Sudan’s First Vice-President says census begins next week
April 17, 2008 (RUMBEK/JUBA) — Sudanese First Vice President said that the fifth national census will begin on April 22 in the whole country urging the necessary mobilisation to ensure its success.
Mayadrit confirmed the conduct of the population count on the determined day by the Sudanese presidency on April 22. He also, insisted on the importance of the census with regard to the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
Kiir underlined southern Sudanese will be counted wherever they are as far as they are inside the country.
The southern Sudan government announced on April 12 its withdrawal from the fifth national census saying it wants southerners living in the north to return to the south before the census.
“There is a sizeable number of southern Sudanese in northern Sudan and if they are not transported to the south before the census it will … affect the wealth sharing.” Chang said.
In Juba, Isaiah Chol Aruai, the chairman of the southern Sudan Census, Statistics and Evaluation Commission (SSCSEC), told reporters that the census would be conducted on the date defined by the Sudanese Presidency.
Chol described the position of southern Sudan cabinet as “political” and as “opinion,” saying that SSCSEC complies with instructions from the national census body, which implements the Sudanese Presidency decisions.
“The statement [made yesterday] by the Government of Southern Sudan is a political statement and the decision of the Presidency is also a political decision and Southern Sudan government is entitled to its opinion and to its stance. But as per the directives of the Presidency, we are to go ahead implementing the census.” Chol said.
The spokesperson of Southern Sudan government, Gabriel Changson Chang, announced on Wednesday that a national census could not be conducted in southern Sudan next Tuesday unless a number of requirements were met.
GoSS minister of information said his government would therefore reserves the right to have an opinion on the general outcome of the census results; if the issues raised are not addressed by the presidency and permit the census to go ahead.
Minister Chang said in order to achieve the desired objectives of the census, the presidency may have to extend the deferment period or extend the counting period in Southern Sudan. He also said that the presidency had to consult the southern Sudan cabinet before determining the new date of April 22.
The Sudanese Presidency, comprising President Omer al-Bashir, First Vice President and President of the southern Sudanese government Salva Kiir Mayardit and Vice President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, accepted last Sunday a demand by the southern Sudanese government to postpone the census from April 15 to April 22.
Sudan Tribune correspondent in Rumbek, Manyang Mayon contributed to this report
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Deng
Sudan’s First Vice-President says census begins next week
Why give in on stopping census, your bad and cowardly decision will come and hunt the southerners down in the near future. Extremely bad decision, Mr. Salva, please stop this unpopular and politicized census, the southerners will pay a price for this soon. Stop the census.
Salva is a coward, politically uninformed and a naïve leader. What kind of a leader that gives in at the face of every difficult decision. We have seen powerful ministry taken by northerners during the power sharing, e.g ministry of defense and energy were snatched away from him, he gave in. Salva fail to pressure NCP to accept resolution on north and South boundary, he failed to bring the culprit who were behind Malakal unrest to justice, Darfurian are being massacred in his watch, the press is being censors in his watch. Salva is politically incapable naïve and a weak leader. He is a liability to the people of South Sudan and the country the country as a all. Please resign
Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy
Sudan’s First Vice-President says census begins next week
ha ha ha Southerners are proud of their leader,while leaders are acting like babies being deceive like a 8 years old Southerner.Mr Kiir your really working under bashir rules other than working on your own opinions,what is your problems of leading this census to begin on April 22,are we sure about our future if we keep ignoring Kiir as our leader of Goss,well he is already properous with the little he save in his pocket and any time he will disappear in South,how about the poor ones who are unable to escape,please dont begin to sell our people to NCP while we are watching,it’s better to resign and find samething to do else where.this is crazy to work under sameone,how about those Southerners in North including those in neighbouring countries sorry to hear this shocking agreement,our future has nothing else if we ignore this leadership
Toposa Boy southerner
Sudan’s First Vice-President says census begins next week
Best S, S I ask the southerners to rise up and fight the prose’s of the census looks like Silver kirr is giving in to the NCP the danger is looming very close indeed the total distraction of the southerners soon you will not receive money from your own oil that means no development no salaries even now with the oil money we getting we don’t see any development taking place so Silver kirr if you want to be cow boy of the north you can do so by giving up your position to the real cow boy of the south please do that as quickly as possible so that we southerners move forward with out sickness of the north
NCP as complicated your brain already you don’t even respect your own government in the south
Deng Akol Agut-tungdoun
Sudan’s First Vice-President says census begins next week
I really can’t understand the reason as to why Mr Joshua did this but lets wait and see what is the reason behind it. I do hope that Mr Joshua can not betray us at this moment,he could have done it some years back, so mr Taposa wise boy wait and see the way all of us are waiting. My advise to the web users is: FILLS YOUR EARS BEFORE EMPTYING YOUR WIDE MOUTHES AND YOU SHALL LIVE LONGER IN THIS SUDAN.
May God bless our wise leaders when making crucial decisions.
Deng Magot Riem
Sudan’s First Vice-President says census begins next week
Dear Goss leaders, what is important is not how early the population of the south is known but how well it is conducted. Also it is should be understood how it is helping the south. if Is it something connected to wealth sharing,as many anticipate it then why does GOSS ingnore the other members who are not in the area and they desevre counting.
Again, the second most important is that border demarcation is not clear, so where will south begin her counting towards what direction and where will their destination be.
YOur H.E MR. president, consider the will of the citizens and the reality of this matter. The census is as important but give it a little time such that southerners come to south.
James Okuk Solomon
Sudan’s First Vice-President says census begins next week
His Excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit is right in his decision to allow the Fifth Census to take place in Southern Sudan. His decision is based on the spirit of the CPA and safeguarding its implementation. The issues of un-demarcated South-North Borders, un-repatriated IDPs, Ethnicity (Tribe), Religion, and Rainy Season are not directly related to the census and should not be used as justification to postpone it. Also it is included in the census questionnaire form whether the counted person is from the South, North, East, West or Center of the Sudan. Therefore, there is no fear in knowing later how many people belongs originally to Southern Sudan but were counted elsewhere. Bravo and long live Salva Kiir.
Gabe
Sudan’s First Vice-President says census begins next week
I am sorry to mention it dear southerners, that we love to choose names rather then their meaning. it wasn’t too long ago that our leaders were cry loud of census being delay by NCP. the name census was sweet in sound, but the leadership failed to choose meaning over sound until it was too late . now that we are caught up in nonsense census becuase we do not thinks far enough to choose meaning over name. census in meaning not just name is what the CPA promised. it took us upto the last day to notice that we are missing the meaning from that word census. i thought when the leadership used to talk about census it had the meaning not sound and dictionary definition, but what its mean to southerners and sudan at large. A meanful census can be a good arguement to turn the page in sudan history. questioning sudan indentity with supporting data and see what is NCP’s arguement of Sudan indentitity and what is the prove if any. but now we blown it up, with our hand being twisted by NCP like we are non-thinkers which i doubt. i hope one day God will bless us with a generation that thinks through things and loving to choose meaning over name or big name. (e.g want to be a leader to work for the people, but not becuase the name president or leader sound good.)i am disappointed in the matching ahead style of our leadership. becuase it sound good does not means good to us.
Thank!