Bona Malwal urges establishment of reconciliation body in South Sudan
April 6, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — A South Sudan heeling and reconciliation process is essential if the tragedies and horrors committed during the years of war are to be constructively addressed, said a prominent political leader.
“It is necessary for the Government of Southern Sudan, therefore, led by the SPLM/SPLA that was largely responsible for the war atrocities within Southern Sudan, to now establish a truth and reconciliation commission, to lay to rest the ghosts of war and to enable the society to reconcile and to move on.” Bona Malwal said.
The presidential advisor was speaking at the 15th anniversary commemoration of death of Veteran politician Joseph Oduhow who was killed on March 27 1993 during an attack against a meeting convened by SPLA-Nasir faction to reunite all SPLA dissidents in Kongor.
“Southern Sudan can not afford to have lost heroes like Joseph Oduho in vain and as we falter from the paths and principles for which Joseph Oduho and others lived and died.” He emphasized in a ceremony organised in the Sudanese capital on Friday April 4.
Malwal, who had difficult relations with the SPLM, becomes more and more virulent opponent to its policies on the national and southern Sudan levels. Each time he has a public intervention, he criticises SPLM’s management of Southern Sudan and its political conduct with regard to the peace agreement implementation.
He accused the government of southern Sudan of spending wastefully the resources of the south and lamenting that things are getting worse.
Speaking about South Sudan’s share in the oil revenue and GoSS transparency in this respect, he said “Are we only entitled, as Southern Sudanese, to know what Northern Sudan is not doing for us and we are not entitled to know what the government of Southern Sudan is doing with our resources for us?”
Bona who was opposed to Naivasha peace process tried to mend his relations with the SPLM after the death of its former chairman John Garang through his good ties with his successor Salva Kiir Mayadrit.
But since Salva Kiir distanced himself from the NCP appointed presidential advisor.
(ST)