Machar to brief SPLM on status of negotiations with NCP
By James Gatdet Dak
November 12, 2009 (JUBA) — The Vice President of the Government of Southern Sudan and Deputy Chairperson of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), Dr. Riek Machar Teny, would on Thursday brief the party’s Political Bureau on the latest negotiations with the National Congress Party (NCP).
During his latest trilateral meetings involving the US Special Envoy, Scott Gration as well as bilateral discussions in Khartoum with the Vice President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, he [Machar] indicated that there has been general progress inching towards agreements on many issues.
He however added that some specific points have remained contentious.
Machar, who spent twelve consecutive days in Khartoum since October 31, told the press after his arrival in Juba on Thursday that a number of latest sticking points on the respective referendum bills for Southern Sudan and Abyei and popular consultations for Southern Blue Nile and Southern Kordufan will be tabled for discussions by the SPLM Political Bureau in order to arrive at a consensus.
He added that elections and national security bill among others will also be discussed.
On the referendum for Southern Sudan, Dr. Machar said there is still one sticking point on the voter turnout as parties exchange new proposals.
He revealed that the NCP’s latest proposal has come down from the two-third turnout demand but declined to state the exact figure until the party’s politburo discusses it.
“You know our [SPLM] position is that the turnout be 50%. We maintain that. They [NCP] came down a little bit [from two-third] but we will discuss this in the Politburo, and after that you will be informed,” he told the press.
Earlier, the two parties almost agreed on 51% of votes to declare the South an independent country as long as two-third (66%) of voter turnout is achieved.
The agreement was given a go ahead by the Southern Sudan Council of Ministers, but was rejected by the SPLM Political Bureau which called for renegotiation of the turnout quorum.
On the Abyei referendum bill Machar said the two parties have not agreed on the definition of voters. The SPLM wanted members of the nine Ngok Dinka Chiefdoms and other Sudanese to be the definition of the residents of Abyei while the NCP on the other hand wanted the Messeiriah to be named as part of the residents in Abyei.
Dr. Machar however said there is progress on popular consultations for the two areas of Southern Kordufan and Southern Blue Nile. The sticking point that remained is the question of who should have the last say if the state and/or national government differed on the results of the popular consultations.
He said the parties were considering a number of proposed mechanisms to resolve such a dispute, adding that the SPLM Political Bureau will also discuss such proposals.
The two parties also discussed contentious issues concerning the power of National Security Services to arrest, detain, search, and cease property or wealth of suspects.
The Bureau will also discuss how to tackle the issue of the 2008 disputed population census results.
Earlier, the SPLM Secretary General Pagan Amum said there was danger of the South losing one-third representation in the national parliament if the 2008 census results, which he described as “fake,” were to be applied in redistribution of power sharing in the National Assembly.
“…According to the use of census results where Southern Sudan loses nearly one-third of its seats because of the fake census results; losing 54 out of 150, and the South will be remaining with only 96 seats…,” Amum said.
On Darfur, Machar said the SPLM made a strong point in the Khartoum trilateral meeting with participation of Gration that Darfur must be involved in the upcoming general elections; hence the need for creating an enabling peaceful environment in the region.
The two parties, he added, would probably resume the negotiations in Khartoum in the next three days to try to finalize the issues and warned that the time was running out.
(ST)
Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy
Machar to brief SPLM on status of negotiations with NCP
Riek and Igga are the people who should always stand for South, who else can i include? no body. Yes that is right South Sudan is made up of two strong gentlment as mentioned above. Now they are the only people to discusse any issue with NCP, apart from their leadership, they are the only wise, educated, intelligent, visionary, knowledgable and skillful people in corrupt SPLA, without them SPLA could be floating in rubbish bin or replace offically by Sudanese People Liberation Army for Dinkas Change SPLA-DC
Dinka Boy
Machar to brief SPLM on status of negotiations with NCP
Great job to SPLM negotiation team.
SPM must stand firm on its core requirements that Southerners will benefits in the long-run.
Thanks
black-hope
Machar to brief SPLM on status of negotiations with NCP
I salute u my vice president, you have done greatwork for ur people than ever u did. You have shown us steps toward change. To my friends who reflects what happened in long period of time lets close that chapter and put our mine on current focus. It is good to learns the words of appreciation than to move parallel to the point, it become habit to some people to insult our great leaders b’se the though that they are in darkness but u be judge by ur creator. To Logic why do u take abuse as order of the day? my friend u are hopless in life, let me tell u that u are going to hell keep going. u are very people who want take Southern Sudan backward but u will not make it.
ngor martyn jok
Machar to brief SPLM on status of negotiations with NCP
Congratulations,Pagan Amum ! Had you not adjusted the traitor’s brain,he would have messed up again.Thanks for aligning his head on the 2/3 turn out.it was a concession on the NCP side for us.We believe in simple majority with out any external conditions!
Riek machar ,thanxs for accepting such adjustments and alignments’.
Chanson
Machar to brief SPLM on status of negotiations with NCP
Well done Mr.Dupity of SPLA/M (MR.Machar).
Dear Southerns.
I have been going through your comments but these comments of yours are all off topic.Dr. Riak did it so nicely for briefing the party,s political.what is wrong for that.if he brief GOSS about refrendum Law , that is all about team work.which is good,we should be proud of that.I can see now the changes in our government.
So my dear citizens, let just comment a mature comments then commenting in inmaturity way.lets keep peace among us and lets work hard to changes this country to a better place for us to live in my dear southerns.Lets not exchanging bad words to bad words and let not developing commenting question with question brothers.
Thank be to Dr. Riak for his good work always.
Thanks brothers and watchout.
Peace!!
Chanson.
alvin ajou
Machar to brief SPLM on status of negotiations with NCP
DEAR SOUTHERNERS..
Anybody who is not circumcised like Nuer is always a failure. This people should be circumcised firstly so that they will be able to succeed in whatever they need like Salva Kiir. I think our president(Salva) should remove that failure(Machar) who has a fake title of Doctorate from negotiating with these terrorists of Khartoum. These terrorists should negotiate with brave people like Salva Kiir himself who fought with Arabs since Anya nya 1 and the SPLA. Anybody who is a friend to Arabs like Machar and Nuer in general shouldnot be given that responsibility to go to Khartoum and conspire against South Sudan.
I hate Dr Machar for supporting Matip who is a primitive, who does not even know the A B C D and the same Matip who gave oil to Arabs and let our Youths of Nuer community help Arabs and die in the frontline fighting against their own people of Southern Sudan.
That is bullshit!!!!!!
It will never happen again….
Now we have employed them, they are talking like us(men) and they are still Nyigat….
BUSTA 2
Machar to brief SPLM on status of negotiations with NCP
I wish Kiir was educated like Machar!!!!!!!!!!!
Brother in Christ,
Busta 2