South Sudan Political Parties forge Alliance for Election and Referendum

By Isaac Vuni

June 30, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — The South Sudan political parties held three days conference from 28th to 30th June 2008 at Rock city Hotel in Juba the capital of southern sudan to forge alliance in favor of elections and 2001 referendum.

Are members of the opposition alliance: United Democratic Front (UDF), Sudan African National Union (SANU), Union of Sudan African Parties (USAP Two), United South Sudan Party (USSP), South Sudan Democratic Front (SSDF), South Sudan Democratic Forum (SSDF), Covenant Democratic Party (CDP) and Sudan National Labour Party (SNLP).

The conference was convened to explore method of cooperation among south Sudan political parties and how to broaden this cooperation to include civil society, business personals, women and youth in addition to NCP and the SPLM, northern political parties as a mean to protect implementation of the CPA.

During the conference, two papers were presented on the “Rational for Cooperation between the South Sudan Political Parties” by Hon. Peter Abdrahaman Sule, leader of UDF and the second was on the “Mechanism of Cooperation and the Way Forward” by Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro, leader of SSDF.

During the opening session, the eight leaders of south Sudan political parties in their key note addresses expressed their parties’ positions approval on the proposed alliance cooperation in relation to the current political situation in the country.

After constructive and fruitful discussion with more than fifty delegates, the consensus building conference held under the theme; Peace, Unity, Democracy and Referendum along with motto of “Building Consensus on what unites” issued the following declaration:

The establishment of the alliance of participating southern Sudan political parties to be called the Alliance of South Sudan Political Parties abbreviated as ASSPP.

The ASSPP shall constitute the southern Sudan political parties leadership Council comprising of all the leaders of the political parties participating in the conference. However, other south Sudan political parties not in attendance shall have the opportunity to join the alliance on grounds of satisfactory reasons.

Establishment of an Executive permanent secretariat body but subordinate to the ASSPP leadership council that will run the day to day activities of the alliance of south Sudan political parties and it shall be composed of one senior representatives of party signatory to the alliance declarations.

The funding of the alliance is the responsibility of the members of the alliance; hence the alliance members have to pull their own resources to enable the alliance function smoothly. Further more, the conference declared that organizational cooperation and political strategic alliance is an essential ingredient for the success of the alliance in both short and long terms.

The conference noted that the NCP and the SPLM as ruling parties in north and southern Sudan have more financial resources, therefore, appeal to international communities such as the UN, USAID, IRI, the European Union, the African Union and the international organizations to support ASSPP financially as partner for transforming the sudan into a democratic society after it has under gone twenty one years of destructive civil war.

Regarding the national interest, ASSPP declared total commitment to protection of national interest of the people of south Sudan as per January 1st 1956 border, urgent convening of the south-south dialogue in order to put the house of south Sudan in order ad build political consensus amongst people of south Sudan to ensure smooth road map to scheduled election of 2009 and to prepare the people of south Sudan for referendum in 2011.

The conference being in full support of SPLM calls on President Salva Kiir Mayardit to convene the south –south dialogue as soon as possible.

The conference further in respect to SPLA declared that SPLA as a national army of south Sudan as stipulated in the CPA ought to be none partisan than being use by some politicians for their own personal and party interests.

The ASSPP strongly condemned existence of tribal militia groups and appeals to south Sudanese to resist any attempts by any political Parties or private individuals south Sudanese to lured south Sudanese for formation of militia groups to create insecurity in south Sudan.

The conference calls on president of Goss to ensure that the brutal LRA and the government of Ugandan reach an agreement the soonest and if they fails, Goss to take stern steps against the LRA that has refused to sign the final peace agreement with the Ugandan government with view of protecting citizens of south Sudan.

The conference declared full support to SPLM initiated allocation of 25% for women and proposed that it should be raise to fifty –fifty with men. The conference further declared its support for good governance, accountability, eradication of corruption and application of transparency in provision of public services in south Sudan.

The conference urges Goss to invest adequate resources in infrastructure and agricultural production so that the people of south Sudan become self sufficient in food production.

Regarding the insecurity particularly in the capital of south Sudan, the conference calls on Goss to end the newly brought insecurity method by south Sudanese boys and girls from Egypt now terrorizing civil population in Juba as “Niger” including some tribal fighting in countryside that are murdering each other at easy.

The conference also noted with grate disappointment that some foreigners are being terrorized by south Sudan security personnel who should have given them protection and calls on Goss to put an end to such practices.

The alliance of south Sudan political parties also appeals to Goss to be inclusive in appointments of governors, commissioners to include other political parties.

The conference also declared their total commitment towards self determination of the people of south Sudan scheduled for 2011 and in support and urges the SPLM and NCP to exert maximum cooperation and political tolerance in the process of the implementation of the CPA.

The ASSPP urges the two parties to the CPA to urgently implement the Abyei road map for return of deliberately displaced Abyei returnees by Sudan Armed forces and commitment in ensuring that peace prevail in Darfur as one of the marginalized people of the Sudan as mechanism for promoting culture of peace in the Sudan.

Finally the ASSPP reiterate their ardent support for freedom of expression and of the press in south Sudan and appeal to journalists operating in southern Sudan to be objective in their day to day reporting on issues of public interest. Because of time factor, As the number of participants have increased to more than sixty, the party leaders took the advantage of delivering long speechesd during the

Finally the ASSPP reiterate their ardent support for freedom of expression and of the press in south Sudan and appeal to journalists operating in southern Sudan to be objective in their day to day reporting on issues of public interest. Because of time factor, As the number of participants have increased to more than sixty, the party leaders took the advantage of delivering long speech during the untimely press conference hence I will file their commend tomorrow.

(ST)