September 15, 2013 To: The Chairperson and other member states of the African Union Peace and

Security Council Your Excellencies, In advance of the September 23rd meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC), the Abyei Community is appreciative of the decision of the AUPSC to adopt a roadmap in April 2012 to resolve all the pending issues between Sudan and South Sudan including the final status of Abyei within a period of three months. This roadmap provided hope for the people of Abyei as they became confident that the final status of their area will now be resolved, particularly after the destruction of Abyei area by the government of Sudan in 2008 and 2011. This high hope of the people Abyei area was further reassured when the AUHIP came in September 2012 with a comprehensive proposal on the final status of Abyei including the conduct of Abyei Referendum in October 2013. The resolution of the AUPSC in its meeting of October 2012 in which the Council accepted the AUHIP Proposal on the final status as a fair and equitable African solution for an African problem was highly welcomed and appreciated by the people of Abyei. However, these high hopes of the people of Abyei started to fade gradually as the Council in all its subsequent meetings was unable to take the final decision of endorsing the AUHIP Proposal on Abyei. This delay in the endorsement of the Proposal on Abyei resulted in the government of Sudan to take advantage to settle the Arab nomads in the northern areas of Abyei and to change the local demography in order to dilute the outcome of the Abyei Referendum. This delay has also culminated into the assassination of the Ngok Dinka Paramount Chief Kuol Deng in May 2013 by the government of Sudan sponored Misseriyia armed militia as a way to create panic and fear among the Ngok Dinka and discourage them to return to their home areas in the far north of Abyei area. The hopes of people of Abyei were lifted again when the AUHIP in its report to the AUPSC meeting in July 2013 recognized the deteritirating situation and growing disappointment in Abyei by stating that For many residents of Abyei, who have lived through repeated failures to implement past agreements, there appears to be no further patience to delay the implementation of a final settlement. Importantly, AUHIP made a clear and timely recommendation to the AUPSC that states In these circumstances, the AUHIP has no alternative but to reiterate the AUPSCs view that the AUHIP 21 September Proposal, in its entirety, forms the basis for a fair, equitable and workable solution to the matter of Abyei and should be implemented as it stands and in accordance with the timetable as proposed, unless the Government of Sudan and the Government of South Sudan present agreed amendments to this Proposal..

The Abyei Community would like to bring to the attention of the members of AUPSC that in a series of summits between President Salva and President Bashir in September 2012, January 2013, April 2013, May 2013 and September 2013, the AUHIP proposal on Abyei was discussed but without agreement. Specifically, in the last summit in September 2013 in Khartoum, the two Presidents failed to agree on the AUHIP Proposal on Abyei nor did they come with agreed amendments to the Proposal, and they have subsequently reached a dead-end on Abyei. Any delay by the AUPSC to endorse the AUHIP Proposal on Abyei will excaerbate the deteriorating and volatile situations in Abyei and that may result in more displacement and loss of more innocent lives as happpened to the Ngok Dinka Paramount Chief Kuol Deng. We have strong trust in the AUPSC and its ability to resolve the issue of Abyei within its commitments in roadmap of putting the two countries on the path of peace and stability. As our hopes squarely rest with the AUPSC and international community, the people of Abyei can no longer allow the government of Sudan to trample their rights and to dictate their future. We respectfully urge the AUPSC to: (1) endorse the AUHIP September 2012 Proposal on the final status of Abyei, (2) immediately form Abyei Referendum Commission to conduct the Referendum in October 2013, (3) outline a specific timeline for preparation and conduct of Abyei referendum, and (4) ask the government of Sudan to withdraw its forces from Kec/Diffra in Abyei Area. With these decisions, Abyei will play a critical role not only in serving as a bridge of peace and development opportunities between the two countries in the context of the framework provided for in the AUHIP Proposal on Abyei but also in strengthening the current improved relations between the two countries. Signedy by: The Nine Ngok Chiefdoms of Abyei Area The Abyei Civil Society Organizations in Abyei Area The Abyei Community Organization in Juba The Abyei Community Organization in the United States of America
CC. Chairperson of the African Union High-level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) CC. All members of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) CC. UN Secretary General CC. Executive Secretary of Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) CC. Russian Special Envoy to Africa CC. Norweign Special Envoy for the two Sudans CC. Chinese Special Representatives on African Affairs CC. The Chairperson of the AU Commission CC. US Special Envoy for the two Sudans CC. EU Special Representative in the two Sudans CC. UN Special Envoy for the two Sudans CC. UK Special Representative for the two Sudans For further information on this letter, please contact Mr Deng Mading at kdengmadingmijak@yahoo.com or +211922007851 and Dr Rou Manyiel at rtmanyiel@hotmail.com or +211926484131