South Sudan’s Former Cabinet Affairs Minister Deng Alor Kuol says that leaders from the disputed Abyei area will discuss their plans for a ‘unilateral’ referendum with African Union (AU) representatives who will visit later this month.

Alor, a native of the disputed region, said that the Ngok Dinka community has already decided to conduct a unilateral referendum in October in accordance with an older AU proposal.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj in Abyei, the former cabinet minister noted that a delegation from the African Union Peace and Security Council is expected to arrive in Abyei on 20 October to inspect the area.

He pointed to the recent formation of a ‘political committee’ established in the area to enlighten the people about the upcoming plebiscite.

“The political committee will meet with the visiting African delegation, because the recently taken decision by the AU Peace and Secuty Council is disappointing,” he added.

Ngok Dinka leaders wanted the African Union to mention an exact timeframe for conduct of the referendum in their recent security council meetings, but this was omitted from outcome resolutions.

Alor said that they have briefed some diplomats about their final decision to conduct a unilateral referendum in October, after the two parties apparently failed to reach an agreement on the future of the area. 

He noted, however, that the committee will listen to what the visiting AU delegation will say.

Related coverage:

Protests against AU refusal to conduct unilateral Abyei referendum (10 October)

Abyei civil society insists on timely referendum (7 October)