The SPLM and territorial integrity of Sudan

By Kor Rualmim

May 25, 2009 — There is no doubt that the Sudan People Liberation Moment (SPLM) has come along way from a poorly structured, financed, and managed rebel moment operating in refugee camps in neighboring countries to a nationally recognized political party and a champion of peace for the people of Sudan. At the same time there is no doubt that people within and outside the party are left wandering where the champion of the comprehensive Peace Agreement stands on the issue surrounding the territorial integrity of the Sudan.

The notion of self-determination for the people of Southern Sudan which is very popular in the south is pulling the SPLM more towards the separatists’ agenda, an agenda strongly argued by the Anyaya One and echoed by the defunct South Sudan Independent Moment (SSIM) formerly led by Riek Machar. Well, in politics people running public institutions tend to take positions that resonate with the public, but that does not justify taking a position on important issues based on its popularity event if that may mean abandoning your values and principles for pure political gains.

I’m not in anyway, shape or form suggesting that Southern Sudanese should not decide their fate in a nationally supervised referendum on self-determination called for in the CPA and scheduled to take place in 2011, according to the CPA. I’m only pointing out the fact that just about anyone including members of the SPLM are lost in the clouds when it comes to where the party stands on the issues such as partition of Sudan.

Dr Garang had always been clear on where he stood on issue such as the territorial integrity of the Sudan and more importantly, the historic leader of the SPLM was vividly clear on the mission of the SPLM even though that clarity of his position put him at odd with some members of his party. But we have yet to know where the first vice president of the republic and president of the government of Southern Sudan stands on that very same issue.

It’s important to note that the SPLM is a national political party representing people from all corners of the Sudan and at the same time the party has an obligation to be clear on where it stands on issues that are critical to everyone who is a member of the SPLM. I would argue that the party at certain times struggled to articulate its position on national issues such as the partition of Sudan, arrest warrant for the president of the Republic and their participation in the upcoming national election, just to name a few.

Pagan Amum, the secretary general of the SPLM has done a good job articulating the position of the party with regard to national issues but every issue he articulates is not in full alignment with those taken by the first vice president of the republic and that leaves me wondering which messages to consume and who to take seriously between the two. Where the party stand on how to deal with the arrest warrant for the president of the republic is one of the several examples of the conflicting messages that the party boss and its spoke person are sending

A few days ago the Eritrean president accused the SPLM of rampant corruption in the south and lack clarity as to where the party stands on the issue of the unity of the Sudan but no one has come out to counter those allegations. Is that an admission of guilt?

The SPLM is founded on principles such equality for all and values such as respect for civil and human rights in addition to its main objective of liberating the marginalized population of the country from tyranny and injustice and that said the party should clarify any shift or deviation from its core principles to all of its stakeholders, who are in this case the marginalized people of the Sudan and those supporting our cause in the international community.

The author is the founder of www.nilejournal.com and is based in United States.