Bashir blames South Sudan for mistreating Sudanese nomadic tribes

April 4, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir has accused South Sudan of mistreating Sudanese pastoral tribes who enter southern territory during the dry season. Several Sudanese pastoral tribes enter South Sudan territory along the 2000 km borderline between the two countries to feed their cattle during the dry season....

April 4, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir has accused South Sudan of mistreating Sudanese pastoral tribes who enter southern territory during the dry season.

Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir (Photo: Reuters)

Several Sudanese pastoral tribes enter South Sudan territory along the 2000 km borderline between the two countries to feed their cattle during the dry season.

Speaking in an electoral campaign rally in the capital of White Nile state Rabak on Saturday, Bashir praised the state’s efforts to protect the southern borders, accusing South Sudan of mistreating Arab nomadic tribes.

“Southerners have not treated Arab tribes of Nazza, Sabha and Salim in a decent manner but [our government] wouldn’t treat them likewise, it will respect southerners living in Sudan because its actions are driven by Sudanese ethics”, he added

He pointed that Sudanese people in the bordering White Nile state have harboured South Sudan’s refugees, fed them and made them safe.

“Although they [southerners] chose secession, they came back to you in the White Nile after they were driven out of their home country and you respected them, fed them and made them safe”, he added.

According to the UN agencies, there are nearly 500,000 South Sudanese in Sudan among them over 127,000 arrived since the eruption of the inter South Sudanese conflict in December 2013.

The refugees reside mainly in Khartoum and the While Nile states.

Bashir further vowed to meet the demand of the White Nile people including completion of electricity, drinking water, paved roads projects and electrification of agricultural schemes.

“We will complete the renaissance and the roads network. The highway will link Jebel Al-Migainis in the south with Sudan’s capital twin city of Omdurman in the north, and we will electrify the entire agricultural schemes besides all villages and neighbourhoods,” he said

The Sudanese president called for the need to put more emphasis on education saying they want to eradicate illiteracy in the Whit Nile state.

“We are committed to complete education, health and clean water projects,” he said.

PEACE AND NATIONAL DIALOGUE

Bashir said the government would work to achieve peace in the Blue Nile, South Kordofan and Darfur, renewing call for the opposition and armed groups to join the national dialogue.

“The door is open for everybody and we say to those who refuse [to join the dialogue] you will regret your decision to reject reconciliation”, he added.

Bashir underscored that national dialogue will not take place abroad, saying it is a Sudanese dialogue and “nothing will be imposed upon us from outside.”

Last week, Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party (NCP) declined to participate in the national dialogue preparatory meeting with the opposition which was supposed to be held in Addis Ababa under the auspices of the African Union.

(ST)