SPLM holds political rally in Juba

March 3, 2009 (JUBA) – A political rally was held today in a residential area of some 15,000 people in Juba Muniki Payam of Central Equatoria State.

Speaking at the rally, the Chairman of SPLM, Salva Kiir Mayardit, announced that the peace negotiated and signed between SPLM and the Khartoum-based National Congress Party (NCP) was for all Sudanese to freely enjoy.

The SPLM chairman who is also the First Vice President of Sudan and President of Southern Sudan, encouraged every southerner to be prepared even within 24 hours to participate in scheduled general election of July this year.

Otherwise, Kiir cautioned, if southerners refuses to participate, they will give opportunity to the ruling party of Khartoum to even delay the most desired referendum scheduled for January 9, 2011, which permits the South to decide either for unity or separation from the North. Kiir is thought to favor the secession, though not openly, and in an interview today with the Los Angeles Times declined to say whether he would run for president of the national government—a move that would remove him from his current leadership of the southern region.

As party to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, SPLM will ensure that all provisions of the agreement are implemented to the letter before conducting the referendum that will pave ways for the marginalized and exploited southern Sudanese, he said.

He reminded southerners of internal greed of September 3, 1984 that led the people’s movement to split as northern forces were used by Khartoum government to killing fellow brothers and sisters in the south under the command of breakaway leaders Samuel Gai Tut and Akwot Atem.

Nevertheless, SPLM military high command realized the importance that some Sudanese are even more marginalized than southerners, hence decided to incorporated the idea of fighting to liberate the whole Sudan as part of a national struggle, he related.

Kiir went on to narrate achievements of SPLM since to came to power four years ago and he said he has no intention of barring any political party from operating in a democratic manner. Then he pledged to build a democracy memorial center at Chukudum, Eastern Equatoria state, where the first national convention was held in April 1994 that gave birth to SPLM.

Meanwhile the acting governor of Central Equatoria state and minister of agriculture, Manasi Lomule, hailsed Kiir for his nationalistic approach and assured him that there was no complaint and urges state people to vote for him in coming election.

The SPLM Deputy Secretary General for Southern Sector, Anne Itto, said SPLM have registered more than five million members all over the Sudan and assured the congregations that there will never be returning back to marginalization and exploitation of southern Sudanese by Khartoum’s ruling party.

There are nine political parties registered in southern Sudan but only one led by Hon. Eliaba James Sururu attended the political rally of Muniki.

(ST)