Juba Conference: Will it add one inch destiny to CPA!

By Roba Gibia

October 3, 2009 – The Juba conference commenced at the midst of diverged and chaotic political crisis in Sudan, as well as at the peak of trading accusations whether being between south-south or north-north political forces. The political crisis in Sudan emerged clearly at surface, when some northern opposition and political forces declared that the Government of National Unity after July 9, 2009 is void and unlawful, because it failed to conduct general elections on time as stipulated in Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), Sudan interim constitution and inauguration of elected government on July 9, 2009. Not that only but some Darfuri and northern political forces vowed to topple the GoNU by all possible means! But the opposition threat to overthrow GoNU has got not genuine ground because of unyielding and consent between the two signatories of Naivasha peace agreement. The exclusion of other Sudanese political parties from Naivasha negotiations and agreement angered particularly some northern parties, who openly deny and considered south-north agreement on low profile, despite the fact that it managed to stop long and devastated war in Sudan but yet they view it not comprehensive because it failed to solve Sudan’s varied conflicts.

The Sudanese political crisis and dilemma started deepening fundamentally when handful number of political forces failed to forge alliance with NCP in order to tighten screw on SPLM and consequently discard or shelf of CPA. But when they failed to secure alliance with NCP, they deem it wise to make it with ruling party in South Sudan. The power voracity and self enhancement in Sudan is the primary reason for continued conflicts in the whole country, because every party wants to rule but without genuine agenda to lift the country from crisis. Beside that the NCP wants retain its unilateral grip on power, and is always critical about any friendly or sisterly country that articulates its view openly about South Sudan’s rights to secede in 2011 referendum! While the south’s options for secession or unity is not prohibited but has been endorsed by entire international community that appended its signature, and approved South Sudanese people’s rights to decide their fate in fair and transparent referendum. And president al-Bashir in several occasions and during his several visits to South Sudan (Juba, Malakal and Rumbek), reiterated that north will never impose unity on people of south but instead promised to make unity of the country attractive to the people of south, and went on saying that if people of south in 2011 has chosen secession, north will never sent army to fight south but rather south and north will live side-by-side as good neighbors! But that isn’t what president al-Bashir’s heart holding against south, and instead he used to approach, address and obtain South Sudanese compassion while disguising in seraph’s gown! And that was evident, as for the past couple of months NCP has been placing lots of obstacles and blockades on the road of referendum by setting 90% quorum to legalize south Sudan’s secession in 2011, which is indirect way of rejecting referendum. This is not absolute absurdity from side of NCP but malice and premeditated strategy to imperil rights of subjugated South Sudanese people to not exercise their legal and democratic rights for liberty, but it is significantly to bind south to north to prolong plundering its wealth. This is not National Congress Party’s philosophy and strategy only but entire northern political forces, because some Southern political forces are actually been fund and driven by northern political parties to implement Khartoum’s iniquitous policies in south.

Now, let us precisely look at the circumstances of Juba conference, was it aimed to save CPA from collapse or it was going to add more stalemate between the two signatories of CPA? Hence, if the conference was aiming to implement peace and democratic transformation in Sudan, then it should include both peace partners to make breakthrough in national issues and guarantee its success. Thus, in my view, Juba conference will not add one inch destiny to CPA or save it from collapse or force NCP to give in, simply because the two large northern political parties who attended Juba conference are persistently calling for the amendment of CPA, thus, they never came to Juba in good faith but like hyenas in sheep’s skin. The GoSS President’s lashes to Southern political parties who walked out of conference, in my view, suits better northern political parties who came to Juba to kill CPA and to muddle around with minds of South Sudanese people like it happened in 1947. Thus, the GoSS President’s lashes to southern political parties has got demoralizing impact on Southerners, and it confirms GoSS’s policy that whoever remained in Juba or Khartoum during the SPLM struggle is considered northerner and has got no place in GoSS employment list, and that is exactly what is taking place on ground in south. Therefore, it is absolutely absurd for GoSS leadership to discriminate between its citizens because those who remained in Juba or Khartoum contributed also dearly during the struggle because there are different means and tools of fighting war and not necessarily that everyone has to be on war field. Therefore, if we are advocating democracy in south, there is no need to term southern parties walked out of Juba conference as those who fought SPLM with Khartoum, while they are exercising their democratic rights. In my view, the actual people who fought SPLM beside Khartoum, were the leaders of 1991 Nasr group who inflicted heavy causalities and loss on both civilians and movement but later returned to SPLM ranks, and are now holding high positions in GoSS! Then why to favor those northern political forces that are still fighting south as we talk today.

Therefore, Juba conference will not add anything new to CPA pertaining to referendum bill and quorum unless through tough negotiations between SPLM and NCP, in order to iron out their differences and to make breakthrough in outstanding issues such as democratic transformation, national security and criminal laws. But the national reconciliation will never commence unless there is inclusive peace in every corner of Sudan. In other words you can not advocate national reconciliation while there is not south-south reconciliation, south-north reconciliation, east-north reconciliation and north-north reconciliation, start reconciliation from the bottom then the national reconciliation will converge, but you can not start from top to bottom. Therefore, the nature of partnership is that you can agree on other issues and differ in others, and yet could not abandon partnership but has to fight and stand firm on your ideology and vision even though if it takes thousands of years to achieve instead of seeking alternative or alliance with those who are not part of agreement, will not make any breakthrough unless through negotiations with your partner or otherwise things will fall apart. Thus, the implementation of CPA to the letter lies exclusively between the two signatories of peace and not any other excluded parties from Naivasha agreement.

Roba Gibia, is a Sudan Tribune journalist. He can be reached at: [email protected]