By Yara Bayoumy and El-Tayeb Siddig
JUBA/KHARTOUM, April 26 (Reuters) – Showing no sign of a
let-up in tensions, South Sudan accused Sudan on Thursday of
bombing a village in its oil-producing Unity state while
Khartoum complained its soldiers had been beaten in captivity.
The release of 14 Sudanese soldiers on Wednesday under a
deal mediated by Egypt h ad been expected to ease tensions
between the two countries, where disputes over oil revenues and
border demarcation have threatened to escalate into all-out war.
But in a fresh slew of accusations and counter-accusations
on Thursday, Philip Aguer, the spokesman for South Sudan’s army,
said Sudan had bombed the village of Chotchara on Wednesday.
“Two MiGs, one Antonov and two gunships dropped four bombs near
the cattle camps,” he told Reuters.
Unity state has borne the brunt of aerial bombing after
disputes simmering since South Sudan gained independence in July
boiled over into border fighting three weeks ago. Two people
were killed on Monday in Unity state’s capital, Bentiu, some 80
km (50 miles) from the contested border.
Khartoum has denied bombing South Sudan and on Thursday its
army spokesman, al-Sawarmi Khalid, reiterated that denial.
Meanwhile a Sudanese soldier, one of 14 prisoners handed
over by South Sudan to Egypt – which flew them to Cairo and from
there to Khartoum – said the group had been beaten and insulted
during their detention.
“We were subject to all kinds of insults and beatings during
our stay there,” Lieutenant Khalid Hassan Ahmed, a doctor in the
Sudanese army, told reporters at Khartoum airport.
South Sudan denied it had mistreated the soldiers and urged
Khartoum to release all southern soldiers held prisoner.
The tensions between the two countries have halted all oil
production, choking their largely oil-dependent economies and
causing nationwide fuel shortages.
China, which has significant business and oil interests in
both countries, has said it would send its special envoy for
African affairs to Sudan and South Sudan soon to encourage
talks. It has yet to give dates for envoy Zhong Jianhua’s visit.
China is one of Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir’s
strongest allies. South Sudanese President Salva Kiir has also
just been on an official trip to Beijing.
AFRICAN UNION MEDIATION
The African Union has demanded Sudan and South Sudan resume
talks within two weeks, warning that it would issue its own
binding rulings on their disputes if they failed to reach
agreement within three months.
Bashir, who has ruled Sudan since 1989, has refused to
negotiate with South Sudan’s government, saying it only
understood the language of the gun. But Sudanese Foreign
Minister Ali Ahmed Karti said he was willing to talk on security
issues.
South Sudan Information Minister Barnaba Benjamin said the
AU’s efforts were a step in the right direction. “But they
should direct this to Bashir who refuses to have any dialogue,”
Barnaba told Reuters.
Talks brokered by the AU and led by former South African
President Thabo Mbeki collapsed last month after Khartoum asked
for time to review recommendations.
South Sudan then seized the disputed Heglig oilfield, on
which Sudan is largely dependent for oil production, but after
finding itself isolated, withdrew its forces last week.
Benjamin said for AU mediation to work, more international
engagement was needed, calling on the United Nations Security
Council and other international organisations to support it.
Sudan and southern Sudanese fought a protracted civil war
until a 2005 peace agreement, which opened the way to South
Sudan eventually declaring independence.
The latest tensions are affecting humanitarian aid. World
Vision, which says it is one of the few remaining humanitarian
groups in the border area, said it was relocating some of its
staff. “It is already incredibly difficult to deliver
humanitarian assistance in South Sudan and if widespread
conflict breaks out, it will make it almost impossible,” Edwin
Asante, the director for South Sudan, said.
(Writing by Yara Bayoumy and Ulf Laessing; Editing by Myra
MacDonald)
