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Abd Raouf / AP
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, center, waves from the back of a truck during a visit to North Kordofan, Sudan, Thursday, April 19, 2012. The Arab League said Thursday it would hold an emergency meeting over the increasing violence between Sudan and South Sudan.
KHARTOUM, Sudan -- Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir all but declared war against his newly independent neighbor on Thursday, vowing to teach South Sudan a "final lesson by force" after it occupied a disputed oil field.
South Sudan accused Bashir of planning "genocide" and said it would fight to protect its people.
Mounting violence since Sudan split into two countries last year has raised the prospect of two sovereign African states waging war against each other openly for the first time since Ethiopia fought newly independent Eritrea in 1998-2000.
Both are poor countries - South Sudan is one of the poorest in the world - and the dispute between them has already halted nearly all the oil production that underpins both economies.
South Sudan says Heglig oilfied reduced 'to rubble'
Appearing in medal-spangled military uniform at a large rally, Bashir danced side-to-side, waved his walking stick in the air and made blistering threats against the leadership of the South, which seceded last year after decades of civil war.
"These people don't understand, and we will give them the final lesson by force," the burly military ruler told the rally in El-Obeid, capital of the North Kordofan state. "We will not give them an inch of our country, and whoever extends his hand on Sudan, we will cut it off."
China, a major investor in the oil industry in both countries, expressed "serious concern" about the increase of tensions and called on both sides to stop fighting, "maintain calm and exercise maximum restraint".
Adriane Ohanesian / AFP - Getty Images
A picture taken on April 17, 2012 shows burned buildings which are all that remain of an old Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) compound in Heglig, in Sudan.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said South Sudan's seizure of the oil field was an "illegal act" and called on both countries to stop fighting.
Bashir: South Sudan rulers are 'insects'
South Sudan separated from the rest of Sudan with Bashir's blessing last July under the terms of a 2005 peace deal. But since then violence has steadily escalated, fuelled by territorial disputes, ethnic animosity and quarrels over oil.
Birthday wish: 'Lost boys' pin hopes on independent South Sudan
Last week, South Sudan seized Heglig, a disputed oilfield near the border between the two countries, claiming it as its rightful territory and saying it would only withdraw if the United Nations deployed a neutral force there.
Sudan's armed forces spokesman Al-Sawarmi Khalid said by phone the army was now fighting "inside Heglig."
South Sudan's army (SPLA) said it had repulsed a large attack on Heglig on Wednesday evening, stopping Sudan's forces about 18 miles from the territory.
"The SPLA maintained its position," spokesman Philip Aguer said. He also accused Sudan of launching another attack in the border regions of South Sudan's Western Bahr al-Ghazal state.
In a sign of the conflict widening, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) - considered the most militarily potent of the rebel factions in Sudan's western Darfur region - claimed it had launched an assault on the al-Kharsana oil region near Heglig.
PhotoBlog: Last few licks of paint as South Sudan preps for independence
"We are surrounding the Sudanese army in the main military base in al-Kharsana," JEM spokesman Gibreel Adam Bilal said by phone. Heglig is hundreds of km away from JEM's bases in Darfur but the group has fought in the Kordofan region in the past.
The Sudanese army spokesman, Khalid, denied JEM's statement, saying there was no fighting in the al-Kharsana area.
Limited access for independent journalists to Sudan's remote conflict zones makes it difficult to confirm the often contradictory claims issued by all sides.
Sudanese Lost Boy Mawut Mayen talks about his life in America and what the new nation of South Sudan means to him.
African states have often waged war on each other's territory, but it is extremely rare for them to talk openly of fighting against government forces of sovereign neighbors.
Bashir's address to the rally on Thursday followed a fiery speech to party supporters on Wednesday, when he vowed to "liberate" South Sudan from its ruling party, which he repeatedly referred to as "insects", in a play on its Arabic name.
South Sudan's Information Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin responded on Thursday with outrage.
"Mr. President, we are no insects and if you are launching your genocide activities to the Republic of South Sudan to kill the people of South Sudan .... we can assure you we will protect the lives of our citizens."
However, he also said South Sudan was willing to resume talks immediately on all outstanding issues.
"The Republic of South Sudan is not in a state of war, nor is it interested in war with Sudan," he said.
In both speeches, Bashir vowed to retake the Heglig oilfield, which he said was part of Sudan's Kordofan region. But he also said that alone would not end the conflict.
"Heglig is not the end, but the beginning," he said in Thursday's speech.
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Leave a Comment:
how do you pronounce this guys last name?
Azzz - hole
In recorded history there has never been peace on this continent. As long as dictators who rule under the guise of the title president are in power there never will be. Having said that let's see how much money that is desperately needed right here at home our elected leaders decide to throw at this conflict to just make themselves feel important. Just a reminder, this is an election year let's show the folks in Washington how we really feel!
What a morally bankrupted part of the world. Barely civilized, heading backwards and unable to govern themselves. They did far better under colonization of other more civilized countries that could keep their more base instincts in check.
Hollywood ?
These creatures were much better off under British rule, but were too stupid to realize it. I do not much care for the English, but that is how I see it. FDR wanted to run half the world, Churchill was a drunk who wanted to fight Hitler who wanted to preserve European supremacy so Churchill signed the empire away. The Afrikoons are useless and that includes Obama who should be shining shoes or washing dishes. I think the Chinese will do much better than the Americans as world leaders
Creatures? If you can't hear the prejudice you are not listening.
Another ethnic war coming, and the good old U.S. would not lift a finger to help the south because its fear of being accused of helping the southern Christians against the northern Muslims; fear of being accused or called Crusaders, it's all B.S.; Imagine what would happen between the marriage of Saudi Arabia and U.S., a huge divorce court with the powerful egotistical husband (Saudi Arabia) winning the settlement, I guess you all forget that there is no such thing as community property law in the land of the so called believers, LMAO on how the U.S. is the smart but whimpy wife, who cannot speak out, no matter whether we have Bush or Obama, the whimpy wife has her hands tide up, she need luxuries to live off, so she has to abide by her husband's demands; again, it is all B.S
OK, since China is so concerned about this, let THEM go stand between the forces and try to defuse the warlord in North Sudan -- the one who thinks he's Hugo Chavez, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Idi Amin all in one.
Another idiot leader who thinks violence will solve everything and that he's stay in power forever. He will get a "Final Lesson" when he's ousted and his military chumps defeated.
And what will that solve? More politics, less action. Heard it before.
Bashir has been murdering these people for years and we've been ignoring it - he's been accused as a war criminal by the world court & we've done nothing. This isn't about politics, people, it's about the slaughter of innocents - remember the saying "Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me"? If we continue to stand by and allow this genocide to continue, who's going to stop the next one? The entire world needs to stand up to this madman and make him pay for his crimes - the countries that continue to ship him arms & ammo need to be stopped as well. I don't think the US needs to send troops, but the UN should live up to it's charter duties and intervene before he makes good on this latest threat and murders the rest of those living in South Sudan. We've become so inured to the death & destruction in this part of the world that we've become apathetic - and that's just wrong.
Sudan is predominantly Muslim whereas South Sudan is predominantly Christian....therein lies the real reason for the violence. Naturally, all the Hollywood types, politicos and who`s who who have been helping Muslim Darfur won't pick up a finger to help South Sudan.
Check out the discussions the U.N. has been having on this.
Hu,
Where is Obama's Hollywood orchestration???
If you are such a gutless little scab that you overlook the most horrific crimes against your own people taking comfort by measuring yourself against our stupid party to align yourself with the most incompetent and shameful President this nation never had don't be surprised when it doesn't work...
I know everything is about positions HU and now you have to worry about the potential reaction from Americans about their expanding environment suppressing the most brutal destruction of US citizens in the center of these productions using a military grade satellite that compromised most of our social spectrum into the most shameful positions using you as an excuse (after you found out about a lethal pile of @!$%# orbiting over your head), but if you can't make things black and white in your own back yard you might make things a lot worse thinking your position -where you overlook brutal destruction of your own citizens because of Obama care-means @!$%# in our stupid alternate reality...
Wouldn't it be nice HU if every leader had the power and control over there people that you do to solve the world problems cause all I see is a rock hard dictatorship here that over looks them...
Maybe you can ask them to stop HU because this President has the most generalized injustices on his side, serving as cover for my state's most shameful crimes, but they are in the same boat as me and you should subscribe to a rock bottom standard -far removed from twitter and the Internet- the world over if you want to be the grown up as we use that as cover -along with my two party joke that concealed a nation whose abuses go far beyond yours-for the most shameful crime known to man...
You need to talk to the U.N. Obama is not the Worlds leader. It would be dictatorship to force change in a sovereign country. And before you say anything we were attacked is why we went to Iraq, etc.
We went to Afghanistan because we were attacked. We went to Iraq because President Bush wanted to make Daddy proud. Not trying to pick a fight, Ursamajor, just sayin'.
Have a good day.
Because despite my life being dissolved in one of human history's greatest perversions (so this nation can use military force to compromise as many of our profiteering social @!$%#s as possible to enforce a perception of democratic principles so our blood soaked bitch can use an illusion to rule the world along an alternate reality that means less and less and takes away more and more) is was great watching the Jews, that plotted against an unarmed innocent US citizen on my government's behalf, to go back home knowing they became the biggest jokes in their history cause I have no clue how that effected my nation's denser and more shameful them ever- alternate reality...
It's funny how the reaction from 320,000,000 citizens is all that holds this together...
I see you ramble a lot with no continuity.
Is he willing to have the same lessons? What, other than greed and power, makes him think he is God. The man is insane put him in an asylum.
Ursala. I would like to ask you to do something. Instead of ripping down everyone else. What do you think America should do about the continuing problem in Sudan? Any ideas?
The Arab/ Moslem dictatorship controlling Sudan has perpetrated genocide and ethnic cleansing against the African residents of Sudan. The descendents of Arab/ Moslem invaders have killed hundreds of thousands of men, women and children and driven the rest of the Africans off of their mineral rich land. The survivors are living as refugees in a small part of Sudan carved out by the UN. Now the Arab/ Moslem occupiers of Sudan are threatening to murder the survivors and steal the rest of their land.
Obama quietly supports the Arab/ Moslem war criminals.
After taking Sudan, what is the next country in line? Who will experience the nightmare next? Any countries south of Sudan should be helping them or in 20 years they will be getting slaughtered too.
Go South Sudan! eff 'em up baby, bout time!
You sicken me.
I'm guessing you are Muslim. Screw Allah.
Those boys in Nigeria are amatures. They only kill a few dozen Christians at a time. maybe 2 or 3 thousand a year. Sudan knows how to get it done. They can kill 100,000 a year easy and take 50,000 square miles of land in 1 or 2 years.In a good year they will kill 500,000 of their black brothers. After blacks on both side are dead the Arabs will fill in the land. You all know that they still sell black slaves from Sudan in Egypt? Charming , Huh?
The Sudan has a president who is also a Muslim Terrorist. See what happens when a true terrorists reaches the top position. Blood will be pouring and new mosques will be built. Shiite, if this guy reaches the 5 million killed mark they might have to give him an Islamic Holiday. They will make pilgrimages to him for 1000 years.
How many Christians has he killed already? 3 million? 4? Hard to keep count when they heard them into huts, lock the doors, then drive over them in Russian Tanks. It just leaves a puddle. Saves bullets though.
I wonder who was behind the decision to split Sudan into two nations? Hmmm... knowing that Britain is chiefly responsible for the geography of Africa, I'm willing to bet it had something to do with it. Regardless, Sudan never should have been split apart, and South Sudan should have been given semi-autonomous status, only. Now, the "Crusaders" have established another foot-hold in Africa, and the world can be sure that it will use it to bring more war and destruction to that continent.
well this is strange. everytime i watch something about the holocuast, somebody invariably says : "we want to make sure this never happens again"....so i guess the world is going to protect these southern sudanese from the planned genocide against them?
I say that we just pack up 100,000 machine guns,ammo and some rpg's, Fly over south sudan in an umarked airplane and try to stay anonymous, drop them by parachutes, along with a whole bunch of food over south sudan, along with video cameras that link up to satellites that then go to our televisions, then sit back and watch what happens. would make the most awesome reality show ever. And it wouldnt even cost that much. i like when the little guy gets help taking out a bully.
THE REPUBLICAN CONSERVATIVE TEA PARTY HAS A FRESH IDEA TO SAVE THEIR AMERICA !!!!!!! ; this is their brand new fresh off the press , for this generational time , '' TRICKLED DOWN ECONOMICS ''. steal from the dirt poor , and give to the filthy rich 1%ers !!!!!!!!!!!! NOW YOU CAN'T GET MORE FRESH THEN THAT
Everybody get ready to invite a whole bunch of south sudanese into our country, cause you know the U.S.A will get involved and the ensuing carnage will produce a lots of refugees and thier main goal will be the good ol' U.S.A.
Another peaceful moderate muslim attacking infadels . Business as usual .
The POTUS has done zero towards Health care you dumbell. The Health care act is not in effect yet. It was NATO that helped take down Libya, therefore NATO money. The Chinese need oil for they have very little, still developing that issue in Tibet, and are everywhere there is an oil rig, no matter how desolate. This Sudanese conflict is fueled by the Islamic hatred of infidels and their loving ability to kill anyone -men,women,children,elders, et al - who do not support their God. The civilians of Darfur and S. Sudan are a miracle - they are still alive after onslaught after onslaught of genocidal terror rides from those noble and brave killers of little children, the Mujaheddin. Side with humanity, leave the POTUS out of the issue and go to the heart of this problem, which is, as another writer noted, man's inability to stop killing his own kind.
NATO needs to get rid of Bashir he leads his country by bigotry, genocide and religious fanaticism. The people of Darfur and South Sudan have been through enough suffering and violence with millions dead as the world sits by and does nothing. Get rid of Bashir and his government - Sudan and South Sudan will be a better place without him.