Land bill passes in South Sudan parliament
By Isaac Vuni
January 26, 2009 (JUBA) — The South Sudan parliament today passed a bill on land, natural resources and the environment by acclamation, to be enacted by the presidency the Government of Southern Sudan.
The bill was passed at 4:34 p.m. Sudan local time. On behalf of GOSS, the minister of parliamentary affairs expressed gratitude to legislators for passing the land bill to address a source of fighting that has cost thousands of lives, especially youth, during 53 years of liberation struggle.
One MP, Hon. Gabriel Matur, complained that his fellow legislators should not have amended the bill in the form that it was passed by the Council of Ministers, whom he said are above parliament.
Despite this completed business, the agenda for the August House remains crowded. The minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. Martin Elias Lomuro, disclosed that bills on anti-corruption, police service, prison service, and the wildlife and fire brigade are among those waiting to be passed by the assembly before the official end of legislative session in July this year.
The Assembly will also hold hearings with the governors of Eastern Equatoria, Central Equatoria and Warrap states, questioning them over allegations of unwarranted murdering in their respective states.
Lomuro also explained that investment bills passed by the Assembly on November 24, 2008 have not yet reaches presidency for enactment into law because the chairperson submitted them to him on January 20 and he will send it to president by tomorrow.
However, Deputy Speaker Lawrence Lual Lual contended that the delay is the fault of the president, rather than the Assembly. If bills stay with president for 30 days without his assent, the Assembly would consider the bill passed, said Lual.
Earlier, during the reading of a report while few legislators were present, Hon. Gabriel Matur tricked legislators by omitting to read a page of their third report, and soon thereafter the speaker adjourning the morning sitting at 3 p.m. local time. One legislator who asked not to be named commented, of a minister wants his or her bill to be passed by legislators, he should simply present it very late, as legislators are always rushing for leisure.
Also during the morning session, the minister of finance was squeezed by the economic sector committee, which further delayed presentation of the 2009 budget for third and final reading. Also present was the minister of telecommunication and postal services to answer inquiries on who owns the telecom company Gemtel. The matter would have to be settled before the Assembly could pass this year’s budget, remarked Hon. Dr. Jimmy Wongo Miji.
(ST)
Geovanny
Land bill passes in South Sudan parliament
Thank you woever journalist who wrote this article on the land bill issue. To where does the parliament pass a bill on land and natural resources? And to whom does this bill belong to? Actually this is not a land bill issue being discuss but a way connected to corruption so that each member of parliament gets money to go for leisure as the mentioned in the paragraph.
Passing of the land bill by parliament has nothing to do with fighting or it being the source of fighting.
You yourseves the MP,S and ministers are the cause of ever single atrocity happening in ever state concern becoz you backup your clansmens forgetting yourself as a government official.
Danford
Land bill passes in South Sudan parliament
Dear All,
That’s agreat a chiechment of 2009 year, indeed we in have lost innocent lives to this land issue and we have the Bill will contain all what is needed to protect the Southern Sudanese citizins. I hope land grabling, illigal selling of plots, etc will get to stack, this is what is needed for the benefit of our people.
Haaaaaaaaaa, the Governors to appear before the Members of August house is pretty important, what have they been doing before?…………….these members of August house are joking indeed!
I needed governors like Ojetuk Aloisio Emor, to be impeached like Al Bashir………., he is a really blood Hungry governor, A canibalist, and a rational man who even participated and involved himself in the current insecurity in his state. After all, he was voted out last year during the SPLM Convention, but what still holds him there as a governor?, Salva Kiir Knows this answer better than anybody in Eastern Equatoria.
See some of the governors involvement in creating, and implemeting attrocities in his own state, nothing to justify his down than appearing before the Huge if justice is to prevail in Southern Sudan.
1. Last year, Governor Ojetuk ordered the burning of two villages or Iloli and Oguruny on a simple issue that they’re planning to attact each other, yet that was Not the case, the governor was exercising his reverage of his own viilages of Lower otuho areas of Mura Hatiha, Tirrangore, Hafforiere and his Abalua village.
2. The same year, the governor ordered the burnig of some villages in Ikotos County, the alango villages and again a fake excuse was given, and many people lost lives there.
3. In 2007, the governor involved in the fight between Didinga and Toposa in which more than 58 people were killed just over their rivalry of the chair with his counterpart, many Didingas knows this.
3. In Feb last year, governor Ojetuk order SPLA soldiers to go and kill the bussinessmen who were resting at Loudo an area West of Torit,these men were spending a night there after bringing their cattle for sale in Torit, but bse of his hatred of other tribes, and Lopit in particular, he has to order a truck full of soldiers to go and kill these men, so Two men were killed,others injured and no hearing of the case up to date. Many believed that, it was his well done job against his enemies of Olongo village in Lopit where the men emerged, so are these nor enough to take this evil man to the Huge?……………………, Wani Iga, you must discuss it.