South Sudan’s Machar withdraws from parliament

Sept 13, 2005 (KHARTOUM) — The Vice President of the southern government, Riek Machar, has withdrawn his membership from the National Assembly “parliament”, because it legally opposed with his appointment as Vice President of the south.

Machar told Al-Ray al-Amm that members of his office had urged him to represent them in parliament, but that Article 86/3 in the law does not allow one to combine the rank of vice-president of the south with being a member of parliament.

He said he withdrew his membership for that reason, and not because of any disputes.

(ST)