Thousands of residents in Abyei town in the disputed Abyei region on Monday took to the streets to protest the frequent killings in the area by armed Messiriya tribesmen from Sudan and armed youth from Warrap State’s Twic County inSouth Sudan.
The protestors also accused the South Sudan People’s Defence forces (SSPDF) of killing civilians in the Abyei area yet the area is supposed to be a demilitarized zone.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, some of the angry protestors blamed elements from Sudan and South Sudan for being responsible for the death of nearly one hundred people in Abyei since February 2022.
Mayar Dut said the presence of SSPDF in Majak Kol and Rumkoor led to several deaths.
“The forces (SSPDF) in Majak Kol and Rumkoor contributed to the death of Abyei people and if the forces move out, as it was said it should be demilitarized, then there will be stability,” he explained. “Because as it was witnessed on 16 May, the forces in Majak Kol left their mandate, looted the community, and were involved in the communal conflict between Abyei (Ngok) and Twic.”
Another protestor, Kuol Deng, also accused the SSPDF of using heavy weaponry and looting civilians’ properties.
“The government of South Sudan heavily brought soldiers to attack Abyei and for this reason, we do not want forces in Abyei. We witnessed this when Twic had a problem with us, they (SSPDF) left their job and killed us,” he said. “The mother of General Akuei Ajou, the Division 3 commander, is from the Akuer-Along-Juuk section of Twic County, and there is a general feeling that he backs his maternal relatives. So, we do not want these forces unless a neutral force with neutral commanders is assigned to the borders.”
The youth wrote a petition to United Nations Interim Security Forces for Abyei (UNISFA) urging the UN Security Council to listen to the concerns of the people of Abyei and demilitarize the Abyei box.
Rou Manyiel, the chairperson of the Abyei Civil Society Organizations said the youth marched peacefully to the UNISFA compound to protest against the killing of civilians.
“Abyei area is under attacks from South Sudan and Sudan and at least a hundred people innocently died in the hands of Twic armed youth and Sudanese supported militia under command of Commander Thomas Thiel and armed Messiriya tribesmen,” he said. “We delivered the petition containing seven points: firstly is to put pressure on Sudan and South Sudan to immediately stop their conspiracies against Ngok-Dinka and find a final solution in the settlement of Abyei’s status.”
Manyiel said they also appealed to the UN Security Council to put pressure on South Sudan to withdraw her forces from Majak Kol and Rumkoor to other places outside the Abyei box and to pressure Sudan to relocate the so-called oil police from Difura. He said they demanded that Abyei be demilitarized.
Meanwhile, Ajang Deng Miyen, the Abyei information minister, confirmed the protest and said it was peaceful.
“Civil Society Organizations had a peaceful demonstration and they gave their petition to UNISFA with their demands for Abyei to be demilitarized due to frequent attacks,” he said. “They urged UNISFA to protect civilians as per their mandate and also asked for the expedited resolution of Abyei’s final status.”