Abyei that SPLM, the ruling party in the Republic of South Sudan is stuck with the decision of the International Court.

Shang considered the denial of Rabie Abdulati, the leader at the ruling party in Khartoum as inadequate, and that according to the experience of the citizens with the remarks of seniors at Khartoum regime.

It is noted that Rabie Abudulati denied what was reported by the media that the Russian envoy assured the approval of Bashir to divide Abyei between Dinka Ngok and Misseriya, describing the Russian envoy as a liar, and said that his government has to implement the agreement of 20 June 2011, which provides temporary arrangements to form Abyei administrative and the police, besides implementation of Abyei protocol.

Shang said that SPLM is committed to the international arbitration, and added that they will not accept Abyei’s division again, and they are adhere to what was reached to in the Hague arbitration court concerning the area, and described Bashir's comments as slanderous.

See also: Sudan prefers political agreement over Abyei (Sudan Tribune, 9 October 2012)