UDP seeks dialogue with SPLM led government of south Sudan

June 29, 2010 (JUBA) — The leadership of one of the Southern Sudan political parties has announced intention of seeking a political dialogue with the ruling party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), a head of referendum scheduled for January 2011.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Sunday, the leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP), Tong Lual Ayat, said his party seeks to discuss issues relating to political relationships with SPLM so as to forge ways and understandings on how to mobilize ordinary citizens and their supporters to pay much attention to the conduct of referendum with unified voice irrespective of political affiliations.

UDP was one of the political parties that declined to contest in the last April elections, citing lack of conducive political atmosphere to participate in the race.

April elections were the first multiparty elections conducted in Sudan after the country underwent successive military takeovers which hindered conduct of free and fair multiparty elections.

However, April polls conducted as part of the implementation of provisions of the peace accord signed between the SPLM and the National Congress Party (NCP) five years ago in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi experienced unfavorable atmosphere during electoral campaigns and in the polls.

This prompted boycott of the poll by some of the heavy weight northern political parties and equally saw withdrawal of the SPLM national presidential candidate, citing pre-election rigging and insecurity in some parts of the country.

Tong Lual Ayat, the leader of the party had also in months leading to nomination of aspirants representing different political parties underwent political detention for nearly two months purportedly for launching activities of his party without consulting the local authorities of the southern Sudan’s state of Northern Bahr el Ghazal.

He however wants to forge common understanding with the SPLM on the conduct of the referendum. “We in the UDP leadership seek dialogue with SPLM-led government of southern Sudan so as to forge understandings and way forward to successful conduct of the upcoming referendum in 2011,” he said.

“Our people are not prepared and they need to be adequately prepared by political leaders based on better understanding among political parties,” he further explained.

Asked whether he has physically consulted any senior member of the SPLM before releasing the statement, he said his party has held a number of meetings with key members of the southern Sudan ruling party who share similar views to holding a dialogue with all political forces.

“We have held several meetings with SPLM before coming out to the public for wider consultations with our supporters because we do not want to dialogue with the SPLM-led government through the media,” he said.

Ayat continued by saying that the partnership between political parties and the southern Sudan government is very important in an effort to settle the elections-generated political differences and pay much attention to the conduct of the upcoming referendum as one and the same people

“Dialogue and partnership is important between political parties so that we can all work together to deliver the long-term goals of reducing political tensions in order to conduct a referendum without dividing public voices and constitutional rights to exercise their choices and aspirations,” he said.

(ST)