By SRS
Posted to the web on January 11, 2011 |
|
|
January 10, 2011 (Abyei/Khartoum) – At least 40 people have died in clashes between the Arab Messeriya nomads and the Dinka Ngok in the Abyei region over the weekend.
Leading members of Abyei's Dinka Ngok tribe and the south accused the north of arming the Arab Messeriya militias in clashes on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The SPLM secretary for Abyei Chol Changth Chol Spoke to Sudan Radio Service from Abyei alleging that the Dinka Ngok community was attacked over the weekend by the Messeriya.
[Chol Changath]: “The situation in Abyei is tense. Three days ago there was heavy fighting. However, this morning the situation is a bit calm. The fighting started on the 7th. The Messeriya militia has been mobilized by SAF; the Messeriya is backed by SAF, to attack the Ngok Dinka areas. The Messeriya Attacked a village called Nyakol about 15 Km North West of Abyei and we lost one person and they lost three because they are the ones attacking the village. On Date 8th again they retaliated we lost 9 people and they lost like more than 40 people and yesterday the 9th when people of southern Sudan were going for polling they also attacked us. These forces are Messeriya not Messeriya Militia.”
The Sudan Armed Forces spokesperson, Colonel Alsawarmi Khalid has refuted claims that they are backing the Messeriya to attack the Dinka Ngok areas.
[Alsawarmi Khalid]:“We are here in Khartoum but there is no information like that because there is no SAF in southern Sudan. No we didn’t hear anything about any attack. There is no SAF in the south its all SPLA solders”
The Abyei referendum was supposed to be conducted simultaneously with the southern Sudan referendum for self determination which began on Sunday the 9th, but the two partners to the CPA, the SPLM and the NCP could not agree on who is eligible to vote in Abyei.
|
