South Sudan share of oil revenues: A storm in a teacup

Editorial, the Khartoum Monitor

Mar 06, 2006 — At last, what seemed highly controversial has proved to be a mere storm in a teacup. The huge dust storm that rose high as a result of that storm has subsided, leaving the Sudanese people and the world at large astounded over the SPLM’s claims that the share of Southern Sudan from oil returns had been stashed away by the National Congress Party (NCP).

Ironically, in televised press statements following a joint meeting with the NCP, SPLM [Sudan People’s Liberation Movement] spokespersons confirmed that Southern Sudan has fully received its share of oil revenues, and in correct proportions. They all categorically stated there was no mistake in the calculations of the amounts received.

That is all fine as far as figures and the mathematics used are concerned. What is not sound here are the consistent public utterances of SPLM leaders in which they accused the NCP worldwide of not being loyal in implementing the terms of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement with regard to the wealth sharing protocol.

To retrieve events in relation, vice-president Salva Kiir had accused the NCP of falling short of its commitments towards giving the south what it deserves from the oil returns. Roads and communications minister of Southern Sudan, Madam Rebecca, had also turned Kiir’s accusations into a stanza that she sang in every meeting and rally she addressed during her US tour which culminated in two high-level White House meetings. Other SPLM dignitaries followed suit and danced to the same tune in various political forums.

Now that the truth is out, the SPLM has starkly proved that it has a lot to learn in politics, while the NCP has emerged as a mature and skilled political institution. The SPLM has proved to the whole world that its top man, Sudan’s first vice-president, Salva Kiir lied to the Sudanese people and the world at large when he accused the NCP of having deprived the south of its oil share.

Equally true, the SPLM’s spokesman were out to inform the entire world over their press statements that Madam Rebecca Garang did lie to her US audiences about her allegations of inequitable distribution of oil revenues between the south and the north of the country. With all these uncalculated utterances, the stately image, credibility and leadership prudence supposedly commanded by our First Vice-President Kiir has been badly tainted and put into shambles.

Madam Rebecca Garang too has been depicted as untrustworthy. In a real world of democracy and transparency, the SPLM owes the NCP an apology for inaccurate public utterance, or better still, resignation for having misinformed the public, both nationally and internationally. In a fair world, this should happen immediately and without delay. Having acquitted the National Congress of false accusations and claims, the SPLM is now required to tell the southern people where and how it had spent the millions of dollars it received from the federal government.

Much needs to be revealed in a transparent mode since reality speaks for itself in Southern Sudan. No new roads under construction, millions of IDPs and refugees stranded awaiting homeward transportation, SPLM soldiers going without salaries, no fresh recruitment’s or jobs created. So where on earth could those millions of dollars have been spent or which cracks they slipped out of?