Human rights bill passes in South Sudan legislature
By Isaac Vuni
January 13, 2009 (JUBA) – The South Sudan Legislative Assembly today passed the Human Rights Bill following yesterday’s unexpected adjournment.
Contributing to a heated debate on the bill, Hon. Mohamed El Hag said it was overdue as daily rampant killings, particularly in Juba city, amount to violations of human rights.
Hon. Peter Bashir observed that the human rights record in Sudan had been and is still very poor even though SPLM appointed an independent commission in June 2007.
Another legislator, Hon. Jimmy Wongo, suggested consolidating 19 commissions that are duplicating duties in southern Sudan. He urges southerners to be proud because human rights and anti-corruption commissions do not exist in the Islamic-led Khartoum government.
Hon. David William Tut suggested that those nominated as commissioners should be properly scrutinized and be non-partisan people.
Hon. Wall Deng Ajak observed that men and women were slaughtered in southern Sudan’s hospitals and opposed reducing the status of the commission to state minister.
Then Hon. Deng Kual said the worst violators of human rights in Southern Sudan are top political leaders in any given location.
The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Martin Lomuro emphasized that some states like Central and Eastern Equatoria have acted in disrespect to laws passed by the august house.
Meanwhile Hon. Loluke explained that Human Rights and Anticorruption commissions have not been working properly for the last two years in Eastern Equatoria as Governor Ojetuk manipulate and dined medical treatment to people deliberately being detained by his authority.
Loluke added that effective operational commissions in south Sudan are led by women, and wondered at the 17 men leading the commission.
There were 83 MPs present plus five absent with permission totaling 88 legislators for quorum, and the bill was passed for the third and final reading at 1:15 p.m.
(ST)
Ichok Malou
Human rights bill passes in South Sudan legislature
I don’t believe anything that SSLA passed would come to accomplishment one day, because South Sudan politicians in that so call august house are not elected by the people of constituent they are belonging to.
Imagine last year the speaker said since they assumed the office in 2005 only eight bills were so far passed for a period of three years.Is that a parliment house or personal house? comeon politicians you are serving the nation of 15 million people therefore you need to be more practical than logical because you don’t even honour your constitutions just randomly pass them.
Additionally when you form a lawful body it sounds quite constitutionally effective and abidant.Anti-corruption commissions was formed and given legal powers to execute anybody found guilty of embezzlement.Unfortuntely nobody was convicted yet though people sneaked with cash to foriegn countries.Shame on you politicians and I encourage the youth of South Sudan to vote for the right people at the right time this year and vote out all hand picked politicians thank you.
Subsahara Centre
Human rights bill passes in South Sudan legislature
I kindly request you to post the bill itself so that we know what has been passed. If you can not do that, may be you can send me the bill by e-mail if you have an electronic copy.
There is no record anywhere of the bills passed by SSLA. May be you can create a link and post the bills.
Stay well
Elkhazin, Subsahara Centre, Canada