SPLM urges women unity to take Sudan’s leadership
By Isaac vuni
September 28, 2007 (JUBA) — For women to be able to bring changes in Sudan, they must be educated, organize and united before they could achieve anything, SPLM Deputy Secretary General Southern Sector Dr. Anne Itto has said.
Opening the first SPLM Women League National Conference, today in Juba, under the theme: SPLM Women; shall power the liberation of the marginalized under the auspices of SPLM Secretary General Pagan Amum, Anne reminded SPLM Women delegates that late Dr. John Garang used to say that rights are not given but taken by force of unity.
She emphasized that if southern Sudanese women understand their problems, then it will be easy to find a solution to it as was the case of southern Sudan problems that were finally resolved through Machakos protocols that pave ways to signing of the CPA on January 9th 2005.
She also observed that previously parents in the then liberated areas of new Sudan were much more educated than their children partly because of war situation then. She appealed to all southern Sudanese women to seriously ensure that their children go to school.
Anne said today all political parties in Sudan are embracing the mechanism of SPLM allocating 25% seats at all levels of their organizations to women and she praised the SPLM for setting good example for promoting Sudanese women.
She observed that out of 51 years of Sudan independence, only two governments of the Sudanese first Prime ministers; Ismail el Azhari and Sadig el Mahadi came to power through a democratically elected governments but the rest came through the military coups.
The four day conference was organized by SPLM secretariat for popular and syndicated organization in collaboration with IRI who funded .the more than 100 delegates were drawn from 13 states of; southern Sudan, Blue Nile, Southern Kordofan and Abyei who are represented by two delegates each while the northern sector has three delegates.
Presenting a paper on overview on Democracy in southern Sudan, Anne said the fact that southern Sudan has not been independent since God creation; it will be very difficult to talks about democracy in southern Sudan. Therefore her overview of democracy would mostly dwell on historical and CPA and its proper implementation.
Democracy, she said, varies from country to country because leaders, who assumed power either through election or the barrel of guns, all claimed to be democrats but in actual practice they are military dictators especially in the Sudan.
However, the SPLM Deputy Secretary General Southern Sector said that concept of democracy is not new in Africa rather its practice right from the chieftaincy levels of administrations where decisions are made collectively by involving community elders who also have law enforcement agency.
Anne cited the election of Mrs. Madelena Ihica Titio as head chiefs in Eastern Equatoria state is a clear democracy transformation of women’s full participation at all levels of governance in southern Sudan.
Adding that citizens of southern Sudan should not endeavour to go back to a state where there is no democracy; otherwise, CPA has provided Southern Sudanese with golden opportunities to exercise democracy but must be fairly implemented, she caution.
As politically conscious women, we southern Sudanese women also need to remember that its the first time in the history of Sudan that women have the right to actively and without fear participate in decision making at all levels of governments a because of SPLM/A courtesy. Therefore women have to be vigilant as citizens of Sudan and to raise their voice whenever they notice there is corruption in the government especially in southern Sudan, Anna reassured.
Dr. Anne went on saying that civil society is one of the institutions that help governments to be accountable in running their day to day operations; therefore its existence is vital for enhancing democracy in southern Sudan and other parts of the Sudan.
THE SPLM OFFER OF 25% TO WOMEN IS A POLITICAL SLOGAN
The SPLM offer of 25% of all positions in Goss and states governments to Women of southern Sudan is a political slogan for encouraging women to work very hard and prove themselves that they are capable and can deliver services to the expectation of people in the Sudan and beyond, SPLM Secretary for Popular Syndicated Organization, Martin Majok, has said.
Majok, said president Kiir has honored southern Sudanese women by appointing Dr Anne Itto to the high profile office of SPLM Deputy Sectary General of southern sector as from September 7th 2007.
Majok further said it was women of New Sudan, who kept men fighting in the bushes for total liberation of the oppressed and marginalized people of the Sudan,
He advice SPLM women to be serious and uphold south Sudanese culture, traditions and values even if the are given the 25% positions at all levels of government in southern Sudan. “Please, uphold our culture, tradition and values,” Majok pleaded.
SPLM WOMEN CHALLENGED TO UNITE
Speaking on behalf of host Governor Clement Wani Konga of Central Equatoria state, the SPLM Secretary for Central Equatoria state, Manse Apollo Lomule, said SPLM women have demonstrated high decree of courage, competency, consistency, commitment and participation in the national liberation of the Sudan. That some brave Southern Sudanese women also have made tremendous negotiating skills towards realization of the hardly worn CPA in January 2005 and among them is Dr. Anne Itto.
It is now high time that southern Sudanese women capacity to lead the people of southern Sudan be developed and enhance for effective productivity, declared Lomule. Adding that human history world wide is full of evidences of women participation in liberation struggle against injustice and equality and southern Sudanese women on the top list.
Lomule assured SPLM Women that they are well placed to define the destiny of southern Sudanese people because women constitute 65% of Sudan population; however, he caution them first to unity among themselves. Manse emphasis that it is the responsibility of SPLM women to lead other southern Sudanese women in ensuring that children of southern Sudanese are given free basic education, have basic health facilities, access to clean water and descent housing than living in tukuls/grass teach houses.
Lomule told the SPLM Women league delegates a moving story that On September 25th of this year, a 14 years old child was adopted by unknown men who sodomized, raped, killed and dumped the body of innocent child into river but there was no organized condemnation from various concern groups including churches on such inhuman act and challenged SPLM women to be vigilant on social matters at all levels.
Finally he appeals to southern Sudanese women irrespective of their political affiliation to fully support the SPLM Deputy Secretary General of southern sector Dr. Anne Itto in her new assignment.
Meanwhile the resident programme officer of International Republican Institute (IRI), in Juba, Ms. Katherine Krueger, said that IRI is an American organization founded in 1983 and is dedicated to promoting democracy, rule of laws and freedom world wide. That IRI operates on basis of non partisan and non profit making. Since its establishment, she said IRI operates in 80 countries world wide and it started operating in Sudan from 2002 and country office for Juba was established in 2004 along with a small office in Khartoum; focusing on strengthening political institutions including legislatives assemblies in the ten states of southern Sudan.
The four day conference will witness presentation of various papers on Overview of Democracy in southern Sudan, introduction to key principles and processes of the CPA and the commitments to the people of Sudan by Dr. Anna Itto, SPLM Deputy Secretary General Southern Sector, Women in politics and Gender Quota including Women Leadership Skills, Fundraising and Financial Management of a Women’s League by Ms. Perry Aritua, an external consultant from Uganda, Introduction to SPLM vision, values, principle, objectives and structures by Hon. Nartisio Loluke Manir, member of SPLM political bureau, the SPLM Women’s League draft legal framework, structure, visions, mission, values and objectives by Hon. Mrs. Jemma Nunu Kumba, chairperson of Economic Affairs committee of national Assembly and a member of the Pan African parliament at Mid-Rand Republic of South Africa, meanwhile the chairperson of SPLM Women’s League Mrs. Margaret Michael Modi will present report on SPLM Women League and final recommendations and resolutions of the conference.
Among the 100 participants were notable women leaders from national and GoSS governments are; Mrs. Angelina Teny, Federal state Minister of Energy and Mining, Mrs. Awut Deng, Goss minister of Public Service, Labour and Human Resource Development, Mrs. Mary Kiden Kimbo-Goss minister for Gender, Social Welfare and Religious Affairs, Mrs. Joyce Kwaje-Commissioner for Human Rights of southern Sudan, Mrs. Aganes Lasuba, SSLA chairperson for Regional and International Cooperation, Mrs. Elizabeth Manoa Majok, Chairperson Employees Justice Chamber, Mrs. Mary Apai Advisor to CES Governor on Economic affairs, MPs from national unity government, southern Sudan government and states assemblies.
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