South Sudan rebels launch new membership application form

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

July 28, 2014 (ADDIS ABABA) – The SPLM/A in Opposition said on Monday it has launched new membership and application forms to organise members as part of increased efforts to bring about political reforms in South Sudan and restructure the ruling SPLM party.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune, Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, chairman of the SPLM/SPLA national committee for political mobilisation said the SPLM renewal membership and application form was a subscription to a number of fundamental principles that the opposition group is currently advocating.

Among others, the group is promoting the formation of a federal system of governance, popular sovereignty as opposed to dictatorship, and tyranny; constitutionalism and rule of law, economic revolution in which wealth and resources shall be left to the people, transparency and accountability.

Rebel officials in Addis Ababa told Sudan Tribune that the new membership and application forms further intend to recruit and mobilise new members for the SPLM program to overhaul reforms in all sectors, search for sustainable and just political settlement to the ongoing conflict and create ground for upcoming election.

Pierino said the membership is opened to all south Sudanese nationals within the country and those in Diaspora regardless of their political party affiliation, ethnicity or race.

“The new application forms are upgraded with modern features and applicants can now subscribe online using electronic version by filling within the yellow box or submit a print copy to any nearest office,” he said.

Old members, according to the rebel official, are required to renew their membership as a subscription to the reforms and transformation that the opposition movement currently is working to achieve.

“All our supporters in Upper Nile, Equatorial, Bar El Gazel region, Abyei and Diaspora can now apply through their nearest branch office or cells or apply on line,” he said

“All registration serial numbers shall be determined by the Office of Chairman for National Committee for Political Mobilisation,” he added.

The rebel faction, led by former vice-president Riek Machar, have been accusing president Salva Kiir and his inner circles of blocking the SPLM/SPLA National Convention scheduled to discuss and pass basic government reforms since May 2013.

(ST)