Sudan president aims for South Sudan’s liberation
April 19th, 2012 - 4:47 pm ICT by IANSKhartoum, April 19 (IANS) Sudan President Omar al-Bashir has said his main goal now is to “liberate” the people of South Sudan from its rulers following recent border clashes.
President Bashir also described the former rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), which has ruled South Sudan since it seceded from Sudan in July 2011, as “insects” that needed to be eliminated, BBC reported Thursday.
During a rally, in a message for the SPLM, Bashir said: “Either we end up in Juba and take everything, or you end up in Khartoum and take everything.”
South Sudan seized the Heglig oil field, generally viewed as Sudanese territory, eight days ago. On Tuesday, fighting broke out north of Aweil town in South Sudan, about 160 km west of the Heglig oil field, near the border between the two countries.
Addressing a rally in Khartoum Wednesday, 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”, Xinhua reported.
“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,” he added.
His remarks came as fresh clashes reportedly erupted near Aweil town.
On Tuesday, the UN Security Council (UNSC) reiterated its call for Sudan to stop air strikes and South Sudan to withdraw from Heglig.
On Wednesday, the African Union (AU) urged both Sudan and South Sudan to “act responsibly” and immediately end the current conflict between their armed forces, as demanded by the international community, reported the Sudan Tribune.
- Sudan against holding talks with Juba over oil - Apr 21, 2012
- Sudan's president warns protesters of 'incinerating summer' - Jul 12, 2012
- AU presses Sudan, South Sudan to seal deal by Aug 2 - Jul 15, 2012
- India calls for dialogue between Sudan, South Sudan - Apr 12, 2012
- Amid China foray, India to invite South Sudan president - Jun 03, 2012
- Sudan calls on US to stop 'carrot and stick policy' - Jun 16, 2011
- Sudan ready for talks with South Sudan: Russia - May 01, 2012
- South Sudan to get anti-aircraft missiles - May 17, 2012
- 'Indian oil investments in both Sudans safe' - Apr 04, 2012
- Sudan rebels claim killing 79 soldiers - Apr 21, 2012
- Over 50 rebels killed in Blue Nile state: Sudanese army - Apr 22, 2012
- Sudan president accepts South's independence vote - Feb 08, 2011
- South Sudan celebrates independence (Third Lead) - Jul 09, 2011
- South Sudan becomes world's newest country (Lead) - Jul 09, 2011
- South Sudan accuses Sudan of launching 'economic war' - Jul 26, 2011
Tags: air strikes, border clashes, eight days, eye tooth, juba, khartoum, liberation movement, main goal, moral obligation, oil field, omar al bashir, president bashir, slogan, south sudan, splm, sudan tribune, sudanese president, un security council, unsc, xinhua