Khartoum
19 February 2008 (SRS)

The Northern Bahr el Ghazal representative to the National Assembly says the presidency must intervene in Abyei so that peace is restored and commercial activities may resume.

Addressing journalists in Khartoum last week, Mr. Angui Deng says SPLA and Missiriya roadblocks have cut Abyei off from its neighbors.

[Angui Deng]: “Our people are living under problems for the last three months as a result of economic restriction due to road blocks. I am making an urgent appeal as a citizen not as an MP that let the government open the roads leading to Northern Bahr el Ghazal tomorrow, not after tomorrow, and should open the Abyei road tomorrow, not after tomorrow. There are soldiers and police who can patrol the area by force. We have appealed to the Presidency to intervene urgently in order to lift the pressure brought on our people in Northern Bahr El Ghazal and Abyei area.”

Mr. Deng also appealed to the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Commission to disarm the Missiriya. He said Missiriya nomads are free to enter Northern Bahr el-Ghazal for grazing, but on condition that they do not carry guns.

Meanwhile, a representative of the private sector in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Oliver Majok, said his transport company cannot bring goods from the north into the area.

[Oliver Majok]: “All the roads leading to the south have been blocked since December 20th, up to now Meiram. Aweil and Abyei roads have all been blocked. Me, as the owner of a transports company, I am greatly affected because from the date I mentioned I have had 80 trucks being held in Meiram. They can not go ahead nor return back.”

The SPLA and Missiriya nomads have been clashing since December.

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