SSDF says Salva Kiir advised US to impose sanctions on Sudan
Press Release
June 06, 07 — SSUDA is extremely disturbed to discover that Vice-president Salva Kiir Mayardit intentionally gave President George W. Bush a green light to impose sanctions on Sudan. SSUDA rejects Kiir’s lies that he opposes Bush’s administration sanctions against Republic of Sudan. Kiir and his SPLM are masterminds of advocating for destruction of Sudan. Lt. Gen. Kiir, during his visit to U.S months ago, assured Bush that the SPLM would support the U.S economic sanctions against Sudan.
SSUDA rejects the attempt of George W. Bush and some Western Powers to divide the peoples of Sudan in order to realize their colonial dreams. SSUDA embraces African Charter against colonialism that was adopted by the first African generation that struggled against Western imperialism. Although Sudan is politically independent, there are Western Powers that want to perpetuate colonialism through economic and diplomatic threats with an intention of grabbing Sudan’s natural resources. SSUDA has a national responsibility to protect Sudan from colonialism and imperialism.
The SSUDA is saddened by the President Kiir’s failure to realize that the SPLM is a partner of National Congress Party in the Government of National Unity (GNU). The Interim Constitution of the Sudan states that the Government of National Unity shall have one unified foreign policy to protect the sovereignty of the Sudan. Regrettably, the SPLM has been pursuing anti-constitution policies since the signing of the CPA on Jan, 9th, 2005. The SPLM’s position on Darfur has not been in touch with the Interim Constitution of the Sudan which demands that the Comprehensive Peace Agreement cannot be undermined by the conflict in Darfur.
The first casualty of U.S. sanctions against Sudan is the CPA’s Wealth-sharing Protocol. Since the Americans are determined to use their allies to undermine companies that invested in Sudan oilfields, it follows that the Government of South Sudan’s share of oil revenue will be affected by the hostile international market. President Bush has instructed the global financial system to sabotage the Sudan’s oil sale in the World market. Within a short period of time, the Government of National Unity will have difficulty selling Sudan’s oil due to American’s sabotage.
The SPLM party is unquestionably responsible for President Bush sanctions against Sudan. In January, Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin (the GoSS Minister of Regional Cooperation) and Dr. Luka Biong Deng (the GoSS Minister of Presidential Affairs) told a U.S. Senate Committee that “the U.S. should treat the National Congress Party of Sudan like al-Qaeda”. Both ministers went as far as urging the Bush administration to use force against Sudan to resolve the conflict in Darfur.
Two weeks before the U.S. government imposed sanctions on Sudan, the SPLM’s representative to U.S., Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, joined forces with Prof. Eric Reeves, Darfur representatives and Jews organizations to call for sanctions against Sudan. Mr. Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth is well known in Washington, DC, as an advocate of regime change in the Sudan. He lobbied many Senators to advise President Bush to change the government in Sudan similar to Iraq. He is also known for calling for President Omar Hassen Al Bashir to be taken to International Criminal Court and face the same fate like Saddam Hussein.
The SSUDA/SSDF condemns the SPLM’s chairman, Lt. Gen. Salva Kiir Myardit, for advising President Bush to impose sanctions on Sudan. The people of South Sudan are the ones who will suffer from the sanctions because the oil revenue will be adversely affected. That would mean that there will be no money to combat acute underdevelopment in the South.
The SPLM’s foreign policy which is predicated on pressurizing President Bush to adopt a policy of regime change in contravention of the Interim Constitution of the Sudan—in order for the National Congress Party to be consigned to history—is well documented. The reason why President Bush gave the SPLA army $30 million dollars in the first week of May before the imposition of sanctions was to prepare the SPLA for violent regime change. What is mind-boggling is that the SPLM, which is part of the Government of National Unity, cannot advocate regime change while it is part of the government. It is better for the SPLM to declare that it is not any longer part of the GoNU so that it can join forces with U.S. government against a sovereign country in violation of the UN Charter, which calls for the respect of Sudan sovereignty.
A SPLM’s member of South Sudan Legislative Assembly, Henry Odwar, told South Sudanese in Canada in March that “the National Congress Party will be killed slowly”. The Honorable MP stated further that the “SPLM supports Darfur freedom fighters militarily and materially”. Although the SPLM is on record in making its support known to the non-signatories of Darfur Peace Agreement, what flabbergasted the people of South Sudan is whether the SPLM is aware of the implications of supporting Darfur rebels militarily against the government of national unity in which it is part of. The Interim Constitution of Sudan is very clear on rejecting policies that are aimed at undermining the sovereignty of the Sudan and the unity of its people. It is the CPA of the South which is being destabilized by the SPLM’s misguided policies on national issues.
The South Sudan United Democratic Alliance (SSUDA) recognizes the CPA because it is a compliment to Khartoum Peace Agreement (KPA) signed in 1997. The SSUDA will fully implement the CPA to realize peace and economic development in Sudan so that the main causes of instability in the country are addressed to give rise to prosperous and peaceful country. Poverty and backwardness are the main causes of instability in the country and should be eradicated through the implementation of the CPA.
The SSUDA/SSDF calls on President George Bush to rescind the sanctions he imposed on Sudan. The positive role the U.S. government should play is to mediate between the GoNU and the non-signatories of the Darfur Peace Agreement without taking sides. President Bush should not let himself to be deceived by Salva Kiir the same way he was deceived by Mohamed Chalabi in 2003 that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, which have not been found. Regime change will lead Sudan to be worse than Iraq. The Sudanese people, particularly Southern Sudanese, need peace and do not want to be dragged into another war.
Signed:
Peter Chuol Gatluak, BA, MA in Business Administration
SSUDA Secretary General
Ph:+402-408-6352