South Sudan political parties walk out of Juba conference
September 28, 2009 (JUBA) – Six separatist political parties in Southern Sudan have walked out of a conference hosted by the SPLM in Juba, accusing the organizers of sabotaging the right of self-determination for the people of the semi-autonomous region.
The National Congress Party (NCP) and its allies in the national unity government described the gathering as an opposition meeting and boycotted the meeting saying it aims to build up a new political alliance ahead of the upcoming elections next year. The SPLM’s peace partner also warned that the conference would impact negatively on the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
Among the notable Southern Sudan parties that withdrew were the United Democratic Front (UDF), the South Sudan Democratic Forum (SSDF) and the Union of Sudan African Parties 2 (USAP-2).
In a joint press release they issued shortly after their withdrawal from the conference on Monday, the Southern Sudan political parties stated that the manipulations they witnessed in the conference amounted to re-negotiation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and abrogation of the right of self-determination for the people of Southern Sudan.
They asserted that the agenda was manipulated and the would-be resolutions of the conference were pre-formulated in advance before the conference could even deliberate on the issues.
“We observed that the conference was set to renegotiate the CPA. This can be seen from the proposals of key political opposition groups, such as the ones presented by leaders of the UMMA party factions in which they proposed amendments to the CPA and given the name ‘CPA Plus’,” the joint statement says.
“Many speakers from the opposition northern parties attending the conference spoke of having come to support the unionists in SPLM and thereby work against the separatists, whom according to them are a minority,” it continued.
They charged that the process and the secretariat of the conference were dominated by the Northern political parties with the intention of manipulating its resolutions and recommendations, aiming to destroy the CPA.
They said that to continue in the conference would amount to betrayal of the people of Southern Sudan in their aspiration for the right of self-determination.
The Southern Sudanese ruling political party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) played down the significance of the withdrawal.
The SPLM official Spokesperson, Yien Matthew Chuol, said in a statement that the conference would continue with its deliberations and come out with resolutions despite the pullout by the Southern Sudanese political parties.
Since the signing of the CPA in 2005, relations between the two peace partners gradually deteriorated due to poor and slow implementation in terms of sharing of ministerial portfolios, troops’ redeployment, the Abyei boundary, the outcome of national census, and the ongoing difficult negotiations on the referendum bill.
But the matrimony between the NCP and the SPLM nevertheless is forcing the two peace partners to work together to reach the end-point of the CPA, which is seen differently either as democratic transition or the referendum on self-determination for southern Sudan.
Speaking yesterday at the opening of the conference, Salva Kiir Mayadrit – who is First Vice-President, President of Southern Sudan government, and SPLM leader – said “Sudan is truly at an historical crossroads.”
He said that the SPLM has always struggled for the unity of Sudan. However, he stressed that, “the final decision on the destiny of the South shall neither be taken by the NCP or the SPLM. It is the people of South Sudan who shall make the decision.”
“To us in the SPLM unity is a noble cause, but not any unity. Unity that does not generate a value-added to the present status of South Sudan does not attract anybody,” Kiir also said.
If southerners vote for the independence, Kiir said that such a political decision will not erase “historical familial, social, economic, faith-based and cultural ties and interconnections.”
He further added that the two parties should find ways and means to maintain those interconnections.
“The North and South may, for example, agree on a non-aggression arrangement to remove mutual fears, create mechanisms for ensuring that rights to employment, trade and business for the citizens of both states are guaranteed, securing the religious and cultural rights of non-Muslim Sudanese in the North and Muslim Sudanese in the South, and, uppermost, guarantying that a stable Sudan or two Sudans are firmly founded on democracy, the rule of law and the principle of live and let live,” he suggested.
The people of Southern Sudan are scheduled to vote in the referendum in 2011 in accordance with the 2005 peace deal to either choose to confirm the current unity of the Sudan or create an independent country in the South.
(ST)
James Gatdet Dak and Philip Thon Aleu contributed to this report
Jeremiah Mach
South Sudan political parties walk out of Juba conference
To walk out during the political negotiation is amout to incompetence and naivity of some Southern Sudanese Political Parties, SPLM has been dealing with the Arabs since 1983 and surely they are going to overcome their cunningness in whatever, before we go for independent; let the Arabs accept Federal Republic of the Sudan base on new bases, notably rule of law, democracy, justic, freedom of religion and expression. these conditions are very difficult for any Northern politician to swallow even if they decided to renegotiate the CPA, they have been trying to negotiate a new deal with the South but the SPLM is fast to put some conditions which are hardly acceptable to them. Juba conference is nothing more than political brainstorming. Have hopes on our leaderships, they are not aliens, we fought alongside one another.
$iong mayom
South Sudan political parties walk out of Juba conference
Those parties that withdrew from the conference probably came under threat from the criminal NCP party. Their withdrawal will not have any negative impact on the conference what so ever. Beshir knows that this conference is a threat to his authoritarian regime and is doin his best to derail the conference but mind you dictator u won’t succeed this time. Everyone is tired of ur ruthless regime, even Northern political parties are now allying with the SPLM. Ur days are numbered mr DICTATOR.
paul majok
South Sudan political parties walk out of Juba conference
we ain’t going for negotiations and Northerner muslim they ain’t need negotiations. If we need it we, the world wouldn’t kills dozens of mens and women in South. Every living Southerners in this world are aiming for self-dermination for from North muslim because North never like Southerner to united with them. further to this North are just pathetic deserterians who stick with one region rule that the engage every one in entirely Sudan to follow. The are impotant to south. The time has come for North to left alone to continues exercising their law of insisting women to have sex if demands by a man.
good luck! hopely they will be leave alone.
tiomdit_maker
South Sudan political parties walk out of Juba conference
I think that is a good lesson to learn SPLM/A. Yesterday Garang Tiop has warn you gave some advice about that.All the opposition parties in the North, they are not against the NCP they are against the CPA. They want to deal away with the CPA and than they wipe away the rest of the parties and remain muslim still.
Like NCP, said CPA need to be amended that the trike game. That is how, they deal away with addis ababa agreement in 1972. It is good you refused. Let them go back and come with another tactic.
And our slogan is NO, as southern we need CPA to be implemented period without more talk.
Dengtaath
South Sudan political parties walk out of Juba conference
There must be some thing going on these days, some thing that interested the Northern political parties as the cause of this closest with SPLM recently ever happened since the creation of CPA 2005.
Three political parties who walked away from the conference, the UDP, USAP2, and SSDF have signaled the real need for any Southern political force to look at the North who are building political alliance with SPLM.
The statement of CPA PLUS and CPA amendment, are much more concern if the North thought to employ such approaches to the Southern rulling party the SPLM.
The position that was taken by three Southern political parties (six separatists) was vital based on their judgement behind what was going on in that conference, I Thank them for that.
I also admired the speeches of the President Mayardit, Unity that will not do good to the people is meaningless, the SPLM must maintain the rights of the people of South Sudan as the SPLM is already aware about negative consequences of that doom unity.
Let all condemn any move that preaches the unity of Sudan and praise the self determination of South Sudan.
Dengtaath
Oduck Bol
South Sudan political parties walk out of Juba conference
SPM Must be kiding itself:
How come SPM make new allies with Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi and Hasssan Al-Turabi and reject to be friendship with the NCP party which mad agood deal with SPM which is CPA agreement. Did Al-Sadiq or Hassan Al-Turabi give SPLM a deal since they were in power? Answer is No. Have Al-Sadiq or Truabi did any good to South Sudan when they were in the power? No. Why they come this time while southerns are bout to vote for their right? Those two parties must be stop from their useless ideas they caring now. NCP now is in good position because they know that SPLM is going to miss up and be cheated by Al-Sadiq Al-Madi and Hassan Al-Truabi. Who will be blame in future? I Think blame will be SPLM hers because its friendship with the enemies of separation of South. Do not think you are smart than those guys .You are dump to be with them. My Thanks goes to the southern Sudan parties who withdraw from conference in Juba.
Oduck Bol
Gatwech
South Sudan political parties walk out of Juba conference
Dear readers,
It is unfortunately becoming clearer that the SPLM chairman, Salva Kiir Mayardit, is losing control over the choatic Juba parties conference. He is fortunately the one chairing it and should have made use of his chair to direct or influence the agenda as well as making sure that the secretariat that will handle the outcome or resolutions of the conference are not those hyenas from the northern parties unionists that want to manipulate it. No to re-negotiation of the CPA! No to denial of the right of self-determination with whatever ‘Plus’ the conference wants to insert in the CPA.
I believe that Salva Kiir is a separatist nationalist at heart and wants the South to be free despite his lukewarm nature. It is sad that he allows himself to be hijacked or mislead by minority SPLM unionists such as Malik Agar, Yasir Arman and the double dealer Pagan Amum plus their minority clique in the South that want to betray the right of self-determination. The SPLM leadership should have acted as the center and referee for the conference to direct its course instead of being used for agenda against separation, thus the aspiration of south Sudan.
I congratulate the South Sudan political parties for detecting the conspiracy against the South. Separatists are being backed by more than 90% of the South Sudan population and will surely defeat the sell-out unionists in the SPLM and across the country.
We have an option to declare the South independent if these ugly manipulating games continue till January 2011. Our forces are constituted of mostly separatists, too. We have that inevitable option!!!
Dr. Chui
South Sudan political parties walk out of Juba conference
Dear Citizen
The boycott made by the NCP in this conference is a shame on them. if they want their rights heard then they shouldn’t do it. Southerners have no friend among the attendee. Given that Sadiq Al-Mahdi was the first enemy of the South before this great foe. But at least there no benefit in conflict and wars wedged on each other. I cann’t say the other Southern Sudan politcal parties beside SPLA to pullout of the conference is right decision. And I cann’t blame the organisers of the parties for such an act. It is individual political party duties as a politician to face and act accordingly and not to be defeated in the war of words. I would not rather give away a portion of land to the traders than calling for one Sudan and deal with the criminals accordingly. well who is ready to change the peace documentation signed by the Late Dr. John Garang de Mabior with his no. one enemy Mr. Ali osman Taha. This was the moment that changed the view of th world about goodness of the Citizen of the Country of Sudan in the year 2005. It was broadcastd in the worldwide media with the interest to end the world’s longest lasting 21 years war. Now under reign of H. E. Salva Kiir, should we expect to lose this peace agreement? no.
Sudan virus
South Sudan political parties walk out of Juba conference
To me as a separatist, i see no reason why southern political
political or separatists walk out of the conference.
They could be there to oppose any agenda against the south.
The CPA protocols were negotiated and witness by the whole world, as such no body can work against it.Who ever tries to change any of these articles on his own will be accountable should things fall apart.
I think President Salva is right.The patterns of the CPA-NCP and SPLM are expected to serve the best interest of all Sudanese democratically, after which the south will choose whether to separate or remain united with the north in the 2011 referendum.
The government of the semi autonomous south must work hard to show the rest of the world that they are capable of governing themselves and on the other hand the northern government must do its best democratic practices to show the southerns or and other marginalized parts of the country and the rest of the world, that she has changed to be democratic
and by so doing attract unity.
Fortysix
South Sudan political parties walk out of Juba conference
Nothing will possibly come out of Juba conference. These Arabs wants to use SPLM to oust NCP in the 2010 national elections because they can not manage it on their own.
What shall Southern Sudanese gain from this Conference? What shall we even gain in 2010 election, which is better than an independent South Sudan? The “CPA plus” is one of “their many attempts” to sabotage implementation of CPA and possible independence of the South.
SPLM is playing with fire. They better watch out!
Hillary B.M.L,M
South Sudan political parties walk out of Juba conference
Is SPLA a Opposition party or a partner with NCP party in the Government? NCP have right to call its an opposition Conference aiming to destroy its power. Ok, NCP was not there, with whom SPLA are discussion the issue of Reconciliation, Census, Darfar and Referendum Bill just to mention few of them? Do SPLA think their Resolution will have any effect concerning Political issue in Sudan without NCP included ?
Whom are those Northerners? Not those who need Unity?
To Conclude, this is a proxy Politic, well planned by Arabs. Those parties who walked out learn very well that there is hidden plan. what is CPA PLUS?
Francis
South Sudan political parties walk out of Juba conference
Dear people of the Southern Sudan, whether you are Dinka or Nuer let us, be positive, it doesn’t promote our morals if we blah, blah about our tribes instead we should talk unity to proof to the world that we are capable to govern ourselves, let peace dwell in us and for all. I you”,my people to lecture peace.