Sudanese minister urges South-South dialogue against tribalism

Dec 13, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — A state-minister in the Government of National Unity has called on southern Sudanese to unite and to hold South-South dialogue to combat tribalism.

In an interview with Sudan Radio Service (SRS), State Minister in the Presidency Telar Deng said southern Sudanese can only work together if they tolerate one another and stop dividing themselves along tribal lines.

“My appeal is for the Sudanese to work honestly to bring peace in Darfur and in eastern Sudan, also, and to southern Sudanese themselves to accept to live in peace amongst themselves, with their tribes. We have just come out of war and we really need to live together after 21 years of war we do not want the south to live and have always conflicts amongst themselves and all these thing. That will not take the south any further; we will appreciate if in the near future we can have South-South dialogue so that all of us can come together”, Telar said.

He also called on southern Sudanese to undertake what he calls south to south dialogue as one way of solving tribal differences among southern Sudanese.

Meanwhile, Mr Deng says the just-concluded fifth summit of the heads of state and government of African, Caribbean and Pacific Group gave Sudan a chance to discuss some of the issues affecting the country.

He said President Omar al-Bashir, who is now the chairman of the group, raised some issues to do with the implementation of the CPA, the Eastern Peace Agreement and the Darfur Peace Agreement.

“The benefit for the people of Sudan is very clear. This is an African, Caribbean and Pacific states so it has a wider audience in terms of representation, in terms of messages and in terms of the impression they have about Sudan and the issues discussed also in terms of security, good governance, the rule of law, peace initiatives such as the implementation of the CPA as mentioned by the President, and also the Darfur Peace process and the Eastern Sudan.” He said.

(SRS)