SSUDA reacts to Salva Kiir statements during his UK’s visit

November 20, 2006 — SSUDA as a legitimate Political Party that represents the voiceless majority and yearning for democratization, social justice and equality in South Sudan categorically play down allegations alleged by Mr. Kiir’s to the South Sudan community in the United Kingdom in the aftermath of state visit with the British Prime Minister Tony Blair at 10 Downing Street , London, UK.

In the light of all the allegations made by Mr. Kiir, SSUDA political Bureau would like to make the followings:-

I) DARFUR PROBLEM

First, the CPA would not be lost because of Darfur Crisis or problem. There are no correlations between Darfur crisis and the CPA. They are two opposite problems identified by the IGAD mediators and the international peace sponsors. They both have two different solutions. The CPA will definitely fail because it is not transparent, comprehensive and inclusive. Most importantly, the weakness of the CPA is that it has excluded major military forces, political forces and the civil societies. It has further failed to organize an appropriate dialogue among all southerners for equitable power sharing and the establishment of democracy, good governance, human rights, to rid itself off corruption, which is the major critical instruments that will certainly lead to the collapse of the CPA and the SPLM led government in Juba. Furthermore, the SPLM led government because it is an authoritarian, autocratic, tyrannical and Machiavellian management system style; it has failed to attract qualified Southern Sudan cadres to help it make a transition from being a revolutionary movement to political party in the South.

Regarding the current situation in Darfur, the SPLM is not genuine in searching for a lasting political and peaceful conflict resolution. Mr. Kiir as the First Vice President of the Republic of Sudan, he should work hand-in-hand with the President of the Republic because he [Mr. Kiir] is part of the system. He should not follow the old and archaic SPLM/A political system and his own political whims to interfere. He should follow the national policy to admit or not to admit the entry of foreign forces into Sudan. The Government of Sudan is a sovereign entity and a member state of the United Nations, the African Union (AU). Under international law, no sovereign state in the world can accept foreign troops to enter into its territory without proper legal justification. In the case of Darfur, the sovereign government must consent to the UN resolution. The role now plays by the SPLM leadership consenting to the UN troops to enter Darfur tantamount to the violation of the CPA articles and provisions thereunto. This is part of “the regime change” that has been designed and orchestrated by the SPLM/A retrospect to1994. The UN Resolution 1706 needs further clarification such that it does not mount to re-colonization of Sudan and Africa in general. The people of the Sudan should weigh the costs and benefits of the UN troop’s presence in the Sudanese territory. We should be mindful of the mess the men in Blue Helmets created in the Congo and the impact and the scares such a mess left for the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo had go through. We should learn from such a lesson that our neighbors had to pass through.

We believe that the Sudanese people have the modern and traditional instruments and mechanisms to resolve their problems. We created the mess and we have the capacity to clean our mess instead of relying on outsiders. The SPLM/A given its so many limitations, must and ought to rethink strategically its position in Darfur. The Rebel movements in Darfur and the government should return to the table to workout the redundant parts of the May Agreement 2006 between them the government. SSUDA as a registered political party in Sudan and with many experienced personalities in conflict resolution and international relations could contribute towards finding a just and durable peace.

II) LRA PEACE INITIATIVE

The Bible teaches us that “blessed are the peacemaker for they shall be the children of God”. SSUDA support the ongoing peace initiative between the LRA and the government of Uganda. We hope it succeeds. In addition, we wish them the best. Now, if the mediators really mean the LRA and the government of Musseveni to have peace that would be a noble cause. However, the root causes of the current situation between the LRA and the Musseveni regime was due to real neglect and exclusion of the LRA group to participate in the political process. If, President Yuri Musseveni had united all the people of Uganda when he took power, the current situation would not have occurred.

Now, let come to our own back yard, why the SPLM/A refuses to have a meaningful South-South Dialogue with the voiceless majority who have been deliberately and willfully excluded from the CPA? Does the SPLM means peace in the South or is it just a zero sum game of politics? We should learn our viable and vibrant lessons from the current post-conflict situations in Uganda, the DRC, Angola, Mozambique and Liberia…etc. SSUDA urges SPLM/A leadership for meaningful South-South Dialogue as a safety valve or a stopping gap measure to prevent the escalation of South-South civil war.

III) ASSISTANCE TO SOUTH SUDAN

Looking at it, South Sudan does not need any help from outside because there is more than enough money to go around. However, we need only logistics and technical of developed human resources. The measure problem facing the GOSS today is rampant corruption, lack of qualified cadres within the SPLM and its failure to attract highly qualified South Sudanese technocrats aboard because they are not what the SPLM has termed as “confirmed” members of the SPLM. The SPLM led government has bad governance, expertise, and the lack or the absence of Organization Management and Development (OMD) in the current GOSS in Juba.

According to the World Bank report, “the total oil revenue of southern Sudan amounted 865 millions US dollars in September 2006. September’s allocation for the southern Sudanese government totaled 2.148 billions US dollars, comprising the above oil revenue, 688 millions US dollars direct cash payment, and 595 millions US dollars withdrawals from the national oil revenue stabilization account”. Reckoning the above-mentioned report, it justifies that the GOSS has enormous problems. First, it lacks good governance and the capacity to govern the south alone without the inclusion of other southerners. Second, the GOSS is riddle with rampant corruption. This problem is known worldwide. For instance, Juba town has become the world’s most expensive city because you can rent a tent with out basic services for US$125 per night and an unfurnished house rent for over US$3,000 per month. This is incredible for the most backward South Sudan to experience this situation. Why should the SPLM led government should request for more money when they are wiring money to their relative abroad and carrying money in their bags?

The World Bank report also clarifies a very interesting point that “the post-conflict situation in southern Sudan is better than that of East Timor and Afghanistan where majority of the people are poor”.

SSUDA could not agree more with the report because we have been campaigning for absolutely and positively for the emergence of good governance. SSUDA believes the oil revenue could be use for reconstruction of the post-war South Sudan. SSUDA repeatedly called for the formation of a multiparty democratic government to support the World Bank report that “said revenue from oil will be used well if government authorities practice good governance”. SSUDA supports the World Bank advice that “both the Governments of National Unity and the Government of Southern Sudan to establish transparent policies and encourage private investments in the country”. Please check on the GOSS net: Click here to see GOSS share from oil revenues

IV) AVOIDING READING THE INTERNET

SSUDA rejects Kiir’s allegations because they are baseless, groundless and unprecedented. SSUDA urges all South Sudan intellectuals, professionals, and students to express the malpractices within the GOSS through the internet and other media in any languages for the world to know the how corrupt, deficient, and the tyrannical rule of the SPLM led government in Juba. It is indeed shameful when the president of the GOSS tries to blackmail the media that always acted as a watchdog in a democratic society. The good thing that we have learned is that Mr. Kiir has shown to the people of south Sudan and the international his true colors. It appears now that he resents opposition, which a truly democratic value, and still hide behind the old and dirty curtains of the SPLM/A where he was a chief executioner of southern intelligentsia.

V) INSECURITY IN THE SOUTH

Thank you, Mr. President for admitting the insecurity situation in the South. It is ridiculous to call the true South Sudan nationalists as bandits in Upper Nile. These freedom fighters fought the liberation for South Sudan before your SPLM. SSUDA rejects categorically the so-called new form of LRA in Greater Equatoria alleged by Mr. Kiir. It is an insult to the people of Greater Equatoria. Thus, calling them, “these Equatorian bandits” is inconceivable. It’s normal for the SPLM to execute southern revivals. How many people did Mr. Kiir himself ordered to be executed in parades in the SPLM/A? If the language of execution does not stop, opposition against the tyrannical rule of the SPLM led government in Juba would be bound to escalate. People have a right to free themselves from this illegal occupation in the name of liberation.

Signed: David de Chand, Chairman of SSUDA, former Sudan ambassador/Director of Peace and human rights, MOFA, Khartoum