Sudanese minister defends one million donation to Kenya
Mar 13, 2006 (NAIROBI) — A state minister in the Government of National Unity has defended the Government of Southern Sudan for donating a million dollars to help fight famine in Kenya.
Some Sudanese have criticized the Government of Southern Sudan for its donation to Kenya, saying the money should have been used to solve problems in southern Sudan.
But the State Minister for International Co-operation in the National Unity government, Barnabas Marial Benjamin, who was on a visit to Nairobi this week, defended the authorities in Juba in an interview with Sudan Radio Service (SRS), saying Kenya has long been helpful to Sudanese refugees living there.
He urged the Sudanese, especially those who took refuge in Kenya during the war, to reflect back on the assistance that they had received from the people of Kenya.
“It is the right decision and any human heart in southern part of the Sudan, if you see the scene of starvation in Kenya and we do nothing about it, then we will even doubt how human we are.”, said Marial Benjamin.
The state minister said the Government of Southern Sudan has enough money to provide basic services in the south, and the gift to Kenya will not adversely affect provision of those services.
The minister went on to appeal to southern Sudanese to give the Government of Southern Sudan more time to deliver services. However, he agreed that with regards to the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the whole country is running late.
Marial says though the government is only 4 months old it has already made some achievements.
He said: “Now while we talk to you, the Government of Southern Sudan is in place 4 months old, they have got the Assembly for the Government of Southern Sudan; the state governments of 10 states in the south have been formed. They are organizing the army, going to assembling points, the United Nations peace keeping forces up to now nearly half in number which is about 6 thousands troops are in. As for the Government of National Unity, we have got the interim constitution in place. The constitution of the government of south is in place. So we can congratulate ourselves and the Government of Southern Sudan. That indeed coming from the background of guerrilla government they are doing good and we should congratulate them and encourage them more.”
The minister says he understands that people would like to see the dividends of peace immediately, but argued that donors have not yet delivered on their promises.
(SRS/ST)