SPLM still committed to implement Sudan peace deal – Salva Kiir
By Isaac Vuni
October 16, 2007 (JUBA) — The president of the government of Southern Sudan, Lt. Gen Salva Kiir Mayardit, assured southern Sudan masses that Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) is still a partner with National Congress Party (NCP) for full implementation of the comprehensive peace agreement on January 9, 2005.
Addressing the demonstrators, South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit said “If the President of the nation and the NCP fall, SPLM and I will fall as well. Same as if the SPLM and I fall, the NCP and Omer El bashir will fall as well.”
Hundreds of thousands Southern Sudanese from all walks of life, today Tuesday October 16, demonstrated in Juba the capital of southern Sudan in support of SPLM Political Bureau decision to suspend its member’s participation in the Government of National Unity in Khartoum for failing to fulfill key issue of the comprehensive peace agreement signed on January 9th 2005.
However, Kiir regretted that the international communities who assisted in broking the CPA now decided to go underground relaxing before even full implemented of the CPA.
But when SPLM decided to suspend its member’s participation in the government of national unity, the international community started telephoning and urging him not to go back to war. Kiir asks of where were they when NCP is violating the CPA at easy?
However, Kiir said he assured members of the international community that SPLM will not go back to war but will press for full implementation of the CPA deal to a letter and spirit.
President Kiir went on explaining that SPLM Interim Political Bureau decided to recalled all its presidential advisors and ministers from Gonu and northern states because the CPA is being continuously violated by NCP who refused to demarcate the borderer between the north and the south which should have been done within the six months of the interim period.
Kiir further said there are over 17,000 Sudan Armed forces occupying southern Sudan oil rich territories of Unity and Upper Nile states although CPA stated that July 9th 2007 is the dateline for SAF final withdrawal from southern Sudan.
How could we go for conducting national population census scheduled for February 2008 and election in 2009 without proper border demarcation, posed Kiir
Regarding Abyei issue, President Kiir said even if the case is taken before God, Abyei belong to Dinka Ngok of southern Sudan. So, the so called Arabs have no business to claim the ownership of Abyei and its oil fields.
“Even if we take the case to God Almighty, God already knows Abye belong to Ngong Dinka, NCP knows Abyei is land of Ngong Dinka, even Mesiraya tribe know the land is not theirs. They even changed the name of the Kiir River into Arab River. Whose Arab really belongs to Kiir River? I don’t understand why Khartoum would protest that Israel occupies Palestinians land, when they are doing the very occupying in Southern Sudan.” He said
Kiir further said “Khartoum is vocal why I’m not spending much time in (Rasat Jumhurira) presidency of the republic, yes, it’s true and the reason is vital. I spent more time in Juba not Khartoum because when I go to Khartoum, I do nothing. Why waste time in Khartoum while the development of Southern Sudan needs every one of us?”
He went on saying that SPLM does not force other party members to join them but it’s the individuals who are coming to join SPLM because they are convinced of SPLM vision and policy of crating a democratic and prosperous new Sudan.
Earlier the governor of Central Equatoria state, Clement Wani Konga welcomes and thanked the peaceful but concerned masses of Juba town for their demonstration and solidarity with SPLM Political Bureau’s decision of temporary pulling out from government of national unity until CPA is fully implemented.
The speaker of south Sudan Legislative Assembly, James Wani Igga said there has been some little progresses in CPA implementation but some key issues such as border demarcation and oil revenue distribution due to southern Sudan are not remitted regularly besides southern government does not know even how many barrels are produced in a day.
Wani assured the demonstrators that no body is going to destroy the hardly won CPA in the same way how former President Jaffer Nimeri torn apart the Addis Ababa agreement of 1972 by saying its neither a Koran nor a Bible.
Governor Konga appealed for unity of all southern Sudanese irrespective of their ethnicity, social, religiously and political so that aspiration of the people of south Sudan is realized in the forthcoming referendum.
Jacob Aligo of Central Equatoria Legislative assembly, on behalf of SPLM Secretariat of Central Equatoria state organizing committee presented a petition to president Salva Kiir Maayardit assuring him of their firm support and solidarity on the decision of the SPLM Interim Political Bureau who suspended all its remembers from working with federal government in Khartoum including northern states until CPA is fully implemented.
Meanwhile the representative of youth said they are ready to protect and prevent any person who is attempting to violate the CPA.
(ST)