Is it mistrust or lack of confidence?
By Watts Roba Gibia Nyirigwa
Sept 19, 2005 — During the funeral rites of late Dr. Garang in Juba on August 6, 2005, President El Bashir said “we will be strong and together” and “we say to our brother Salva Kiir that we will remain hand-in-hand to apply the peace agreement to the letter”. At this juncture sadly enough El Bashir was not speaking in good faith and intention of willingness of being strong and together. Even when he put his hand on Salva Kiir’s hand, it was not actually a real gesture but he just wanted to demonstrate to the world that he has determination to work hand in hand with Salva Kiir to implement the peace agreement.
Unfortunately, President El Bashir was applying the same old policy of oppression, deprivation and denial of Southern Sudanese community rights. It is sadly to say that over 90% of the oil fields are located in the southern part of Sudan, but Southerners do not have the privilege of enjoying the wealth of their own God given natural resources. As the NC/NIF started ever since exploitation of the oil and natural resources of south to equip, build and modernize its military forces with the modern weapons to committing atrocities against the south. The vast devastation and mass killing and displacement of the local population from the various petroleum areas were very indicative deprivation policy of the national congress ruling party towards the Southerners.
Sometimes one was really wondering if the over 90% of the oil fields were to be located in the northern part of Sudan, will the NC/NIF agree to share its revenues equally with the Southerners! Obviously not, because Northerners do not value and consider Southerners as brothers but a second class citizens or rather “Slaves” which do not deserve better life or even their gifted natural resources. And this can be seen experiential in the NC/NIF development plans during the past 16 years. Even the cities/areas during the war which was under their control do not witness any kind of development except destruction and calamity.
El Bashir has to acknowledge that there is no race can claim superiority over the other and, he has to digest this reality and comply fully with the CPA as stipulated in the article 2.5.3 of power sharing. Just to remind El Bashir that the CPA is built on the trust and confidence between the two institutions. And the two institutions have to work collectively and cooperatively to fulfill their determination in realization of the hopes and dreams of the Sudanese people.
The current dispute and insistence of the NC to hold both ministerial positions “Ministry of Energy and Mining and Ministry of Finance” has no ground at all and it is ridiculous, as the SPLM/A deserves the Ministry of Mining and Energy because its 90% revenue dependent on oil unlike the north Sudan. Also it is worth mentioning here that the development of south Sudan depends entirely on the oil out put. Hence, there has to be a complete transparency in the management of the Ministry of Mining and Energy by SPLM/A leadership and, accountability should be the most instrumental factor in this essential economic sector and to make certain that all the allocated revenue shares should be divided equally as stipulated in the wealth sharing protocol. On the other hand, all promised ministries to Southerners should be complete and any subtraction of its essential components should be a direct violation of peace agreement.
As a Sudanese and if we really love Sudan and wanted to build the Sudan collectively regardless of gender, color and religion, then we should join our hands together and put aside all our indifferences for the national interest of our country. According to my view, there is no better hand than Sudanese hands to build the New Sudan. As stated by our great Leader Dr. Garang de Mabior “We will all co-operate and all unite in order to restore to Sudan”.
* Watts Roba Gibia Nyirigwa, is a Sudanese from Cairo – Egypt. Email: [email protected]