South Sudanese front boycotts national census

Friday, 18th April 2008 — The South Sudanese Liberation Front (SSLF) has totally boycotted the so-called National census. It is too early to conduct the census at this early stage. The (SSLF) will not participate in the upcoming census for the following reasons:-

(i) GOK and SPLM

The Sudan people’s Liberation Movement (SPLM / SPLA) and the Government of Khartoum (GOK) have re-disintegrated their forces indirectly. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed by these two groups, has disappeared like snow and the SPLM / SPLA) has renewed its rebellion against the Khartoum Government. The political battle between the two parties will result in immediate resumption of military confrontation. The (SPLM / SPLA)’s oil income is used for funding the Dinka Ngok –Misseriya conflict. The oil revenue also is used by (SPLA / SPLM) for purchasing military weapons from foreign states and these weapons are transported to Darfur rebels’ positions. There is doubt that the SPLM / SPLA) is currently fighting alongside with Darfur rebels.

(ii) North-West civil-war

The North-West war started in 2003 between the Darfur rebels and the Government of Sudan (GOS) headed by Field Marshal Gen. Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir. This arm conflict left many people homeless and costed the lives of many innocent people in both sides. The Darfur rebel groups have been struggling for power sharing, wealth sharing, federation and compensation of those who were intentionally killed by Janjaweed (Arab militia men).The North-West civil-war is getting worse in the movement so it will be too difficult to enumerate the Darfur’s inhabitants. How will this census be conducted? Will the people of Darfur participate in this census or they will be excluded?

(iii) South-South civil war

The South Sudanese Liberation Front (SSLF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) have never stayed in peace since the creation of (SSLF) in June 2007. The conflict between the two rival factions has reached tertiary level and this stage will rapidly advance to full scale of South-South civil-war. There is doubt that the South Sudan will experience a bitter and an endless civil-war which will result in internal and external displacement. The two factions will struggle for the control of Southern Sudan as it happened in Palestine and other countries. The (SSLF)’s intention is to drive out the (SPLM / SPLA) of South Sudan and establish a representatives and legitimate government in Southern Sudan. Lt. Gen. Salfa Kir and his associate deputy will automatically escape from Juba in the near future and they will not be allowed to return to Southern Sudan. If they won’t serve their lives before it is too late, then they may be captured alive The (SSLF /UAFLSS) will deliberately militarise Central Equatoria, Northern Bahr-al Ghazal, Jonglei and other states. It is ready for peace talks and also it is ready for South-South civil war.

(iv) SSLF and GOK

The South Sudanese Liberation Front (SSLF) demands equal representation in the governance of Sudan. The (SSLF) believes that the misunderstanding between the Government of Khartoum and the Sudanese rebel forces will come to an end after the achievement of power sharing, wealth sharing, religious freedom, democracy and pluralism, and self determination for the people of Southern Sudan. If the Government of Khartoum fails to involve the excluded rebel groups in the governance of Sudan, then the South Sudanese Liberation Front (SSLF) will officially declare independence of South Sudan from the North by 1st of January 2010. The (SSLF) has already accused the Government of Khartoum for choosing to sign a partial peace deal with the criminals’ organisation called (SPLM /SPLA) and excluded all lawful South Sudanese political and military forces. The (SSLF) also condemned the Sudan’s National Congress Party (NCP), for allocating all the ministerial portfolios to (SPLM / SPLA) and neglected the none-criminals South Sudanese forces. It will be a political suicide to ally with unlawful none-liberation organisation. The paralytic Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) has dead and it will never be resurrected. The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM / SPLA) under the leadership of Lt. Gen. Salfa Kir Mayardit, has not yet discontinued the violation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

v) SPLM-SPLM conflict

The political war between the Unionists and Separatists has reached full scale. The Unionists led by Ms Rebecca Nyadeng Mabior, have declared a bitter war against the Separatists. Ms. Rebecca Mabior, the ex-wife of the late John Garang de Mabior, said frankly that the late Garang did not go to the bush for the separation of Southern Sudan from North; he was demanding United Secular Democratic Sudan. Any one who works against unity will be treated like criminals or slave. Dr Lam Akol who refused to join the Unionists group, survived assassination attempt. Most of his followers were killed by SPLA-Dinka gang of criminals and other escaped with serious injuries. Dr Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon, the leader of Separatists has already survived several assassinations in Southern Sudan. A reliable source says that his name has been written in the Dinka-Bor community’s most-wanted file.

Apart from the above, the battle between the Unionists and the Undecided community is getting worse. Ms Rebecca Nyadeng Mabior is currently struggling for the position of 1st vice presidency. She says that Mayardit should step down to the position of Chief of Staff or deputy commander-in-chief of (SPLA). The source says that this idea is supported by Mr. Bona Malual, Mr. Kuol Manyal Juk, Mr. Deng Alor, James Kok Ruai, Taban Deng Gai and other elements. Ms Rebecca Mabior did not only attempt to hijack Mayardit’s leadership, she tried several times to grab the South Sudan’s vice presidency portfolio in 2005 but she later lost the battle.

Finally, it will be a waste money, time, and energy to enumerate the Sudanese at this stage because the people of Sudan are not yet united. More ever, the Sudan’s civil war is not yet over; many Sudanese have been internally and externally displaced. The (SSLF) suggested that the money which will be spent on the enumeration process, should be spent on the constructing of the marginalised areas such as Southern Sudan, Nuba Mountains, devastated areas in Darfur and other parts of Sudan. This is not a true national census because the enumerators won’t get the correct Sudanese populations. There is no doubt that this partial census was roughly designed to confuse the international community and the marginalised Sudanese.

Signed;

Yien Lam Tot

Former Secretary for External Affair of South Sudan United Democratic Alliance (SSUDA); and Chairman of South Sudanese Liberation Front (SSLF) [email protected]