South Sudanese Leader Shortens China Trip
VOA News
South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir is cutting short a trip to China because of what a Chinese official called “domestic issues.”
Kiir had planned to remain in the country until Saturday. He met with the National People’s Congress chairman Wu Bangguo Wednesday, who said it was unfortunate the South Sudanese leader would be leaving and canceling a trip to Shanghai.
It was not clear when Kiir will depart China. He held talks Tuesday with Chinese President Hu Jintao, and said Sudan’s bombings of southern territory amount to a declaration of war against his country.
China has urged both sides to settle their issues through peaceful negotiations, and said it is sending an envoy to the region to promote talks.
Tuesday, the United Nations Security Council called for an immediate end to fighting between Sudan and South Sudan.
The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, said U.N. officials briefed the Security Council, noting that the withdrawal of South Sudanese troops (SPLA) from the oil town of Heglig was initially encouraging, but has resulted in increased bombings by Sudan.
“Council members welcome the withdrawal from Heglig by the SPLA, demanded an immediate halt to aerial bombardments by the Sudanese Armed Forces and urged an immediate cease-fire and a return to the negotiating table,” Rice said.
The ambassador said the U.N. Mission in South Sudan confirmed the bombings in Unity state killed at least 16 civilians and injured 34 others.
Tuesday, the African Union gave the two countries 90 days to settle their disputes over oil, citizenship and boundary issues or face binding international arbitration.
South Sudan’s deputy defense minister, Majak D’Agoot said the next few days will be “crucial” to avoiding an all-out war.
The White House condemned Sudan’s military incursions into South Sudan, Tuesday. White House spokesman Jay Carney said the United States calls on both governments to agree to an immediate cease-fire and recommit to negotiations.
South Sudan’s military has been sending reinforcements to the border with Sudan. Military officials said they were preparing defensive positions to respond to any further provocation from Khartoum.
Sudan and South Sudan have been on the edge of full-scale war after SPLA forces withdrew from Heglig, which they occupied for 10 days earlier this month.
Juba claims the SPLA left the area in response to international pressure, while Khartoum claims it retook control by force.
Sudan’s president, Omar al-Bashir, visited Heglig Monday to demonstrate that the territory was under his forces’ control.
The two sides had previously fought a 21-year civil war that killed more than 2 million people. The war ended with a 2005 peace agreement that included an independence referendum for the south.
South Sudan slams media “lies” on Kiir’s return from China Amid Coup Rumors in Juba.
April 26, 2012 (JUBA) – South Sudan on Thursday forcefully denied reports that growing dissent at home has prompted the country’s president, Salva Kiir Mayardit, to return from China earlier than originally scheduled.
- FILE – South Sudan’s Media Minister Barnaba Benjamin Marial (REUTERS)
Kiir began an official visit to China on Tuesday amid growing tension with his northern neighbour Sudan following South Sudan’s brief occupation of the disputed Heglig region two weeks ago.
South Sudan says it withdrew troops from Heglig in response to international pressure whereas Sudan says the area was reclaimed by force.
The presidential visit was officially announced to be five days in length but a Chinese official said on Wednesday that Kiir has had to cancel a planned visit to Shanghai city due to “domestic pressure.”
“It is unfortunate that you have to shorten your stay in China due to domestic issues and are not going to Shanghai,” China’s parliamentary chief Wu Bangguo told Kiir as the two men began talks in the presence of journalists.
But South Sudan’s information minister and government’s spokesman, Barnaba Marial Benjamin, has accused the media of spreading false reports about the reason of the president’s decision to return home.
Speaking at a question-and-answer program hosted by the Juba-based Radio Bakhita on Thursday’s morning, Benjamin accused some media outlets of “propagating lies” about Kiir’s decision to return home.
He added that “some newspapers in Khartoum and other international media are reporting that president Kiir is cutting his trip [short] because of domestic matters. Some of them including Radio France International [RFI] have gone [as] far [as] to claim president Kiir cut short his visit because there is a coup. This is not true.”
Benjamin explained that the arrangement with China was for Kiir to stay for “three to four days” while the remaining days were to be completed by members of his accompanying delegation.
He turned to defend Kiir’s decision to withdraw troops from Heglig, describing it as “a tactical” move to “win back trust and diplomatic relations” with friends of South Sudan.
“We have gained trust and diplomatic relations as well as moral and political supports after pulling out troops from Panthou [Heglig]” the minister said, calling on the public to support the decision.
South Sudan’s alleged decision to withdraw from Heglig has faced internal opposition from major civil society organisations which have threatened to stage demonstrations against what they view as an unpopular decision.
Even some veterans of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) faulted the decision.
Lual Diing Wol, one of the SPLM’s founding members, told reporters at his residence in Juba on Wednesday that he would not have approved withdrawal of the troops from Panthou if he was consulted.
“I was not consulted because president [Kiir] knows I would have definitely not endorsed it. Our troops would have withdrawn only if the international peacekeeping troops from credible countries were deployed. In this way we would have no cases of Sudan using the area as spring board to launch ground attacks on the positions of our civilian population in Unity State” said Wol
http://www.sudantribune.com/South-Sudan-slams-media-lies-on,42405
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