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Abyei Civil Society Organisations (ACSOs) Letter to African Union (AU)-Sep, 2013 Page 1 of2

Abyei Civil Society Organisations (ACSOs)

TO: The members of African Union Peace & Security Council (AU-PSC)

RE: An appeal to end the conflict in Abyei area through referendum

September 20th, 2013

Your excellences,

We, the Ngok Dinka community of Abyei area, are again writing to your esteemed

council today September 20th, 2013 as you are having your meeting in New York, in

the United States of America to discuss the post-independence outstanding issues

between Sudan and South. We are writing to you as a follow up and reminder to our

numerous letters and petitions that we previously sent to your distinguished council,

in order to take decisive actions on the resolution of Abyei region issue as stipulated

in African Union High Level Implementation Panel on Sudan and South Sudan (AU-

HIP).

The hopes and dreams of Abyei area people for better future of peace and justice

are profoundly tied to your todays meeting as it is highly expected to come up with

fateful decisions and affirmation of the conduct of Abyei referendum in October,

2013. The people of Abyei who have never enjoyed fruits of peace since the signing

of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005 and who were denied of

the referendum in 2011are extremely determined and would not allow any delay for

their referendum because any postponement would surely turn the whole area into

battle field as we wont allow Missirriyah livestock to graze inside Abyei area.

Your excellencies, members of the AU-PSC,Our aspirations for permanent peace in Abyei area depend solely on the outcomes

of your meeting as the two countries Sudan and South Sudan have failed in the past

years to resolve Abyei issue. The only equitable and practical solution for Abyei areaimpasse would be through fair and free referendum for the Ngok Dinka people and

any other attempts that undermine the conduct of referendum in October will

plunge the entire area into continuous war. The Ngok Dinka community have

already started voluntary returns to Abyei area in preparation for the conduct of thereferendum in October, 2013 but they are deeply concerned about the delay of

African Union (AU) to endorse the AU-HIPs Proposal on the final status of Abyei area.

However, we the Ngok Dinka chiefdoms and Civil Society Organisations would like to

reiterate our positions on the conduct of Abyei referendum as previously

communicated to the AU-PSC in letters dated on September 10th and 15th, 2013. Ourdemands remain unchanged as follows:

1. The month of October, 2013 is a sacred deadline for holding Abyeireferendum on Self-determination and if it is not honoured then the Ngok

Dinka Chiefdoms will decide and declare unilaterally the political future of

Abyei area. The UN charter for political, social and civil rights recognises theright for self-determination for every oppressed group in any given country.

Therefore, the Ngok Dinka chiefdoms find it necessary without seeking

permission from any country to decide their destiny regardless of the

consequences that would follow.

2. We demand that the Abyei Referendum Commission be urgently formed andthe AU to name her nominee for the chairmanship of the Commission and to

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set the schedule for voters registration, voting exercise and results

announcement.

3. The AU seems to have exhausted all her strategies on Abyei and has noabilities and powers to enforce the Proposal on Final Status of Abyei Area on

the two countries (South Sudan and Sudan). Since the Proposal has been on

the AU table for full year without any tangible action, it would be wiseenough and more practical for the AU to declare her inability to resolve the

Abyei issue within the African house and therefore should refer the Abyei issue

to the UN Security Council for further actions.

4. The Ngok Dinka community ask the AU to intervene to stop Sudangovernment from excavating oil in Abyei area until mechanisms are agreed

on by the two countries (South Sudan & Sudan) for equitable and fair sharing

of the oil revenues that put into account welfare and sustainable

development of the Abyei area.

5. We strongly call upon AU and UNISFA to ensure full withdrawal of SudanArmed Forces (SAF) from various areas within Abyei area borders especially

those stationed in Diffra (Kech) oil fields. The presence of SAF and other pro-Khartoum militias in form of oil police in many parts of Abyei area is a grave

violation to the UN Security Councils resolution NO 2046 and this would

continue to pose threats to civilians safety in the area.

6. We unreservedly reject formation of joint administration with the Missirriyah asThe Hague 2009 ruling already delimited the Ngok Dinka areas and excluded

the Missirriyah areas which means they dont have any legal and

constitutional rights on Abyei political affairs.

7. The AU should take note that if the referendum is not held as agreed inOctober, 2013, then the Ngok Dinka chiefdoms would not allow by any

mean, the Missirriyah nomads to graze their livestock in Abyei region until

Abyei referendum has been conducted.

Signed on behalf of Abyei area communities by:

1. Nine Ngok Dinka ChiefdomsAbyei area2. Abyei civil Society Organisations (ACSOs)Abyei area3. Abyei Community Organisation in Juba4. Abyei Youth Union (AYU)Abyei area5. Abyei Women Union (AWN)Abyei area6. Abyei Universities Students Associations (ABUISA)7. Abyei Chamber of Commerce (ACC)Abyei area8. Abyei Pastoralists Union (APU)Abyei area9. Abyei Teachers Union (ATU)Abyei area10.Abyei Human Rights Society (AHRS)Abyei area

CC:

UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-MoonAU-HIP on Sudan and South Sudan

US Special Envoy for the two Sudans

Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD)

EU Special Representatives on the two Sudans

Chinese Special Representative on African AffairsUN Special Envoy for the two Sudans

UK Special Representative for the two Sudan

UNISFA Head of Mission