SPLM confirms new head of US Nebraska chapter
December 10, 2007 (WASHINGTON) — The head of Government of Southern Sudan Mission (GOSS) in Washington Mr. Ezekiel Gatkuoth visited the state of Nebraska to confirm the new chairperson of the Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) chapter.
Elizabeth Ajongo assumed the chairpersonship duties and had been the acting chairperson for more than a year since the chairman left for Sudan.
During his visit of the SPLM chapter members to oversee the democratic transition of the leadership, Gatkuoth urged them continue their outstanding support of the female led office.
Gatkuoth addressed the chapter saying that the SPLM “has changed the political panorama in the Sudan”.
The GOSS official noted that the peace deal in Eastern Sudan was signed after the SPLM joined the government of National Unity.
“The SPLM was instrumental in bringing back Sudan-Eritrea relations back to normal” he added.
On the recent political crisis between the SPLM and the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) Gatkuoth stressed that the SPLM “spent great deal of time to find any possible concur solution with NCP that would resolve Abyei demarcations, north-south boundaries, census and the rest of contentious issues”.
Last October, the SPLM decided to suspend their participation in the national unity government because of what they describe as the NCP’s failure to fully implement crucial elements of the CPA.
However Gatkuoth accused the NCP of not taking the implementation of the CPA seriously and warned that the SPLM will not reverse their withdrawal decision until all issues are resolved.
The 2005 peace agreement brokered by the US and other western countries that ended Africa’s bloodiest conflict left some 2 million people dead in fighting, related disease or famine.
(ST)
Kizth M.
SPLM confirms new head of US Nebraska chapter
Diaspora usual confusion,
Surely, it is high time the Southern Sudanese differentiate between the Government and political party. I expected the GOSS mission in DC to start to inform the public there of this important differences. Because if we leave it like this, most will think in the future that the GOSS mission has a dual character hence any new head of mission, will think that he or she is automatically head of SPLM chapter or the other way round. Are we ready for this kind of politics? I am personnally happy that the two post are currently occupied by one person, as a member of the party, I feel some advantages in that regards, our party will be able to promote it policies beside the national policy of the GOSS.
Making the difference between SPLM and GOSS clear now at this stage will help the coming leaders of the chapter in the future to know that the mission in DC can be occupied by non-SPLM member e.g. USAP or any other political party in Southern Sudan. When we are promoting democracy, we should as well think toward that direction as well.. that way we shall avoid conflict of interest in the future.
It is this lack of clarity that brought the likes embrassing expectation placed on Dr. Lam Akol when he assumed the GoNU FM. many of us expected him to speak for the party while infact, LAm only uses the party to gain position and once on the top he started to show his realy colours. The same issue with the people he brouth along e.g. the Amb. Ukech and many other fakes Sudanese ambassadors brought by Lam in the attempt to revive his dead party…