Reconciliation in Sudan?
December 14, 2007
The leaders of North and South Sudan seem to have patched things up between them just in time for Christmas...for the most part. All that's left to settle is the oil rich area called Abyei. Both sides say the agreement will pave the way for the South to rejoin the government of the North.
The U.N. is hailing this news as a tremendous victory. Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon sounds really happy in a recently released statement.
That's all good news.
But I hate to be a Grinch, especially at such a cheery time of year. Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't the whole peace process hinge on oil? Isn't the biggest issue still unresolved? When and if the North and South go back to war again, it will be over oil. While the recent developments are a step in the right direction, I think it's not quite as big a step as some in the media are making it out to be.
Oil -er rather money- is after all the root of all evil. As long as the oil fields are in dispute, Sudan will always be only a few steps away from war.
Pray that the oil fields issue will be resolved amicably soon. And that the South will finally begin to get the money the North owes them for all the oil that has already been pumped out of the region. The South desperately needs the money for rebuilding.
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