Sudan 1st VP defends signing of CPA, says rebellion days are over
September 19, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese First Vice President Ali Osman Taha spoke out for the first time against the growing number of critics who assert that the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) gave too many concessions at the expense of the North.
In accordance with the CPA, the people of South Sudan were promised a referendum in which they had the choice of voting for remaining united with the North or establishing their own state. The exercise which took place in January resulted in a near unanimous vote in favour of secession.
South Sudan officially became an independent country last July. The most visible aspect of the country’s breakup is losing 75% of the oil reserves which has already taken its toll on the North’s economy in the form of an acute shortage in hard currency.
Many observers say that the army in particular as well as hard line Islamists, are unhappy to see the South let go after the many sacrifices made during the civil war years.
Taha who arrived in South Kordofan’s capital city of Kadugli said that the room for peace allows for different views and interpretations but rejected arguments that too much were given to the South.
“We offered them [Southerners] incentives, which others viewed as concessions and compromising the rights of the nation at the expense of the public interest, but the diligence on which peace was built on was that he no concession supersedes the value of peace and enacting it” the 1st VP told South Kordofan’s legislative assembly.
“The shameful concession is one made to the enemy but compromises amongst the sons of the nation is tolerance of brotherhood” Taha said.
Sudan’s second top official also warned that the government will no longer tolerate any new rebellions and will only deal with it through military means.
“No to rebellion, treason, and going against legitimacy. No return afterwards except through consultation, uniting ranks, respecting other opinions, adherence to the rule of law and the provisions of the constitution,” Taha said.
He said that anyone who attempts to achieve demands through bearing arms would be dealt with swiftly by Sudan Armed Forces (SAF).
Serious fighting has erupted between SAF and fighters from Sudan People Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N) on the North-South border states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile. The two sides have traded blame over who started the fighting.
The territories are still home to tens of thousands of people from ethnic groups that sided with the south during the civil war that preceded South Sudan’s independence.
Efforts by the African Union to broker a peace deal and ceasefire have failed so far.
The fighting in Blue Nile prompted President Omer Hassan al-Bashir to declare a state of emergency there and sack the elected governor, Malik Agar, who is also the SPLM-N chairman.
The party, an offshoot of the ruling party in South Sudan, was shut down shortly afterwards and dozens of its members arrested.
On Monday, SPLM-N claimed to have repelled an attack by SAF in South Kordofan.
“Yesterday (Sunday), the SPLM was attacked by the Sudanese armed forces near Talodi. There was heavy fighting and the army was repulsed by the SPLM-North” Yasir Arman Secretary General of SPLM-N told Agence France Presse (AFP) by telephone from London.
“As a result, the government lost three outposts at their garrison in Talodi. Our forces are now besieging Talodi,” Arman said.
SAF spokesman al-Sawarmi Khalid Sa’ad denied there had been serious fighting in Talodi, saying only that troops retaliated after the SPLM-N tried to “disrupt the security” in the area.
(ST)
George Bol
Sudan 1st VP defends signing of CPA, says rebellion days are over
Consultations must be done in South Kordufan/Nuba and South Blue Nile-Blue Nile,and the Abyei must also join the South respectively other any noise must be response aggressively if these Arab try provocation.
Cadaai ?o?
Sudan 1st VP defends signing of CPA, says rebellion days are over
Historian and Identity Advocacy View.
First of all, thank you very much Mr. Ali Taha for allows South Sudanese to have their independent through your CPA time signature. That CPA of January 9, 2005 was the done deal for South Sudanese freedom. You are really leader who knows the actually solutions for people problems. To me, there would have been no way South Sudanese could have accepted the Sudan unity again due to what they have learned over end-partial peace of the 1972. Mr. Ali Taha, you are true leader of all people. You know, you have saved people lives over Northern and Southern Sudan civil war.
In my personal view, I think North Sudan government needs to give other people their rights based on mutual respects. These regions of Abyei, South Kordufan, Blue Nile and Darfur are in need of rights to freedom of democracy in anyway possible. Because in North Sudan I don’t see where our former brothers and sisters in North Sudan would be able to control those regions responsibly without allow them to choose their own destinations or identity. Also, I think Northern Sudanese are still behind old days of politics where people use to give up easily. North Sudan, things are dramatically changing nowadays to different views towards new world system of choices. That’s just piece of my advise to our former brothers and sisters in North Sudan.
To conclude my point, hello president Beshir, would you please leave my brothers and sisters of Abyei alone. If it is oil why you refuse them to come to South Sudan, to me that’s just a simple reason my former president. Your country of Northern Sudan has a lot of oil if your Administration would be able manage it well in regards to your people you represents. So please Mr. president Beshir leave Abyei for South Sudanese’ because I couldn’t see the reason why you take hostages of our people.Just let them come to South Sudan like what you have done to South Sudan few months back.
Mr. Beshir, I am looking forward for your leadership based on truth and understandings of other people rights. Abyei people in North Sudan would be like someone mixing grains with sand when it comes to this people identity and history background shows where they should be.
“Peaceful way is always better deserving to people than bloodshed way of precious bloods through wrong reason.”
Alier42
Sudan 1st VP defends signing of CPA, says rebellion days are over
Critism from the north will never affect your name from the book history of massive achievement and you deserved congratulation from the citizens who were tired of wars in 4 decades .not forgetting our all time hero .late Dr John Garang ,who was squarely responsible for the final walk to freedom.
Kolong oo!
Sudan 1st VP defends signing of CPA, says rebellion days are over
Taha was a man of but he is tauhgt by Bashir. You will soon see the upper teeth of USA,UK and France. The genocidal era had gone. Shame on NCP.
pabaak
Sudan 1st VP defends signing of CPA, says rebellion days are over
Ali othoman, is not a matter of fierce rhetoric of saying that the rebellion days are over, if NCP unwilling to address the reasons for rebellion then they will see more and more rebellion. No ways out unless to leave Sudan to marginalizes forces.