Sudan

South Kordofan State Briefing

10 May 2011

Introduction

South Kordofan is one of the three areas according to the three areas protocol within the
Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed in 2005. According to the CPA south
Kordofan supposed to conduct popular consultation to determine its status within Sudan,
it will turn into border state after July 2011 as it neighbouring four south Sudan states
which are Upper Nile, Unity, Warab and North Bahar EL Ghazal , the length of its border
with south Sudan is 1300 Kilometres out of 2010 kilometres the length of North / south
Sudan border, currently it has all the oil field in north Sudan , and at the same time it
included the disputed Abyei district that add to the importance of the region . The
geopolitics will change, in terms of border crossing, trade and security.

All the above factors added to the importance of the regional election which took place in 2-
4 May 2011 the election was postponed due to disagreement over 2008 census result.

The proliferation of arms in the region create instability, as the level of armament is higher
than 2002 before the signing of the ceasefire agreement and that create sense of insecurity
in the region , and a threat of restarting the war in the region become real.

The NCP promised the Messirya tribe that West Kordofan state will be reinstated after July
2011; even if the NCP kept its promise the size of the new state will be reduce by:

1- Abyei district ( disputed area) size 10460 sq. kilometres

2- Lagawa locality (part of Nuba mountains) size sq. 10568 kilometres.

3- Hamar tribe are refusing to joint West Kordofan state again as they have big
disagreement with Messirya tribe.

 Arabic – English translation is available

 West Kordofan state will be for one tribe which is Messirya , and that itself represented
very dangerous precedent , and might lead to more tribes asking for their owned states
fuelling the tribalism which become the norm and that cause most of the current problems.

The transitional period

According to the CPA and its three area protocol South Kordofan supposed to have special
status, at the same time get 2% of the oil produced in the state according to the power
sharing protocol, and those resources supposed to be used to develop the region, but due
to the disagreement between the two CPA partners that didn’t happened just few
development projects in the last 18 months of the transitional period.

Most of provisions of the three areas protocol have not been implemented also due to the
disagreement that includes:

1- the popular consultation supposed process to take place before the end of the
interim period but because of delaying the election in the state the popular
consultation process has not been carried according to the terms of the CPA, but
now it will take place after the end of the interim period and that will create
constitutional problems as it’s supposed to be governed by the interim institutions
which are no longer exist.

2- Establishing the land commission to address the issues of land ownership, which
represented serious problem and led to most of the tribal conflict in the region.

3- Inter-tribal reconciliation to overcome the grievances due to the long civil war, and
build social peace in the region, the war led to the disintegration of the social fabric
among different ethnic groups.

4- The Disarmament Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) of the former combatants

include SPLA forces not been completed and used for political manipulation.

Most of those issues now become post-election issues and that raise the tension in
the region.

The Election

The regional election came among all the above factors, and that turn it into one of the
important events in the political calendar nationally and internationally. it is clear from the
election campaign that south Kordofan election means something for Khartoum and Juba,
and who win the election will determine the type of relation he region will have with South
Sudan state government after July 2011., and the impact of that in term of security and
other related issues.

 Arabic – English translation is available

The outcome of the election has great import for Sudan north south , it is important to
ensure that its fair and the result is acceptable to the two main parties the National
Congress Party (NCP) and Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM).

Sudan centre peripheries dispute is strongly represented in the region. South Kordofan
now becomes the centre of the dispute between SPLM and NCP and that will have its
impact on the relation between the two countries in the near future.

It is difficult for any of the two parties to accept defeat, and that clear from what going on
as the Election Commission failed until now verify the result with huge difference on the
procedures which supposed to be followed with each party claiming victory. And that create
tension in the region and threat of reigniting the war.

The deputy chairman of the National Election Commission manage to strike a deal yesterday
to speed up the process of verifying the election results, and the final result will be
announce within 72 hours and he insist that the whole process will be conducted in an open
and transparent way, we l hope that will assure all the parties and restore calm in the region
and avert an immanent war.

Recommendations:

1- it is important that the election is conduct in free and fair manner so all the
parties accept it , and not to rush for a result which is contested and
controversial it will not be acceptable and will lead to violent reactions and
slide the region back to war.

2- It important to implement all the remaining provisions of the CPA which

supposed to be accomplished in the interim period, and that mainly include,
the popular consultation and the formation of land commission.

3- The importance of conducting local reconciliation and peace building the

process which has been neglected in the interim period.

4- Given the land issue a top priority as it was the main reason for some of the
tribal conflict in the region.

5- The importance of launching economic regeneration and social development

programme for the people of the state, which neglected during the interim
period to overcome the impact of the civil war.

 Arabic – English translation is available

 6- Addressing issues emerge from the new geopolitical situation of South
Kordofan state as new border state and the implication of that on the
livelihood of the locals.

7- The status of members of the Sudan People's Liberation Army must be

settled in way which will help them reintegrated in civilian life.

8- The obligations of the federal government and state government to fulfil all
their obligations according to the CPA.

9- The international community has to continue its political and legal

commitments, until all the provisions stated in the Comprehensive Peace
Agreement is accomplished and include extending the mandate of the UNMIS
to observe the process.

For more information please contact:

Justice Africa Sudan

House No 24, Street 55,

Amarat, and Khartoum, Sudan

Telephone: 00249(0)123233297

info@justiceafricasudan.org

Visit: www.justiceafricasudan.net

 Arabic – English translation is available