South Sudan SSUDA announces political platform

“To pioneer democracy through dialogue; tolerance by promoting culture of peace; good governance; freedom of expression and assembly; social justice; liberty; unity; cultural diversity; human rights; and equality for all in one indivisible South Sudan and nation and people“.

Section 1: Goals and Objectives

1. To promote a culture of peace and tolerance that shall weaken and neutralize the oppressive ethnic colonial system from monopolizing the political scene and the economy, with a democratic system and complete support and participation of people from all walks of life.

2. To create a formidable institution that shall remain in place forever. To free the country from the authoritarianism, dictatorship, ethno-centralism (tribalism) and its hegemonic tendencies, religious, language and other divisiveness and to bring about unity, equality, social justice, freedom, liberty, rule of law.; transparency and accountability.

3. To bring about development through the implementation of a free-market economy (laissez faire), privatization, democratization and peaceful federal system of governance.

4. SSUDA would engage the people at the grass-root level for effective political, economic and social participation.

section 2: reconciliation, peace and unity

1. To create a transitional government through peaceful and democratic process, South- South Dialogue and roundtable discussions that includes all political forces, religious and community leaders.

2. To create a constitution with Basic Laws that allows true and genuine participation by all political parties on a fair and open democratic national voting system that will ensure prevention of going back to neo-colonial era. To enable the achievement of a sophisticated political culture that allows for dialogue, roundtable discussions and for peaceful conflict resolution.

3. To strive for the complete elimination of the divisiveness, tribalism, stereotyping, stigmatization, hatred and fear among the general public and to accelerate the process for reconciliation, unity of purpose and of equals, repentance and forgiveness, peace, cooperation and economic development.

4. To work in union with all the forces that are prepared to promote unity; democracy; rule of law; human rights; civil society; culture of peace; and promote good governance.

Section 3: Political Agenda

1. To empower the people and to establish good democratic and transparent governance founded upon a people’s constitution with freedom and equality for all, without any discrimination on the bases of tribe, religion, sex, region, etc….

2. To encourage the formation of political parties that should be free from tribalism, language, religion, and gender differences. And, to have and maintain a transparent voting system whereby the ones elected by majority vote would have the opportunity to serve the people.

3. To ensure that the government responsibly continues to create an enabling environment for rapid development and economic growth for the nation.

4. To ensure that the historical flag with Red, Green, White, Black stripes and a Buffalo in a white circle in the center, that has represented the South Sudan unity, honor, pride and sovereignty is maintained.

5. To ensure that all avenues of communication are open and transparent and that freedom of speech, press, assembly are fully exercised and preserved by all before the law of the land.

6. To assure that the law of the land make distinct line of demarcation between the separation of state and religion. Thus, encourage unity and harmony while acknowledging that freedom of religion and love of country, under God, are practiced as choice and duty respectively.

Section 4: Economic Agenda

1. To devise policies that would encourage the practice of free economy for the prosperity of the South Sudanese people. Ensure that the law allows free-market enterprises and privatization to grow at an accelerated pace.

2. To ensure that the policies favor and promote research and development for self- sufficiency in food production, and the creation of employment opportunities that improves the people’s standard of living. Moreover, to further assist private and public entities with credit programs which are essential for stronger economic development?

3. To prioritize projects for economic development and ensure that South Sudanese citizens have full rights to participate and/or involve foreign investors on a joint venture bases.

4. To guarantee that land be divided among farmers in a lawful and equitable manner. Individuals who legally own their land would have the right to sell, exchange, bequeath and transfer among family; lease such properties in cities or in the rural areas.

5. To improve the standard of living for the domestic sector of the nomadic and horticulturalist population by providing technical assistance and training for improved livestock management.

6. To support the areas that are underdeveloped or neglected in the South as a result of SPLM/A false premises and claims of “insecurity” in the aforesaid areas and to accelerate their growth for sustainability.

7. To devise strong measures for the elimination of corruption practices, nepotism, favoritism, and bribery and extortion that have hindered national progress.

Section 5: Social Issues

5.1 Education

1. To implement modern education for all. Asserting that South Sudan’s growth and development is ensured when her children are empowered with modern education and that they are given equal access. Thus, education and health and social welfare would receive a priority, with the expansion of vocational/technical training schools and universities/colleges for professional education.

2. To encourage programs that would increase patriotism and inspire the students to make a positive difference for the future of their country.

3. To give special support to science and technology institutions and make it possible for South Sudanese from all walks- of -life to attain subsidized education at federal and states land grants universities/colleges for all citizens.

4. To encourage and to provide the support needed to advance the establishment of schools and teachers training institutions. Thus, accelerate educating the mass and eliminating illiteracy. Veteran, widowers and their children shall be given free education and substantial compensation for their sustainability.

5.2 Health

1. To ensure that the South Sudanese population would have access to all basic health insurance, social services administration and social welfare and to implement a preventive health education agenda through the establishment of community health centers all over the South. The federal and state legislatures shall draft laws for compliance.

2. To establish a social health plan that works towards effectively eliminating transferable, treatable diseases and the creation of Center for Disease Control (CDC) and National Institute of Health (NIH) for the treatment and study of diseases for which cures have not yet been found such as HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and other diseases.

3. To establish modern health facilities in all areas of the country and to ensure the availability of medical supplies and equipment as a priority. The private sector will also be encouraged to play an active role in this sector.

4. To provide aid in the proper preparation and distribution of traditionally effective medicines.

5. To ensure that the availability of health care is equitable to all.

6. To provide the nation with clean drinking water.

5.3 OTHER SOCIAL Priorities

1. To encourage the country’s agricultural, manufacturing, trade and services sectors for improved training such that better skills can be attained for the effective use of the available national work force.

2. To ensure that retirees and disabled veterans are given fair retribution that is livable and competitive with inflated prices. Consideration will also be given to creating other avenues of income generation for these individuals.

3. To create alternative means of earning a living for citizens that are currently under destitute conditions such as begging, dependency syndrome on UNOLS and WFP, drugs or other dehumanizing professions.

4. To establish a social welfare programs for the rehabilitation of juvenile delinquents, the disabled, Veterans, retirees, and the elderly who are unable to earn wages and do not have a support system.

5. To eradicate the negative effects that result from human and natural disasters through the establishment of national emergency relief programs.

6. To free all political prisoners and to repatriate all the South Sudanese refugees from the neighboring countries and to facilitate a viable resettlement program.

7. To preserve the historical and cultural heritage assets of the nation. The appropriate preservation of religious and cultural artifacts, traditional South Sudanese languages etc… would be given national priority with in depth studies and documentation.

5.4 Religion

1. To ensure separate of the state from the religion, whereby all individuals are guaranteed freedom of religion.

2. To provide religious freedom and one’s right to practice in peace.

3. To closely monitor any movement that might use religion as a cover for challenging the sovereignty and security of the nation.

5.5 Languages

1. To give special provisions for the use, preservation and growth of the multi-languages and cultures.

2. To ensure the preservation of the languages and cultures of South Sudan.

Section 6: Individual Basic Rights

1. To guarantee individuals the right to work, exercise free speech, expression and assembly, accumulate wealth, commune, and pursue life, liberty, and happiness.

2. To uphold all International declarations and charters that pertains to Human Rights.

3. To ensure freedom of movement for all South Sudanese throughout all the regions of the country.

4. To ensure that no South Sudanese shall be forced to loose his/her citizenship rights without legal proceedings. Unless it could be proven without a reasonable doubt that an individual had committed a crime, upon the findings of courts, one shall not be imprisoned and one’s place of residence shall not be searched without an official warrant from the courts. Moreover, no person shall be detained without charge more than 72 hours. This would tantamount to violation his/her habeas corpus.

5. To ensure that all South Sudanese shall have the right to sell, exchange, and bequeath the property to which they are legally entitled.

6. To ensure that all South Sudanese who are of age shall have the right to participate in the political system, to vote and run for an office as long as they do not have a criminal record or are declared mentally incapable or impaired.

7. To ensure establishment of fair labor laws that provide for equal opportunities

8. Establishment of a fair minimum wage law

9. Right to protection of Habeas Corpus fair, the right to fast trial and the right to access public law, public information.

Section 7: National Defense, Police and Intelligence Organizations

7.1 National Defense

1. To ensure the establishment of none sectarian and none ethnic professional army for national defense that would be made up of individuals who have to be recruited after good education or orientation and by choice and based on their willingness and ability, for defending the nation’s borders and sovereignty from external aggression. The current South Sudan Defense Forces (SSDF) and the SPLA forces shall be integrated at the end of the interim period and to be transformed to form the nucleus of the professional national army otherwise shall be known as the South Sudan Defense Force (SSDF).

2. To ensure that the National Defense army is reformed well trained and equipped, in democratic transition manner, including how the relationship between the armed forces and legislatives, judicial, and executive power might be institutionalized in a way that promote democracy and accountability. Separate and free from special interest groups. It shall not influence politics and shall follow all the laws set forth in the constitution.

3. To build a strong Defense Force, modernized for the defense of the integrity of the entire nation. Members of the former movements who have sought resettlement abroad shall be allowed to participate if they are interested in protecting the sovereignty of their nation. They should be promoted to equal ranks as their former colleagues of the same ranks.

7.2 Central POLICE AND Intelligence

1. Provision of public security could be achieved by regulating and institutionalize their function to establish an organized and capable central police and intelligence system that can enforce national peace and stability.

2. To ensure that the national police and intelligence agency, must be a credible body or system, therefore, we must make sure they have the right education and good system in place that would teach democratic values and human right in school before joining our security system; then the group must composed of all ethnic groups of South Sudanese. They should be thoroughly subjected to criminal background investigation, tested, trained and take an oath to protect and serve the country and its people.

3. To ensure that Police and Intelligence officials would be prohibited from participating in any political arena. They must be given a good training in connection with the countries that set example of democratic governance and human rights respect.
4- To ensure that the police and public security agencies are independent from political establishment

Section 8: NATIONAL FOREIGN POLICY

1. To devise a foreign policy that is free of influence and interference of any external government, but at the same time open to working in partnership with foreign countries in ways that are mutually beneficial.

2. To ensure that the foreign policy would assist accelerating economic development. The foreign policy would generally support the overall need for cooperation, peace and partnership.

3. To collaborate with other nations of the world and those who are working for peace and democracy. Also pro-actively work to ensure that the damaged images of Southern Sudanese People, internationally, is healed and restored.

4. To uphold the charters, of African Unity (African Union) and of the United Nations Human Rights Organizations as long as these declarations do not interfere with vital national strategic, economic and national interests.

5. To make diplomatic strides to establish and set the legal borders of South Sudan and hence protect the sovereignty of the nation. Establish the fact that the obligations and agreements, contracts entered into by the neo-colonialist SPLA in darkness on behalf of the South Sudanese people shall heretofore be declared de facto, illegal and null and void.