41 Business men from Darfur living in Western Equatoria join SPLM

By Richard Ruati

November 30, 2009 (YAMBIO) – 41 Darfurians businessmen working in South Sudan’s Western Equatoria State have joined the SPLM party, an official from SPLM in WES has said.

State SPLM Secretary General, Mr. Manase Doboyi Agoli was quoted as saying “At least 41 Darfurians have taken party in this defection in Western Equatoria State.”

During an indoor meeting chaired by the SPLM State Secretary, he was seen with the euphoria for his new party members from Darfur, he says, “they (Darfurians) have finally chosen their destiny to join the SPLM as a party and Government of the people.”

“I welcome those who join the SPLM with two hands and one heart,” SPLM State Secretary further said

Manase called upon all those who have not joined the SPLM “to join now.” He further said that, “SPLM murky days didn’t stand alone in the struggle but with the support of the Darfurians as brothers and sisters of the South.”

“The SPLM rebelled against the Khartoum Government because the Human rights and basic freedoms of the Sudanese people were not respected.”

He dismissed those he refers to as political antagonists wanting to create political rift between the SPLM and the Darfur people.

“The objectives and vision of the SPLM is very clear, that every citizen need to have freedom of speech, freedom of movement, freedom of religion believes, but some false prophets within Sudan have turned it that; the SPLM entered in the bush simply because of religion issue that is not true.”

Manase lamented that, “permanent relationship between the people of Darfur and Southern Sudan will result to peace, stability and prosperity in Sudan, the SPLM is looking forward to foster democracy and transparency in the Sudan.”

He warned that, “The populace of southern Sudan should not mix religion believes with politics, the right of every individual is the first priority of the Sudan People Liberation Movement and the party will stand 100% with the Darfur people in the coming election.”

The SPLM State Secretary called upon all the Darfurians living in WES to register in the extended voter registration process, since the coming Government will be the democratic one, as the next year’s poll will empower masses with the right to vote for the President of the Republic, the President of Southern Sudan and the state Governors.

However Manase rebutted that, “the SPLM party does not bribe people to join, but let the citizens join freely and willingly.”

The First Vice-President and SPLM Chairman Salva Kiir Mayadrit met recently with Abdel Wahid Al-Nur the leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM). The rebel leader for the first time since the signing of the peace agreement accepted an invitation to visit Juba. The move has been seen as tremendous development ahead of the upcoming general election.

Speaking via a telephone linkup Mr. Ali Yacoub Ibrahim for the Darfur Businessmen in Yambio said that, “they have taken this stance simple to join a government which is governing with democratic principles and values compared to other regimes of Sudan time immemorial.

Yacoub stressed that, “SPLM is the only party which can give the rights of the Sudanese people, based on democratic transformation as stipulated in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.”

“Since we were students in Khartoum, we have always been neutral in joining any political party, but now we think it is time to remove the gaffes,” he said.

SPLM party is the ruling and dominant party in the Government of Southern Sudan, based in Juba and headed by the former Rebel Commander 1st Lt Gen Salva Kiir Mayardit.

Sudan is the largest and one of the most diverse countries in Africa, home to deserts, mountain ranges, swamps and rain forests

The two-decade north-south civil war is said to have cost the lives of 1.5 million people. In Darfur where the rebellion started in 2003, the UN says more than two million people have fled their homes and more than 300,000 have been killed.

(ST)