Sudan’s Kiir says peace country’s first priority
Nov 1, 2005 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese First Vice President, Lt-Gen Salva Kiir Mayardit, who has succeeded John Garang as leader of the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), is distinguished by his calmness, sobriety, willingness to listen, and precision in choosing his words. He was on his way to Juba, capital of southern Sudan, when I asked to meet with him. He deliberately postponed his travel for some time in order to grant Al-Sharq al-Awsat an interview.
He discussed all issues connected with the implementation of the peace agreement. He said the two parties to the agreement are dealing with each other seriously and confidently. He expected an agreement will be reached on Darfur by the end of 2005. He said peace is a big gain for the Sudanese, and it must be preserved. He said: “We cannot achieve peace without agreement.”
He said the present challenge is to make unity attractive, and that is what needs to be done now. Kiir described President Omar Hassan al-Beshir as a relaxed personality that has presence. He said he is capable, amiable, and a genuine partner. He added “Al-Beshir is fully qualified to lead and we have great confidence in him.”
Kiir said the creation of an anti-corruption commission in southern Sudan will prevent donors’ funds from reaching the pockets of others.
Kiir revealed there is coordination between the Sudanese army, SPLM, and Uganda to surround and expel the Ugandan Lord’s Resistance Army from southern Sudan. He described the reports in the possibility of the outbreak of war between Ethiopia and Eritrea as “worrying”.
In an interview published by London-based newspaper Al-Sharq al-Awsat on 1 November, Salva Kiir stated that the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has asked to participate in the national unity government after its formation. Kiir said: “We said to them your request has come late.” Kiir said the DUP is “a close ally and it was possible to give up some of our ministerial portfolios in its favour. However, their request has come late.”
Following is the text of the interview:
– Do you believe the formation of a southern government is met with acceptance by the inhabitants of southern Sudan?
Kiir: It is difficult for a person to know acceptance from non-acceptance. However, I can say that we have persevered in forming a good government. We have exerted an effort for that purpose, in carrying out studies and in integrated work. The SPLM holds 70 per cent of the ministerial portfolios, while the National Congress (NC) party holds 15 per cent, and other political forces are also represented in the southern government.
– Why has not the southern government included ministers from the DUP, an old ally of the SPLM?
Kiir: Our alliance with the DUP and with Muhammad Uthman al-Mirghani stands. However, during the consultation to form a southern government we have not heard from them anything that indicates they have a desire to participate in the government. If they had shown such a desire, we would have given them part of the ministerial portfolios that have been allocated to the SPLM. After the formation of the government a DUP delegation came to us and asked to participate in the government. That is why our response was: “They have come late. The government has been formed and announced.”
– Is the performance with regard to the implementation of the peace agreement proceeding according to the specified time-table?
Kiir: The fact is there is slowness in implementing the peace agreement, as a result of unexpected factors and events, such as the death of John Garang. However, we in the SPLM and the NCP are very seriously holding on to the agreement and we are working together to implement it. There is slowness and delay and we will make a joint effort to make up for such delay.
Government of national unity
– Are you still adhering to your stand on the importance of the participation of all the political process in the peace process and in a national unity government?
Kiir: Yes, I said that to express the SPLM’s commitment to the formation of a national unity government, in which all the political forces participate. I have met with those political forces and held talks with them on participation in a national unity government. Many of them have agreed and participated, and that is a successful step.
– What about the DUP’s participation under the chairmanship of Mohamed Osman al-Mirghani?
Kiir: The DUP will participate in the government. Ministerial portfolios were left vacant so that they can be filled by DUP members who are chosen.
– Why has there been no coordination between the SPLM and the NCP on increasing the number of ministerial portfolios for the political forces?
Kiir: The formation of a national unity government has been completely subject to the provisions of the peace agreement which specifies the shares of the NCP, the SPLM, the northern political forces, and the southern political forces. The SPLM on its part has not objected to anything regarding the participation of all the political sides.
– What about the non-participation of the Al-Umma Party led by Al-Sadiq al-Mahdi and the People’s Congress led by Hasan al-Turabi?
Kiir: The SPLM believes in the importance of the participation of the political sides, because the achievement of peace with them serves everyone. With regard to the Al-Umma Party it has reservations on and a lack of conviction in the peace agreement. It is not strange for its chairman, Al-Sadiq al-Mahdi, to refuse not to participate in a national unity government, because in the first place he is not convinced in what has been reached in the peace agreement.
– What about the People’s Congress led by Hasan al-Turabi?
Kiir: The People’s Congress refused to participate in the national unity government. When I met with Dr Hasan al-Turabi he asked to participate in the southern government. I said to him, you have refused to participate in the national unity government and you want to participate in the southern government “and there is contradiction in that”. I also told him that the political parties in southern Sudan are registered as parties in the South, while the People’s Congress is not registered in the South but is registered in the North.
Donor assistance
– What have you done to persuade the donor states to be serious in implementing the agreement and therefore get assistance from them?
Kiir: As I have said, many factors and events have led to the delay in the implementation of the agreement. In fact the actual implementation began in August 2005 with the appointment of the provincial governors and the legislative councils, the drawing up of the Constitution, and the formation of the southern government, and on the federal level there was the national unity government, the parliament, the council of the provinces, and other decisions connected with the establishment of the bodies and commissions as stated in the peace agreement were made.
I believe that when the international community sees that serious practical and real steps have been made towards the implementation of the peace agreement, that will give a strong impetus to providing financial assistance to achieve development, establish services, and eliminate the distortions created by the years of war in the South.
– Are you optimistic that the donor states will carry out the commitments they have undertaken?
Kiir: Yes, I am optimistic. I have met the delegations and envoys who have come from the United States and Europe. They were very anxious to know about the progress of the peace process. They wanted assurance that it will proceed forward. I have sensed their anxiousness to carry out their commitments, and that is what we expect.
– How much do you expect from the donor states?
Kiir: On the basis of what has been agreed upon at the donors’ conference in Oslo, they will provide about 4.5bn dollars for the reconstruction of southern Sudan.
Sudan-Ethiopia relations
– How do view the step to bring about rapprochement between Khartoum and Asmara?
Kiir: It is very important that our relationship should be good with neighbouring states. We are living in critical circumstances, and our concentration and efforts are focused on the establishment of peace. That is why we cannot bear to have any kind of tension with the any of our neighbours. The step to bring about rapprochement, with the arrival of an Eritrean delegation in Khartoum and the departure of a Sudanese delegation to Asmara, in order to resume consultations and talks on restoring relations to their normal course, is a good step which we welcome and support.
When we were informed of the death of the Eritrean foreign minister, I suggested to President Umar al-Bashir that we send a joint NCP-SPLM delegation to offer condolences to Asmara, but he did not agree. We sent an SPLM delegation to offer condolences on behalf of the Sudanese government and people to President Isayas Afewerki. I think the steps for normalization will proceed forward and that there will be progress and stability in bilateral relations in the interest of the two peoples.
Ugandan rebels
– How will the problem of the Ugandan Lord’s Resistance Army which is now in southern Sudan be solved?
Kiir: The Ugandan Lord’s Army in southern Sudan constitutes a “big problem” for us. We have agreed with the southern government, the federal government, and the Ugandan government on joint military cooperation and coordination to drive out the Ugandan Lord’s Army from southern Sudan. The military commands of the Sudanese army, the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army [SPLA], and the Ugandan army are at present holding meetings and consultations to achieve that task. That is because without driving out the Lord’s Army from southern Sudan the situation will not be stable, and because driving it out completely from southern Sudan will ensure the establishment of the peace desired by the inhabitants of southern Sudan, after they have suffered from the woes of war.
Ethiopia-Eritrea tensions
– How do you view the reports that referred to the possibility of the outbreak of a new war between Ethiopia and Eritrea?
Kiir: This matter is very worrying. I believe any tension among the neighbouring states affects the states that are close to them. If a war does break out – and we hope it will not – it will drain the capabilities and resources of the two neighbouring countries, and it will also inflict harm on Sudan, because a war means refugees will flow from the two sides into Sudan and that will aggravate its problems and suffering. We hope that wisdom will prevail so that it will be possible to tackle any crisis or problem though negotiations and dialogue. We will make every possible effort to prevent the outbreak of war between them.
Egypt-Sudan relations
– What about relations with the neighbour Egypt?
Kiir: The first fraternal neighbour I visited as first vice-president was Egypt whose ties with Sudan are timeless. I met with President Husni Mubarak who stressed Egypt’s support for the peace agreement and Egypt’s complete readiness to provide all possible assistance to ensure the success of the peace process, and to achieve development and the required services. We also talked about the projects which Egypt is implementing in southern Sudan, including the establishment of a branch of Alexandria University in Juba, similar to the Cairo University branch in Khartoum. His words were completely reassuring, and that underscores the strength and solidity of Sudanese-Egyptian relations.
Darfur crisis
– What about your role with regard to the situation in Darfur?
Kiir: The situation in Darfur has deteriorated. We have great hopes that we will be able to tackle and resolve the problem of Darfur in the West and the problem of eastern Sudan by the end of the current year.
– But what about your plan to participate in solving the Darfur problem?
Kiir: The NCP is now responsible for the Darfur dossier. The SPLM has asked to participate in the negotiations, because we have alliances with Darfur groups and we can employ those ties to reach solutions with the peace agreement between SPLM and government as a model. The site of negotiations can be in Asmara. Neighbouring countries – Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt – must be present. President Husni Mubarak has shown great interest in the situation in Darfur and the need to reach a solution that puts an end to the suffering of the inhabitants of Darfur.
– Which comes first, the establishment of peace or talk about attractive unity or secession?
Kiir: At present we are making every effort to arrange the peace process. The people of Sudan must know that peace is a great gain and that we must all rally together to preserve it. We will not be able to achieve development or provide services without stability and without establishing peace. The option of peace is required, but first peace must be consolidated. With regard to secession, it could take place if the stability, services, and development that were agreed upon are not achieved. At the present time, let us give priority to peace and to the strengthening and bolstering of peace.
Repatriation of refugees
– How can those who have emigrated from southern to northern Sudan or the refugees who are in neighbouring countries be repatriated? How many are they?
Kiir: Those who have emigrated from southern Sudan or from the war zones want to return. However, we have asked them to bide their time and be patient until we prepare the areas to which they will return and provide the services, and then they can be transported from the North to the South. The same applies to the refugees in neighbouring countries. With regard to the statistics, they are not accurate. However, there are about four million southerners in the North, and one million in neighbouring states. The population of southern Sudan is estimated at about 10 million. A census of the population of southern Sudan will be held at a later date.
Anti-corruption commission
– Why did you hurry up in your decision to create an anti-corruption commission in southern Sudan?
Kiir: Because in general we believe that corruption poses a serious threat to any state, and there must be honesty and probity when dealing with public funds, and because when in the next stage we begin to receive grants and aid from donor states we want every dollar to go into exactly what is required, either for a development project, services, potable water, education, medical treatment, or housing. We do not want such funds to go into the pockets of others.
We want to assure the international community and the donor states that we are more concerned than them that what they donate goes directly into development, services, and elimination of the distortions created by the war. That is why the decision was made to set up an anti-corruption commission so that it will be a watchful eye and take preventive action to avert loopholes and proscribe corruption in all its forms.
– How do you view the partnership between the SPLM and the NCP?
Kiir: We view it with complete seriousness and we are fully committed to it, not only because the peace agreement prescribes it but also because we hold the conviction that it is this partnership alone that guarantees the achievement of the provisions of the peace agreement and turn them into reality. I can confirm that we in the SPLM have not disagreed over any matter with the NCP, and that we hope there will be understanding and harmony, and that it is in the common interest for such understanding and harmony to continue to be strong and to progress.
– How do you deal with President Umar al-Bashir?
Kiir: President Umar al-Bashir is a relaxed, understanding, and widely experienced personality. I never felt at any moment that I am dealing with a stranger, for he is close and amiable. He is a real partner. We in the presidency – together with the honourable brother [Second] Vice-President Ali Uthman Taha – work together, consult, and cooperate with mutual trust. We are committed to the partnership and to achieving the provisions of the peace agreement. President Al-Bashir is fully qualified for leadership and we have great confidence in him.
– How do you view the presence of 12 advisers in the presidency?
Kiir: Their presence is necessary because the peace agreement has placed great burdens on the presidency, and there is a pressing need for their counsel and advice, each within his area of competence and the tasks assigned to him.
– Why did you deliberately allocate ministerial portfolios to women in the southern government?
Kiir: We in the SPLM believe women are the partners of men in all walks of life. Women have participated with the men during the difficult periods and have demonstrated they are just as fully qualified as men. It is an achievement of justice and equality to have women alongside men in every field. The late John Garang had allocated 25 per cent of all public posts to women, and we are proceeding in that direction.
– Was Mrs Rebecca Garang chosen as a minister in the southern government because she is Dr John Garang’s widow?
Kiir: Mrs Rebecca Garang is a distinguished and highly competent leader and she has many abilities and contributions. Her personal qualifications are a gain for her ministerial post. She was not chosen because she was Dr Garang’s widow but because she was capable of undertaking what is required.