Abyei (town)
Encyclopedia
Abyei is a north-south border town currently in the Abyei Area of the South Kordofan region, in the south of Northern Sudan
. The U.N. estimated the town's population at around 20,000 previous to May 2011 events.
The oil-producing and fertile Abyei Area, with Abyei town as its center, is a disputed territorial point of contention in the July 2011 secession of South Sudan
process.
after the Government of South Sudan appointed an administrator for the region, a move the Messiria
objected to.
fled southwards to Agok in Southern Sudan. Since the signing of the roadmap for the return of the displaced and the implementation of the Abyei Protocol in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement
, much of the town was rebuilt by mid 2009.
or to become part of the Bahr el Ghazal
region of South Sudan
(Republic of South Sudan) was to be decided by a local referendum
in 2011. Disagreements over the process, and the recent violent takeover, raise questions whether a vote will be held.
of much of the contested Abyei town and region, is being submitted to the International Criminal Court
(ICC) and the UN Security Council for assessment.
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
. The U.N. estimated the town's population at around 20,000 previous to May 2011 events.
The oil-producing and fertile Abyei Area, with Abyei town as its center, is a disputed territorial point of contention in the July 2011 secession of South Sudan
Southern Sudanese independence referendum, 2011
A referendum took place in Southern Sudan from 9 to 15 January 2011, on whether the region should remain a part of Sudan or become independent. The referendum was one of the consequences of the 2005 Naivasha Agreement between the Khartoum central government and the Sudan People's Liberation...
process.
2008 Conflict
Abyei town was almost completely destroyed in May 2008 when tensions escalated between the Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA) and the Sudanese Army Force (SAF)Military of Sudan
The Sudanese Armed Forces numbers, according to 2007 IISS estimates, 104,800 members supported by 17,500 paramilitary personnel.It comprises Land Forces, a Navy, an Air Force, and the Popular Defence Force. It has also formed Joint Integrated Units with its rebel enemies the Sudan People's...
after the Government of South Sudan appointed an administrator for the region, a move the Messiria
Messiria
The Messiria known also under the name of Misseriya Arabs are a branch of the Baggara Arabs tribes. Their language is the Sudanese Arabic. Numbering over one million, the Baggara are the second largest people group in Western Sudan, extending into Eastern Chad. They are primarily nomadic cattle...
objected to.
2009
Some 50,000 of Abyei Town's inhabitants, mostly DinkaDinka
The Dinka is an ethnic group inhabiting the Bahr el Ghazal region of the Nile basin, Jonglei and parts of southern Kordufan and Upper Nile regions. They are mainly agro-pastoral people, relying on cattle herding at riverside camps in the dry season and growing millet and other varieties of grains ...
fled southwards to Agok in Southern Sudan. Since the signing of the roadmap for the return of the displaced and the implementation of the Abyei Protocol in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement
Comprehensive Peace Agreement
The Comprehensive Peace Agreement , also known as the Naivasha Agreement, was a set of agreements culminating in January 2005 that were signed between the Sudan People's Liberation Movement and the Government of Sudan...
, much of the town was rebuilt by mid 2009.
Abyei referendum
Whether Abyei Area and town remain part of the South Kordofan region of northern SudanSudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
or to become part of the Bahr el Ghazal
Bahr el Ghazal
The Bahr el Ghazal is a region of western South Sudan. Its name comes from the river Bahr el Ghazal.- Geography :The region consists of the states of Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Lakes, and Warrap. It borders Central African Republic to the west...
region of South Sudan
South Sudan
South Sudan , officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the Sahel region of northeastern Africa. It is also part of the North Africa UN sub-region. Its current capital is Juba, which is also its largest city; the capital city is planned to be moved to the more...
(Republic of South Sudan) was to be decided by a local referendum
Abyei status referendum, 2011
A referendum is due to be held in 2011 in which the residents of Abyei can decide either to remain part of the Sudanese South Kordofan region or to become part of the Bahr el Ghazal region of South Sudan....
in 2011. Disagreements over the process, and the recent violent takeover, raise questions whether a vote will be held.
Takeover
The northern Sudan military succeeded on May 21 2011 with a forceful takeover of Abyei Area and town. A week after the takeover satellite images show that the Sudanese army burned and razed about one-third of all civilian buildings in the town during the violence. Tens of thousands of Abyei region civilians, including up to 35,000 children, have been displaced by the northern takeover. The satellite image evidence, supporting a claim of state-sponsored ethnic cleansingEthnic cleansing
Ethnic cleansing is a purposeful policy designed by one ethnic or religious group to remove by violent and terror-inspiring means the civilian population of another ethnic orreligious group from certain geographic areas....
of much of the contested Abyei town and region, is being submitted to the International Criminal Court
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
(ICC) and the UN Security Council for assessment.
See also
- Southern Sudanese independence referendum, 2011Southern Sudanese independence referendum, 2011A referendum took place in Southern Sudan from 9 to 15 January 2011, on whether the region should remain a part of Sudan or become independent. The referendum was one of the consequences of the 2005 Naivasha Agreement between the Khartoum central government and the Sudan People's Liberation...
- Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA)Comprehensive Peace AgreementThe Comprehensive Peace Agreement , also known as the Naivasha Agreement, was a set of agreements culminating in January 2005 that were signed between the Sudan People's Liberation Movement and the Government of Sudan...