Thousands flee north-south clashes in Sudan oil town
ABYEI, Sudan (Reuters) - Thousands of civilians fled clashes between Sudan's former north-south civil war foes in the oil-rich central town of Abyei on Thursday before a ceasefire was agreed, officials said.
The fighting, sparked by a local dispute, highlights the tension in an area claimed by both Khartoum and South Sudan. More than three years after a 2005 peace deal, they have not agreed on borders or a local government for the region.
Some 2 million people died in the war between mainly Muslim north Sudan and the largely Christian and animist south.
On Thursday sporadic gunfire could be heard on the second day of clashes and smoke rose from the town.
Moussa Malei, deputy administrator of Abyei, said the two sides had agreed to deploy joint units (JIUs -- joint integrated units) to the centre of town to act as a buffer between the two sides. But as a high-level meeting between the former north-south enemies ended, heavy shelling could be heard.
Chris Johnson, head of the U.N. mission in Abyei said a ceasefire had also been agreed.
"They've agreed three things -- a ceasefire, that the JIUs will control town to give the population confidence and that no external force is being allowed into town".
The Greater Nile Petroleum Operation Company (GNPOC), a consortium led by China's CNPC, India's ONGC and Malaysia's Petronas, operates in Abyei. Experts say oil production has declined in the past few years.
CIVILIANS FLEE
"Most of the civilians have left town. There are about 25,000 east of Abyei," said Malony Tong, a local official from the former southern rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM). "It is not calm".
About 50 civilians sought refuge at the gates of the U.N. peacekeeping compound and were eventually allowed to enter. Nine helicopters evacuated some 150 U.N. staff and aid workers on Thursday leaving only a handful of staff in the base.
About 400 Zambian peacekeepers also remained behind.
Observers say the clashes are localized and do not expect the violence to affect overall north-south relations which have improved since an unprecedented attack by Darfur rebels on Khartoum at the weekend, when South Sudan offered military help to the government.
That said, tensions remain over delays in implementing the 2005 peace deal. Each side accuses the other of stalling.
The SPLM says more than $1 billion in oil revenues from Abyei has been taken by the ruling National Congress Party rather than shared with the south as the peace deal prescribes.
The 2005 peace deal did not cover Sudan's western Darfur region, where war broke out in 2003.
Sudan has suffered decades of conflict between Khartoum and far-flung regions that complain of neglect and discrimination by the traditionally Arab-dominated central government.
Fighting along the north-south border have continued despite the 2005 accord and have killed hundreds of people in the past year. A lack of discipline among ex-rebels and pro-Khartoum militias means fighting can easily flare up.
International experts believe 200,000 have died as a result of the war in Darfur, where Muslim but non-Arab Darfuris took up arms in 2003. The government says only 10,000 people have died.
(Writing by Opheera McDoom; editing by Matthew Jones)
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