Khartoum blasts South Sudan leader visit to US
November 15, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — The Khartoum government on Thursday blasted South Sudan leader Salva Kiir over his visit to the United States, exacerbating a political crisis threatening two years of peace between north and south.
His visit to Washington, extended to meet Bush, has been unpopular in Khartoum which regards it as a sign of US support for the south after Kiir withdrew his ministers from the national unity government in September.
His Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) liaison office in Washington also requested that Kiir address the UN Security Council in New York, incurring wrath in Khartoum even though the request was turned down.
“The SPLM office in Washington has no right to request that Salva Kiir address the Security Council,” Ali Sadek, spokesman for the Sudanese foreign ministry, was quoted by official media as saying.
The SPLM fired back that it was “unacceptable” for the government to contest Kiir’s US visit on the grounds of not being informed, given that he is first vice president in the administration.
But Khartoum insists its embassy was left out of the loop and has criticised the United States for allegedly failing to observe proper protocol.
They charged that US Vice President Dick Cheney, as Kiir’s counterpart, and not Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, should have extended the invitation and that Washington has been coordinating with the SPLM liaison office.
The US embassy in Khartoum was forced to issue a statement this week saying that Kiir’s visit was organised through the Sudanese foreign ministry.
In Washington, Kiir said the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) which ended 21 years of war between the Muslim north and mainly Christian and animist south was staggering “like a drunken person” but had not yet collapsed.
His former rebels will stay out of the national government until the 2005 peace agreement is fully implemented, he said.
Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir’s National Congress Party denounced Kiir’s comments, saying in a statement published in the press on Thursday that they do not help resolve the crisis between the north and south.
The independent Sudan Tribune quoted Beshir as saying the SPLM was “acting like an independent state.”
“American policy, which will no doubt be followed by that of the Europeans, the UN Security Council, will practically speaking lead to the partition of Sudan,” the As-Sudani newspaper wrote in an editorial.
It was referring to US sanctions on commerce and financial transactions in the north although US governmental agencies assist development in the south.
Rice expressed deep concern last month about the Khartoum government’s failure to implement the hard-won peace deal and announced that Washington was seeking an extra 70 million dollars for the south.
The 2005 agreement provided for a six-year transition period in which the south would enjoy regional autonomy and participate in a national unity government in Khartoum.
In 2011, southerners will be asked to vote in a referendum on whether they want to be independent or remain part of Sudan.
Kiir’s ministers walked out of the Khartoum government on September 11 in protest at slow progress in implementing the CPA.
Disputes between the SPLM and Khartoum centre on finalising a north-south border, the withdrawal of troops from each side’s area of control, and the fate of the disputed oil-rich region of Abiye.
North-south talks aimed at ending the festering political crisis broke down on Sunday, while Kiir was in the United States.
(AFP)
Mou Magok
Khartoum blasts South Sudan leader visit to US
STOP ACCUSATIONS IN LEADERSHIP
It’s unambiguous that our common foes in Khartoum’s Islamist government are rejecting the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed in Kenya early January, 2005 ended Sudan’s North-South civil war.
The reality is that the agreement has continued to exist this outlying because of the obligation of the peace-loving people of Southern Sudan under leadership of SPLM otherwise there would have been no peace completely in Sudan if all Sudanese feels like Arabs (Bashir).
There were frustrations by one collaborator and party in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed. Such frustrations have arisen in the way of peace.Take for example; there was delay in Abyei oil-rich field or ABC which was meant to take place within 1½ years after signing but it fails upto now, Border demarcation plus Nothern alliances that are still in Bentiu. What are they waiting for?
Similarly Khartoum government went on non-stopping accusations on SPLM of hindering implementation and November 12, 2007 the ruling National Congress party accused the Sudan’s First Vice President and President of South Sudan Government Lt. gen. Salva Kiir Mayiardit of attempting to address a UN security council in Juba and also termed Kiir’s Visit to US as an SPLM mission in Washington not through Sudanese embassy and also that South Sudan is acting as independent state plus other more allegations. Bashir should hold up dictating the Semi-autonomy government of South Sudan.
But a true son of South Sudan must sleep with one eye open since we are sharing the room with a cobra in the corner. The ruling National Congress Party should stop baseless accusations and should respect and honor all agreements signed with them otherwise peace is not something trouble-free to maintain.
SEPARATION OYEE!
Thank you,
Yirol boy
Contact: [email protected]