S. Sudan lawmakers petition president Kiir over security law

November 7, 2014 (JUBA) – A group of South Sudanese lawmakers have petitioned President Salva Kiir asking him not to sign into law the controversial security bill, which a section of the house passed despite lack of quorum caused by boycott, saying it contravenes the transitional constitution and should be returned for revision.

Thomas Wani Kundu, a member of parliament from Lainya county, central Equatoria State, they submitted petition letter to the president in October and have not yet received a response from him and do not know whether their petition would get a response

“We have asked the president in our petition to not sign into law the bill because it contravenes the transitional constitution. Our people are very concerned with the content of the bill and they are right because the powers which are given to the security would be abused. So we say it should be returned to the parliament for review and revised in a way that accommodates the views of the people of South Sudan”, Kundu explained.

Henry Odwar, another member of parliament from Eastern Equatoria state, said the bill was passed by only 49 members, disregarding minimum requirement for a quorum under conduct of business regulations of the house which requires a minimum of 115 members of parliament in attendance to hold discussion on controversial legislative matter to decide the voting mechanism before a parliamentary decision is made.

Odwar said told reporters on Friday that they were not raising a concern as members of parliament from Equatoria region but that they were speaking as representatives of the people from across the country.

“We are not talking as members of parliament from Equatoria. We are not talking as Equatorians; we are talking about what our people from all the country do not approve. We are talking on behalf of the people of South Sudan as country because we know people from other states have also expressed their concerns and objected the bill.

That was why there were only 49 members who remained behind when we walked out”, he explained. According to him, parliamentary committee on defense and security retained the bill and continued to walk on it after it was controversially passed by a section of legislators.

“The president should not sign this bill into law if he wants the country to remain united, peaceful and homogenous. The bill violates universal bill of rights and the international community has the right to stand with our people and to complain about it because South Sudan is not an island. It is part of the world community despite its sovereignty”, he said.

The legislator revealed the administration of the national legislative assembly intimidated members of parliament from Equatoria region to sign subscription to the passage of the bill.

The legislators are the second group to petition the president not to sign into law after it was controversially approved by the house. Several civil and human right activists across the country and leaders from other political parties, including the largest opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement for Democratic Change (SPLM-DC), petitioned president in October, asking him not to sign the bill into law, stressing possible abuse of powers it gives government operates and would undermine democratic principles and best practices.

At least 47 Central Equatoria state lawmakers signed the strongly-worded petition.

Presidential spokesperson, Ateny Wek Ateny, told Sudan Tribune on Friday that the presidency has received the petition and the president would look into the matter raised by legislators and other group of people over the matter anytime.

“The office of the president received the petition from members of parliament from Greater Equatoria last month, but he did not find time because he has been busy with issues to do with peace, which is now the priority. He is not ignoring the views of the people from Equatoria. He will give it consideration and will do that anytime soon”, said Ateny.

Observers have expressed concern that proponents of the bill may claim legality and legitimacy of the bill if the president fail to assent it into law and failed to provide explanation after one month of parliamentary approval.

But critics and some members of parliament have warned against possibility and expressed readiness to push the president to return the bill to the parliament.

(ST)