Unity State and parties rift over Heglig Oil-field riches

BY: Daniel Buom Met Kujock , CANADA

I was totally disappointed by the Sudan government announcement of July 25, 2009 , in which the government of Sudan stated that their payments of 2% oil revenue to oil producing states will be discontinued as the result of the annexation of Heglig and surrounding oil-rich areas to southern Korfudan in northern Sudan . This decision was based on the ruling from the Permanent Arbitration Court that Heglig area is not the part of Western Upper Nile .

Unfortunately this announcement can re-ignite and instigate the civil war between government of southern Sudan (GOSS) and government of Sudan (GOS) over these oil-rich areas of Unity State (also known as Western Upper Nile State). Heglig and surrounding areas belong to Unity State/Western Upper Nile State. Therefore, it is not fair for the government of Sudan to stop payment to the oil producing areas with 2% from their oil share revenue.

It is not the trepidation of Western Upper Nile governor and their people alone to deal with this. It needs the concerned citizens of southern Sudan to challenge this ruling from The Hague that the North of Western Upper Nile State is now added to south Kordufan. The people of Western Upper Nile could encourage and argue the GOSS to curb this issue before it get escalating.

So let all people join the public rallies on this matter of North Unity State . Heglig could not be part of South Kordufan territory. So the international Permanent Court of Arbitration should review their decision they made last week.

On the public judgment of the people of south Sudan with the support of concrete geographical map, Heglig and surrounding areas borders are belonging to Unity State . Heglig, itself is not the part of South Kordufan based on the 1956 border, which placed Heglig oil rich and its surrounding area is the part of western upper Nile . It is not belonging to Abyei or South Kordufan whatsoever. This confusion of Heglig border demarcation and annexation of those territories will later cause the violence. It will be better for the government of national unity government and the government of south Sudan to sort out this issue before it get worst.  

Heglig oil-field legally and lawfully is the territory of Western Upper Nile State . They should claim back their land peacefully without violence.  Permanent Court Arbitration (PCA) stated publicly last week on July 22, 2009 that is Hegilg oil-field is added to South Kordufan, but the entire citizens of south Sudan and the citizens of western Upper  Nile indigenous of the land are upset about this decision that has been made by the PCA .

However, in the first place, we thought Heglig and Abyei would be the part of south Sudan but we did believe this territory would be given away. Also we are very delightful when Abyei had achieved their land by diplomatic means without violence, and we will argue and encourage The Unity State Government to make an appeal to Permanent Court of Arbitration to claim back their land from South Kordufan, and PCA would reverse their decision of adding the oil rich areas of north of Western Upper Nile to south Kordufan. This decision of annexation is completely inaccurate and invalid alternative.

Heglig oil field and surrounding areas are located in the middle north part of western Upper Nile state. It belongs to western upper Nile state base on January 1st, 1956 border, and it is not part of southern Kordufan if the Sudanese are telling the truth.  The territory is belonging to western upper Nile which currently called Unity state. Also, it isn’t lying close to border line of northern Sudan if you take a look on the western upper Nile State (WUNS) geographical map of Unity State . So you will notice that Heglig is far a way from southern Kordufan areas. There is no way Heglig will be annexed to Kordufan, we citizens of Unity State , we express disapproval of this notes.

However, I am asking over the Western Upper Nile citizens (WUNC) across the globe and southern Sudan to awake and stand up to claim their land which is being grabbing by the Northern Sudan . The northern Sudan has no right to take possession of Unity state land to southern Kordufan whatsoever. It will be our reluctance if we are not serious on this matter.

The settler or nomadic messriya are not having a privilege to claim over the north western upper Nile state as theirs even though the decision has been issued, they will not deserves this land whatsoever while they are just settling because their animals are grazing over the northern Unity State. So people of western upper Nile will not tolerate settlers in that territory to grab the land. When Missaeriya live in the north Bentiu, we had thought we are bothers because we are all Sudanese by our nationality, but settlers should respect the right of the land owner not to contest over oil- rich areas.

Therefore, we encourage and persuade the government of Unity State and Government of South Sudan not to allow Misseriya to carry any development to build in areas on those locations, based on the statement released by the Sudan government, which encourages Misseriya to get settled in the North of Bentiu which is Western Upper Nile.