Oil fuels the desire to run contested region

ABYEI, Sudan - The Abyei issue may cause another dispute between north and south Sudan after the latter declares independence in July, as neither side seems likely to make any concessions on the possible oil-rich border town.

Deng Arop Kuol, chief administrator of Abyei and a member of the Ngok-Dinka, a local ethnic group, said that the area should be part of south Sudan, adding that oil is the reason the north is claiming it.

"Wherever they see oil, they want to claim it. We have nothing to compromise anymore," Kuol told China Daily, saying the Ngok-Dinkas have already lost large parts of Abyei's territory.