S. Sudan parliament: SPLM caucus resolves for all counties in development fund

By Isaac Vuni

March 25, 2009 (JUBA) — All counties should benefit equally from South Sudan’s Constituency Development Fund (CDF), resolved the SPLM caucus of the August House today.

During an extraordinary session held today under the chairmanship of Hon. James Janka Duku, (SPLM, Central Equatoria), Deputy Chairman of Public Order and Security Committee, members met for nearly seven hours in the red room of the assembly building regarding distribution of Constituency Development Funds(CDF).

The CDF amounts to 141 million Sudanese pounds (141M SGD) meant for distribution to grassroots level projects through the oversight of the legislators. At issue was whether counties represented by more than one MP should receive more than those with less representatives.

There were jubilations among SPLM members as they were leaving the red room and they described the decision taken as being the best for creating unity of their parties across Southern Sudan.

”Why should we be subjected to having only one representative and get only 820 Sudanese pounds while those with more than three lawmakers gets 2460?” lamented Hon. Nartision Loluke of Eastern Equatoria state.

SMALL ARMS CONTROL

The chairman of the Amani chapter in Kenya, Hon. David Ethuro Ekwee from Turkana Central constituency, urged Southern Sudanese lawmakers to embrace peacemaking processes as they had fought bitter civil war for many years.

He observed that there were serious identity crises and marginalization in Africa today, particularly between southern and northern Sudanese who are predominantly Muslims controlling the power and economy of the Sudan.

He further emphasized that arms proliferation would best be collected, controlled and disposed of voluntarily by involving different cross-sections of society in a given country.

Presenting strategies for strengthening role of parliamentarians on small arms and light weapons control, Salome Katia, executive secretary of Amani, a word meaning peace, said the organization is owned by Kenyan members of parliament and further disclosed that most of their members are from conflict-affected areas in the Great Lakes region including Horn of African countries and they are ready to support Southern Sudan.

She added that affiliate membership of Amani is open to those who might lose their mandate of being elected by their own community.

Responding to question on LRA atrocities in the region, she said lack of organization was a major crisis facing LRA leadership even though GOSS mediates along with the UN.

The chairman of the GOSS Bureau for Community Security and Small Arms Control (CSSAC) said the bureau was established on February 17, 2007. He was appointed in November of the same year while official operation kick off on August 30, 2008 with total budget of 5.4 million Sudanese pounds later reduced by 45% due to decline in the international oil price.

He added that the bureau has so far facilitated disarmament of 5200 guns from ethnic communities of Jonglei and Northern Bahr el Ghazal states.

William Keya of Southern Sudan Action Network on Small Arms said they are organized internationally and regionally formed in 2005 as result of a Catholic bishops’ conference.

In another development, governor of Eastern Equatoria state, Alosio Emor Ojetuk officially declared Lafon as the legitimate name and headquarters of the County from first week of March prompting Lafon communities in Juba to hold a celebration from March 21 to 22, 2009 with the governor hosting the county flag in Lafon headquarters.

On the other hand, from March 19 to 21, Hon. Louis Lobong, SPLM state chairman, said the legitimate name of the county is Lopa, coined from two ethnicities of Pari and Lopit.

(ST)