SPLA says fully redeployed below 1.1.’56 line

UNITED NATIONS MISSION IN SUDAN ( UNMIS)
Media Monitoring Report, 22 July 2007
(Akhbar Alyaum; The Citizen; Khartoum Monitor)

The SPLA has asserted it has no presence in the oil fields and has fully redeployed its units that were stationed in the Nuba Mountains areas of Southern Kordofan and in Blue Nile State.

Bior Ajiang, SPLA Deputy Chief of Staff, member of the Joint Defence Board and Spokesperson for the Technical Committee of the JDB, told Akhbar AlYaum that the SPLA has fully redeployed south of the 1.1.’56 line. He said it redeployed from Kauda in the Nuba Mountarina on July 8 and from Kurmuk in Blue Nile State on July 9.

He said that the redeployment was carried out in the presence of the UN and called on the monitors to visit the areas where the SPLA forces were stationed north of 1.1.’56 and the areas to which they have redeployed.

Ajiang called on the SAF to withdraw their 3,600 strong force from the oil fields so the army both sides agreed upon could take over the task of protecting the oil fields. The JDB may discus over the issue should it be deemed that the oil fields require protection from a larger force.

He said that the JDB will be holding a meeting in the next few days to discuss the issue of redeployment south and north of line 1.1.’56 and of the SAF presence in the oilfields. The results of the meeting will be tabled before the Presidency of the Republic to take the appropriate decision on.

In a related story and commenting on recent SAF accusations that the SPLA has not withdrawn its forces from northern Sudan, SPLM Deputy Secretary-General/ Northern Sector and Governor of Blue Nile State, Malik Aggar, pointed out that he is currently the commander of the SPLA in the Blue Nile region and confirms that all SPLA soldiers have fully redeployed.

He said that the remaining forces will operate as part of the JIUs. He said that the exercise was carried out in the presence of the UN and Generals from the SAF and that the UN is currently on the way to verify.

The same, he said, is also true about redeployment from South Kordofan. He said SPLA redeployment to points south of line 1.1.’56 now stands at 80% of the requirements of the CPA.

On his mission as the Governor of Blue Nile State, Aggar said that his office will be for the realization of equity but not equality.

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