IGAD condemns unilateral referendum in Abyei

DJIBOUTI. The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) condemned a recent unilateral referendum on the final status of Abyei region, which is currently controlled by Sudan but claimed by South Sudan. In a statement issued on Wednesday by the IGAD secretariat based in Djibouti, the regional bodys executive secretary Mahboub Maalim said the October referendum organized by Ngok Dinka community could raise anxiety and that the unilateral act was totally unacceptable and irresponsible. Such a unilateral act will not bring anything positive, on the contrary, it will create complications and tensions in a situation that is already volatile, Maalim said. He said the action was not only a violation of the decisions of the African Union Peace and Security Council, but also contradicts the existing agreements on Abyei. He appealed to all concerned parties to end these kind of acts that threaten peace and stability in the IGAD region, especially given that such decisions are capable of escalating conflicts and negatively impact on the efforts to normalize relations between Sudan and South Sudan, both of whom are members of IGAD.The impact will not just concern the two friendly nations, but the entire IGAD region and the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei, the IGAD executive secretary said. He welcomed South Sudans rejection of any unilateral action taken on Abyei and urged the international community to firmly condemn the action which he termed as illegal. I urge the people of Abyei and all concerned parties to demonstrate restraint and cooperate in the search for a peaceful and long lasting solution to the issue of Abyei, he concluded. During the referendum, almost all the members of Ngok Dinka community voted for the region to go to South Sudan, whereas the South Sudanese government rejected the holding of the referendum.