South Sudan passes SPLA Bill, 2008
By James Gatdet Dak
October 15, 2008 (JUBA) – The Government of Southern Sudan’s cabinet on Wednesday passed the ‘Sudan People’s Liberation Army Bill, 2008’, which spells out the constitution, mission, structures, and exercise of power, functions and duties of the Army.
It is the Army’s first Bill since the establishment of the Government of Southern Sudan in 2005 and will be tabled before the parliament for final enactment into law.
The Bill was drafted in accordance with the provisions of Articles 158, 159, 160 and 161 of the Interim Constitution of Southern Sudan which grants authority to the Government of Southern Sudan to enact legislation to provide for the establishment, governance and discipline of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA).
It was presented by the Minister of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Development, Michael Makuei Lueth, and passed after thorough discussions and amendments by the Council of Ministers chaired by the Vice President, Riek Machar Teny.
Shortly after the cabinet passed the Bill, Minister of Information and Broadcasting and official Spokesperson of the Government, Gabriel Changson Chang told the press that the Bill made it clear that the SPLA is a non-partisan army in Southern Sudan.
The Constitution states that “the SPLA shall be a regular, professional, patriotic, productive, disciplined, non-partisan military force subordinate to civilian authority as established under the Interim Constitution of Southern Sudan, 2005.”
“The mission of the SPLA is to protect the people and territorial integrity of Southern Sudan,” the Bill states.
The Bill has separated the SPLA as a Southern Sudan army from the SPLM as a political party, and that it is under the command of the President of the Government of Southern Sudan and Commander-in-Chief, but not under the SPLM Chairperson.
It states that the SPLA shall be organized into active and reserve forces and the active forces shall consist of the Ground Force, Air Force and Riverine Units.
(ST)
Kim Deng
South Sudan passes SPLA Bill, 2008
This is the best Bill ever passed by the GoSS sice it was formed in 2005. The next step will be to change the rebel name (SPLA) to South Sudan Army/SSAF as a national army for South Sudan country rather than army for just one party as some folks blindly believe.
The Chairman of the particular party within South Sudan must not be the C-in-C of the army, but president of the South Sudan or GoSS.
People of South Sudan cannot wait and see more productive Bills in coming weeks/months.
martin simon wani
South Sudan passes SPLA Bill, 2008
Brothers let us not trouble ourselves with the change of SPLA name, this is not a priority at the moment. Remember SPLA is the current name in the CPA, Sudan and Southern Sudan interim constitutions.Some of these things can be discuss after the referendum in 2011
Tariel
South Sudan passes SPLA Bill, 2008
Thanks GOSS for our military wing Bill passed.
kim Deng,better prepare to go to hell than dreaming about the change of the name SPLA.
Any legal armed group in south sudan remains SPLA.