Edmond Yakani, the Executive Director of the Community Empowerment Progress Organization [CEPO] - Credit: Eye Radio/Lou Nelson |

A civil society activist has called for urgent talks between Sudan and South Sudan to immediately decide the final status of the Abyei Administrative Area.

In recent months, violence has intensified in the contested region despite the presence of the UN peacekeeping mission – UNISFA in the area.

The most recent attack happened last week when over 40 civilians including women and children were killed by suspected Misseriya men in separate incidents in the area.

Edmund Yakani is the Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization, he blames Juba and Khartoum for dragging their feet on resolving the status of Abyei.

He also urges the African Union to oversee an urgent meeting between the two countries to determine the final status of Abyei.

“We are aware that the status of Abyei after the independence of South Sudan has been dragged between Juba and Khartoum, and we have recently had continuous attacks of Misseriya on the Ngok Dinka population,” Yakani told Eye Radio.

“We are losing houses and populations of Dinka Ngok as if they are not human beings, they have decided through the referendum that the status of Abyei is a land that belongs to South Sudan.

“Juba and Khartoum are dragging their feet in really reaching a solution on the status of Abyei, that’s why I take this opportunity by calling upon the leadership of Juba and Khartoum; they need to have an urgent meeting to decide on the status of Abyei.

“Abyei must have its own destiny. My call is that we need to see a quick urgent meeting through the mediation of AU on the status of Abyei.”

In May last year, President Kiir formed a high-level committee to initiate dialogue with the Sudanese government on the final status of the Abyei Administrative Area.

Upon the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005, Abyei was accorded a special administrative status in the Abyei Protocol.