Abyei, bordering on war

“Our leaders must do what is just for the people”, says Fr Peter Suleiman a parish priest from the contested Abyei region of Sudan. “We just want to be able to live our normal lives, beyond this battle for the oil, and we need your prayers”.

Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir says he will not withdraw troops from the disputed border region that was seized by his troops over the weekend. The President said the oil rich area belongs to the North. Fr. Peter instead says the majority of people in the area, mostly tribal, “identify themselves more with coming from South Sudan.” South Sudan is due to become an independent state on 9 July.

Sudan’s President says the army will respond to any possible "provocation" from Southern troops. Forces from the North troops seized the territory after southern forces had ambushed a convoy, killing 22 people. Thousands of civilians have fled the area in fear the dispute could reignite the north-south conflict, in which some 1.5 million were killed.

The status of Abyei was left undecided in the 2005 peace deal and a referendum, due in January, on whether the area should be part of the north or south has been postponed indefinitely. Fr Peter says this is because neither North or South want to relinquish the area’s rich oil deposits. The Priest is calling for humanitarian aid to locate and help the civilians displaced by the tension. Listen: