Sudan’s Kiir says there is slow progress in peace implementation
By James Morgan
July 19, 2006 (WASHINGTON) — In a meeting with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement Chapters’ leaders in the USA and Canada, the Sudanese First Vice President Lt. Gen. Salva Kiir admitted that there has been a slow progress in the implementation of the CPA.
The First Vice-President, President of Government of Southern Sudan, Chairman, SPLM, General Salva Kiir Mayardiit today met the SPLM Chapters’ leaders in North America, thus; the United States of America and Canada.
Salva Kiir thanked all the SPLM Chapters’ leaders especially those who have traveled from long distance to come to Washington. He also thanked the Diaspora for its role during the struggle period, he said the Diaspora was one of the effective fronts, known as the 7th front, without it the CPA would have not been achieved.
The President added that the same spirit that prevailed during the struggle must be maintained because, he said we still have challenges ahead of us, and therefore in order to overcome those challenges, our unity is paramount.
On the implementation of the CPA, Kiir Mayardit, explained to the SPLM Chapters’ leaders in North America that, yes, there has been a slow progress in the implementation of the CPA. First, the tragedy that claimed the life of our leader, Dr. John Garang de Mabior on July 30, 2005 had a very serious impact, as this tragedy happened at the time when the CPA implementation was about to begin.
“Indeed, it was a setback to all of us!” Salva Kiir said. “For those who have always wished, SPLM/SPLA a bad luck, it was good news for them because the death of Dr. John, according to those, was an end to the SPLM/A, which they thought, was going to disintegrate into tribal warlords. But we proved them wrong. The SPLM/A leadership were able within 24 hours to come up with unanimous decision that made the continuity of the SPLM/SPLA leadership”, the First Vice-President concluded.
Although the CPA implementation is slowly progressing, he told the audience that there are some areas where the implementation process is completely stuck. These include the National Petroleum Commission, South-North Border Commission and Abyei Border Commission. These commissions are completely at the stand still, and nothing absolutely is being done about them. For instance, the Abyei Border Commission recommendation by a group of experts was rejected out of hand by the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) of Omer al-Bashir, claiming that this group of experts that was charged by the responsibility of this commission, did over step their mandate.
The National Petroleum Commission is also dysfunctional as the NCP would not accept the mechanism that would ensure, fair and proportionate share of 50% as stipulated by the CPA.
The North-South Border Commission is also not functioning, due to reluctance and lack of will by the NCP. However; Salva Kiir assured the SPLM Chapters’ leaders that the Government of Southern Sudan will not compromise these essential areas of the CPA and must see into it that the CPA is implemented wholly without any article missed out. During the SPLM/NCP Khartoum meeting in May, 2006, the First Vice-President said, it was recommended that the out standing issues above will have to be resolved by the presidency, which Salva Kiir said, he and al-Bashir, will have to revisit those areas with the hope of finding, final solutions to them.
(ST)