SPLM hints at breakthrough on referendum law
By Ngor Arol Garang
September 15, 2009 (ABYEI )- A leading member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), Michael Makuei Lueth minister for Legal Affairs and Constitutional Development today hinted at a breakthrough on referendum law currently under a heated discussion with the ruling National Congress Party (NCP).
“The way we have interacted today while discussing issues shows signs of possible understanding which if it continues will result into the generally applauded outcome,” he said.
However, he was quick to say that the SPLM has yet to seal an agreement adding that discussions are in progress with beter understanding than in the past.
South Sudan is scheduled to exercise its right of self-determination in 2011 as the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed in 2005 stipulates.
However, both sides are deadlocked over the referendum law that would set the modalities and logistics required to conduct the referendum.
Both sides disagree over the percentage of votes required to call the referendum a pro-independence, the population of Southerners allowed to participate and the post-independence arrangements including the share of national debt to be carried over by the South.
On the referendum, the NCP insists that 75% votes in the affirmative to declare it favoring independence while the SPLM is pushing for a 51%. It is widely expected that Southerners would vote overwhelmingly for independence.
Last week in Juba, the US special envoy to Sudan Scott Gration failed to bridge differences between the NCP and SPLM on the referendum law but vowed to continue to push for an agreement.
Makuei reiterated SPLM’s commitment to peaceful implementation of the comprehensive agreement.
“The SPLM position on pending issues is peaceful settlements than media fabrications and unfounded allegations of return to war,” Makuei said.
“Why do individuals run very fast to suggest return to war over issues which can be resolved internally?” he posed adding that is the return to war only alternative to resolving issues.
“Those voices accusing us of wanting return the country to war are they ones returning the country to war themselves”, he said stressing that Sudan “has had lots of war good for nothing but destruction”.
NCP officials in the past have said that the CPA states that they are to work on making unity the favorable choice for southerners and as such laws should be tailored to make secession more difficult.
(ST)
Gatwech
SPLM hints at breakthrough on referendum law
Makuei Lueth’s phone calls from Khartoum are encouraging. If this joint committee led by Ali Osman Taha and Dr. Riek Machar does not reach a fairer conclusion to the referendum law because of NCP’s reluctance, then let the NCP know that January 2011 is the D-Day. We will declare independence without the referendum law. Better to understand its facilitation by the law.
Critic_Ngueny
SPLM hints at breakthrough on referendum law
I would like to encourage Dr.Riak Machar Teny ,the vice president of government of Southern Sudan and Minister for legal affairs Micheal Makuei Lueth to be brave enough.
Your positions are really recognised in the South but he who is going to be brain washed and deceived should no longer be respected any more otherwise we are just watching at you people.You have to do our interests instead .Your being in Khartoum should be a way forward to all the Southerners and not destruction,and if they government of Bashir does not respect your proposals then we have right to tune to the language that they understand better.
Be brave enough,we the youths are with you though we are not contributing anything at this movement.Don,t worry about whatsoever they say,We are ready with our Ak47 any time if they need.
Critic_Ngueny from Bor town
Tribe
SPLM hints at breakthrough on referendum law
If i need to free myself and i mean “I individually” , what percentage do i need to free myself? partly to Northerns but anybody interesting could answer.
Gatwech
SPLM hints at breakthrough on referendum law
Dear readers,
This is just for clarity because it appears that some people use foreign words of which meanings they don’t even know. And especially when they use it as an insult on others.
What does the word ’Nyagat’ mean? From where does it originate in the 1980s? For those of us who were in Ethiopia, the word ’Nyagat’ came from the Ethiopian Amharic language word ’negade’ which means capitalist, business people, traders, etc.
It was used by the SPLM/A at that time because of influence from communist or socialist Ethiopia that rejected capitalism. They called them bourgeousie.
But does the SPLM still believe in the sytem of communism and hate capitalists to still call them with the twisting tongue, ’Nyagat.?’ I thought we have already gone capitalist.
The description was originally aimed at those of Samuel Gai Tut who rejected socialism as a system the movement would follow and also demanded separation of the South from the North as the objective that the SPLM/A would have followed from the beginning. They didn’t like new Sudan idea which was copied from new Ethiopia of President Mengistu’s slogan.
It is very interesting that the word ’Nyagat’ has become a frequently used insult by those who do not even know its meaning. I love the origin of the word despite its intention by users.
James Okuk Solomon
SPLM hints at breakthrough on referendum law
The NCP and their SPLM counterpart politicians are joking on Referendum. Eyes of Southerners in this 21st Century have become wide opened not to be cheated by Northerners again in the struggle for South Sudan Independence.
It is not the political parties who will decide the fate of the interim old united Sudan with its caretaker government; the NCP, the SPLM and other political parties with minor percentages of representation of the CPA power sharing. It is the people of Southern Sudan who will be eligible to vote in the plebiscite for their self-determination. It will also be the very people of Southern Sudan who shall take their right to independence with their own force once the democratic means has been blocked by Northerners or Anti-South Sudan independence like Mr. Malik Aggar who is for confederation rather than self-determination, Dr. Monsour Khalid and Mr. Yesser Arman who are for a United Secular Socialist New Sudan (where Muslim ladies shall be free to walk naked in streets of Khartoum without punishment by hippo whips or monetary fines), Mr. Ali Osman, Dr. Ghazi Sulaeddin and Dr. Qutbi Al Mahadi who are for Islamic United Old Sudan, and etc.
The positions of Dr. Lam and Dr. Riek are very clear on the right of Southerners for Self-determination. These two great sons of Southern Sudan have managed to push the right of Self-determination into Sudanese politics and convinced late Dr. Garang to endorse it into the CPA and Interim Constitutions in the Sudan as the corner stone of the agreement that ended the 22-years civil war.
Now the right of Southerners to self-determination has become a pricking thorn in the throats of unionists within the SPLM, the NCP and family dynastic political parties of Northern Sudan (UMMA, DUP, etc. Those of Dr. Lam and Dr. Riek are just laughing at them and keen on how they will deny this right to the people of Southern Sudan without new troubles and war in the Southern part of the country.
It is Dr. Salva Kiir who is ambivalent and a chameleon on the case of South Sudan independence because of his contradictory speeches in Catholic Cathedral in Juba where he wanted to please Southerners on separation, and in Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan States where he wanted to please the Nuba and Funj on unity from public relations basis. It is Dr. Salva Kiir and Mr.Pagan Amum who accepted to sign MOUs with Northern political parties who are Anti-South Sudan’s independence. Shame on this unwise move against the Southerners right destiny!!!!
Gatwech
SPLM hints at breakthrough on referendum law
On the meaning of the word ‘Nyagat’:
Moses Kur Akech RESPONDED:
With nothing 2 add 2 such obsolete, worthless, tribalist and childish squabbling, the contemporary meaning of ‘Nyagat’ in Dinka is traitor but I have no idea of its origin sorry.
However, I genuinely beg any decent and futuristic being 2 keep away from this tribal wrangle. It is time for people with sense of one national identity 2 close the dark/controversial part of history and jointly work 2gether for the betterment of the South. What the future holds for all of us is greater than this primitive argument. The country requires us to argue rationally, maturely and respectfully should u want to make reference whatsoever.
I REPLIED:
Moses Kur Akech,
I thank you for being an honest person among other many honest people among the Dinka community. As you rightly put it, you didn’t know the origin of the word “Nyagat” but you “contemporarily” thought it meant ’traitor’ as people continued to use it since 1980s.
I agree with you because when I read people writing it, it becomes clear to me that they use it as an insult to mean somebody who is a traitor. Since the word has been used since 1984, it has become implanted in people to mean traitor when its original and true meaning does not.
I myself I speak Amharic since I was in Ethiopia during the liberation struggle as a red army. I knew how the word was used by Ethiopians against capitalists. Ethiopia was a socialist country and their slogans were against capitalists calling them bourgeoussie which became ’Nyagat’ in the SPLM. That was how the word Nyagat originated. For capitalists like the present SPLM, it is sweet, not an insult at all.
monychol makuei
SPLM hints at breakthrough on referendum law
Dear brothers in blood, I think what you have done is very excellent to the people of the south,but is not yet done,because the (NCP)are hyenas that could break into luak and eat all the sheeps,but they don’t know what they will survive to morrow. why did I told you that,it is because we better to watch out too, about what they are going to plan next.keep knowing them well.in my opinion,if we are going to win this law or not,we better to leave those with the arabs in the north,so they can succeed their taitor carreer,but betraying your people won’t be the way.let those who are helping the arabs fight for their own freedom later on,so they should know that,fighting for freedom is not easy. I’m talking about those who called themselves the SPLM-DC as lam akol and his alies.how many SPLMs that lam akol is going to run,trillion may be. this man is a poisoned to the people of the south, you need to be careful about him.
Dauson Gieth
SPLM hints at breakthrough on referendum law
Guys,
It’s really great to see everyone commenting i a very mature way in this web which has for long been used a source of tribal campaigns and hatred. Thank you all for turning it sudan tribune into a noble arena
The Independence of the South is a must!!
Okuk and Gatwec,
Great comments. There is always a person or two who come up with an idea (s) or a theory (ies) and can be embraced by all. No matter who penned the term self determination for Southerners, we need to appreciate them
We also need to underscore that all Southerners pick arms with aim of independence (separation). That was made very clear during Anya nya I and II.
Same Southerners had to change strategy as summarized by Dr. Garang: We made strategic era during Anya Nya I struggle by declaring that we were fighting for separate South Sudan and as such, mobilized everybody in Sudan against ourselves including those who had problems and equally marginalized by the government
So, SPLM itself as well as the New Sudan idea were a strategies but not ideologies, otherwise we could have had SSPLM/SSPLA
There is no question; Dr. Garang, William Nyuon, Kerbino, Dr. Riek, dr, Lam, dr. Salva Kiir and all other Southerners who sacrificed the most precious gifts they had (their lives) have done their best to bring us this far. I sometimes question my self if our generation would be as steadfast as them
Sometimes, people holding constitutional posts can be under siege to declare their real positions and their view could be taken negatively. Dr. Lam was a victim as a foreign affairs minister. Salva Kiir, Dr. Riek, Pagan and others While in blue Nile, Nuba mountains have to be victims of same criticisms especially from those who could not see the insight
The people of Southern blue Nile and Nuba mountain have fought gallantly alongside us and we cannot afford slapping them on the face. This does not mean we go for Unity at the expense of the South. We have to make sure they reap the fruits of their struggle by finding a breathing space in the Sudan too
Otherwise I really enjoy reading everyone’s comments
Okuk,
Stop one sided politics. Your comments favour Dr. lam so much that some of other Southerners who had high regard for him are being pushed off by some of your comments. Besides, It does not allow you to look at issues in the Country wholly. Yes you have your rights but that sound too local and traditional. You are well above that