Khartoum to host South Sudan Referendum Commission
By James Gatdet Dak
June 21, 2009 (JUBA) — Sudan’s federal capital, Khartoum, is agreed by the two parties to the 2005’s peace deal to be the seat of the would-be established commission for Southern Sudan referendum.
The main issues being discussed include the seat of the Referendum Commission, its chairmanship, composition of the Commission, voter definition and qualification and voting centers.
The Acting Spokesperson and Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services, Madut Biar, said the Council of Ministers meeting, chaired by President Salva Kiir Mayardit, was briefed on the referendum law debates on Friday by the Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar, who chairs the component of the SPLM Joint Committee.
Machar co-chairs the Joint Committee with Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, Vice President of the Republic of Sudan.
Biar said the Vice President briefed the cabinet on the status of discussions on referenda bills for Southern Sudan and Abyei as well as popular consultations bills for Nuba Mountains and Southern Blue Nile.
Biar further added that the SPLM committee also discussed the North-South border demarcation process and the need to implement the two-window system of the Bank of Sudan – Islamic and Conventional windows for North and South, respectively.
On the Southern Sudan referendum bill the two parties had reached an agreement or re-affirmed that the Commission should be based in Khartoum.
The SPLM’s committee had initially proposed that the seat of the referendum commission should be based in Juba, but the NCP rejected the proposal, saying it would amount to renegotiation of the peace deal, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
The CPA stipulates that the seat of the Southern Sudan referendum commission shall be based in Khartoum.
However, the SPLM’s committee had also proposed that the result of the votes on the referendum would be announced in Juba, not in Khartoum.
The two parties have also agreed on the composition of membership of the referendum commission to be nine in number including its chair.
Other pending issues such as chairmanship, voter definition and voting centers are yet to be agreed upon.
The SPLM’s position on the post-referendum arrangements, proposed by the NCP as part of the bill, is to discuss them in a different forum outside of referendum bill.
These post-referendum arrangements include what to do with the national assets, liabilities, currency, waters, Joint Integrated Units (JIUs), oil (its production, transportation and export) and international agreements.
Concurrent discussions by Machar’s legal team that includes the Minister of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Development, Michael Makuei Lueth, have been going on also for Abyei referendum bill and popular consultations bills for Southern Blue Nile and Nuba Mountains, respectively.
Biar also added that the Vice President informed the cabinet that the NCP was still dragging its feet on implementation of the two-window system for the Bank of Sudan; one for Islamic North and the other for Conventional South.
On the North-South border demarcation, he said the SPLM was pushing the joint demarcation committee to finish the process by July so that it submits the final report to the Presidency by September as scheduled.
Draft bills finalized at the parties’ Joint Committee level pass through the Council of Ministers in Khartoum for approval before they are presented to the National Assembly for deliberations and possible amendments and final endorsements before the President signs them into laws.
(ST)
Kur
Khartoum to host South Sudan Referendum Commission
The discussion of post referendum issues is reddiculous. Any talk about the things to come should be left for the government of an idependent South Sudan because we will not honour nonsense that has been agreed upon under the current circustances. The time now is for referendum not oil concessions. These include international agreements which were made under the corrupt policies of Khartoum.
Why is it important that the seat of the referendum commission is based in Khartoum? Do they want to bribe the members of the commission? Who cares? nothing is going to change the way we want to vote.
Kur
Hillary B.M.L,M
Khartoum to host South Sudan Referendum Commission
In Broad Light, we were cheated in Census Result and for sure we will be cheated again in our Right i.e (Referendum).
They have started with Commission Seat, commission Regulations and Members of Commission. This, if Ali Osman is involve in that commission Body then Southerners are already cheated.
As far as i know, no one in South Sudan can compete with Ali Osman in Political Tricks. Dr.Garang was, but Ali Osman seeing that Dr.Garang was as strong in Political tricks as he is, another way was use to cease his present.
Simon Maguor
Khartoum to host South Sudan Referendum Commission
The National Islamic Front (Camouflaged to the National Congress Party) is a combination of guessing foxes; look at how they twist everything!
There is no problem as our leadership is very active; when they hit below the belt, let’s tell them to reform or else at last resort we can also do so. Our only HOPE as South Sudanese people is the referendum in 2011. Cheating us again will take us to the first square (liberation war) with bitter though unregrettable loss of lives. The heroes and heroines that laid down their lives for our freedom sake MUST never be betrayed.
Though it costs us whatever expense, we should stand for our liberty. Those who betray us at hard times are not well integrated into our society either because of their own fear of guilt due to successive mistakes (ie those addicted to commiting crimes against South Sudan) or by bribery.
The most Important of all the CPA protocols are the border demarcation and the 2011 Referendum. Some elements within South Sudan geared by the NCP have misfired the term ‘Referendum’. They think that is just an event without any program or line of operation to reach it; very wrong! There is a logical series of events that will drive us to that cross border; these include border demarcation which is technical and requires the use of manpower (arms) when necessary, the seat and requirements in the voting exercise.
The SPLM is the only political and fostering father of the CPA, which is inturn the father of referendum and self determination. Above all political and selfish affiliations, let’s unite as southerners so that we can pass through thick thorny road with a united heart, self sacrifice and commitment for the brightness of our future. What all of us can best do is to support the SPLM so that it leads us to the promised land by our fallen martyr, Dr. John Garang De Mabior, the New Sudan which is a Sudan United or fragmented by the voluntary free will of the Sudanese people.
Or else, if unity has become ugly as it is now, then separation offers the best solution. If in a United Sudan (present Sudan) there are those who call themselves the first class citizens and others second class citzens then, the so-called second class citizens will have to be in a Sudan that offers them the first status.
God Bless You (us) all.
Moses Kur Akech
Khartoum to host South Sudan Referendum Commission
I think the counting of the votes should take place in Juba, the South in present of delegates from North, South and International Community.
Such idea would have helped the skeptic South in the last census had SPLM pushed for Southerners’s votes to be counted in Juba and sent the total number to Khartoum for ultimate national census result. This would have prevented any suspected votes rigging or manipulation by the Khartoum regime.
CK Charlie
Khartoum to host South Sudan Referendum Commission
Hey Brothers, don’t worry about Khartoum being the seat! Actually that is the best place for the final farewell bye bye handshake with Northern Sudan! We will not want another colateral damage in the South. Let us fight in Khartoum this time. Since we have long time ago concluded, that unity is USELESS, the outcomes is irrelevant.It is already known to Jalaaba that whatever the result of the referundum vote, the South has decided to go once and for all! So by choosing Khartoum, they have picked up the boomerang sticks, and are about to hit themselves. Whatever, the outcome of the vote, we will do the last fight in Khartoum itself before we go back to Independent South Sudan. It will be a beautifull fight, because the Mundukuraat can not use their jet fighters in Khartoum, due to collateral damage being divided equally on the two groups of “shaab” – jalaaba & junubi. Their military can not use their tanks, because we will be amongst them in the city. Tanks are NOT effective in urban warfare anyway. I love this choice of Khartoum, because it puts Jalaaba into a bad insecure position, if things go sour in the last minute of counting of the referudom votes – they will not be able to use the big Chinese Weapons in the city! There will be no military war this last time. It will be between Shaab El Sudani themselves. Shaab el Junubi are very skilled in war, snatching arms from the weak northerners, and such. We will whip their assses, real good. Juba, and the South will be safe after this final war, and Khartoum will be like present-day Bagdad, I assure you Brothers! Remember how they captured a police headquartes in 2005, in Juba and Khartoum? Yep, by choosing Khartoum to be the seat, Jalaaba has tightened his own hang-noose onto his own neck! “Ohm dagassu ke yajamaa!”Just waite, we will see, whose blood is the reddest this time around! The choice of Khartoum to be the seat for the Final Referundum Decision, completes all NgunDeng Bong’s Professy Counts. The emmergence of The True Black State of Cush, will be short and swift, and to the point. So Brothers, just calm down, and be preparing to go to Khartoum for the Last Payback from our own oil money. Take it all!
Ahahahahaha! The Jalaaba have bitten more than they can chew this time.
They are connered with there hands tied behind their backs this time! Do we know how big the Junubi Population is in Khartoum – 3 million! That is enough to whip all the Jalaaba Assses including Egyptians, i.e in urban warfare setting of course! They will pay dearly this time, because even the illiterate Junubi kids know Khartoum was built on our blood, sweat, and oil. They cannot get aways with rigging the Referudom Vote Noway!!! I am going to Khartoum this summer, and rob me an SUV, and a Chinese Jet Fighter bought with my own oil dollars. Peace & War!