2012-04-19 00:59:05     Xinhua

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir delivers a speech in a rally of
members of the ruling National Congress Party in Khartoum, Sudan, April
18, 2012. Omar al-Bashir on Wednesday declared war on South Sudan, and
vowed to bring down the government of the Sudan People's Liberation
Movement (SPLM) in Juba, at a time of escalating military confrontations
on the border between the two countries. [Photo: Xinhua/Mohammed Babiker]

Sudanese President Omar al- Bashir on Wednesday declared war on South
Sudan, and vowed to bring down the government of the Sudan People's
Liberation Movement (SPLM) in Juba, at a time of escalating military
confrontations on the border between the two countries.

Addressing a rally of members of the ruling National Congress Party in
Khartoum, the Sudanese president announced "from today our slogan is to
liberate the citizens of South Sudan from the rule of the SPLM, and from
today it will be eye for eye, tooth for tooth and strike for strike and
the beginner (of the war) is more unjust".

"We've made a mistake historically to enable the SPLM to rule the south,
but we will correct this mistake, and we have a moral obligation for our
people in South Sudan, that is to save them from the SPLM," al-Bashir added.

Al-Bashir accused the government of South Sudan of failing to commit
itself to the agreements and treaties the two countries had signed,
saying "these people do not keep promises and not adhere to the
documents, and they are traitors."

He continued saying "Sudan should not be ruled separately in the north
and the south, either they (SPLM) come and control Khartoum or we go and
control Juba." The remarks came as fresh clashes reportedly erupted near
the town of Aweil, South Sudan, about 160 km west of the Heglig oil
field near the border between the two countries, which have been seized
by the South Sudanese army since April 10.

The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday reiterated its call for
Sudan to stop air strikes and South Sudan to withdraw from Heglig.

"Council members discussed ways to leverage the influence of the council
to press the parties to take these steps, and included in that a
discussion potentially of sanctions," U.S. ambassador to the United
Nations Susan Rice told reporters following a council meeting.

The oil-rich Heglig region on the north side of the 1956 border between
Sudan and South Sudan, has been captured by the South Sudanese army
since Tuesday.

South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit said last month that Heglig
belonged to his country, but both Khartoum and the African Union denied
the claim.

The pan-African body, along with the United Nations, called for an
unconditional withdrawal of the South Sudanese troops from Heglig.

The Sudanese parliament decided last Wednesday to announce a general
mobilization and stop negotiations with South Sudan.

---

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites