Small Arms Researcher Says Clashes In Abyei Will Affect Post-referendum Talks

3rd March 2011 – (Abyei) – The recurring attacks in Abyei area may influence the success of the just initiated post referendum talks between the NCP and the SPLM.

The two partners to the CPA resumed post referendum discussions in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Tuesday.

In an interview with SRS from Abyei on Thursday, a researcher working with the small arms survey, Joshua Craze said that the clashes will affect the post referendum negotiations.

[Joshua Craze]: “This morning is quiet; there have not been reports of new clashes this morning. Yesterday [Wednesday], there were very heavy clashes around the north west of Abyei town. Those sides experienced heavy losses and there were reports of the use of heavy machine guns on the population by the militias involved in the attack. These attacks have a serious possibility of impacting on the ongoing negotiations in Ethiopia. The use of heavy machine guns in these attacks is a definite credible basis that these accusations are correct. And, this means that the NCP is in violation of the Abyei road map and the CPA. These clashes risk aggravating the rest of the process and the negotiation and cause heartening attitudes and emotions on the ground here because we have great loss of lives from both sides.”

That was Joshua Craze, a researcher with the small arms survey speaking to SRS from Abyei on Thursday.