Juba Speaker calls for cancellation of adopted referendum bill

Ngor Arol Garang

December 23, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — James Wani Igga, Speaker of the Juba based regional Legislative Assembly, has today called for immediate cancellation of the adopted referendum bill saying the passage is provocative and undermines creditability of independent institution like the legislature.

The official said he calls for cancellation of the law because the adoption has blatantly violated number of international rules and conducts of business applicable to parliaments

He called on the NCP leadership to commit their attention to resolving these differences with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, SPLM, at earliest to avoid sparking of tensions and denial of determinations to peacefully implement comprehensive Peace Agreement in good faith as they signed it.

Dr. Riek Machar, the Vice President of the semi autonomous regional government of South Sudan, will, after Christmas break, present the controversial Referendum Bill to the South Sudan Legislative Assembly for members’ deliberations.

The National Assembly in Khartoum, at Omdurman, Sudan, has on Tuesday 22, notwithstanding SPLM and other Southern political parties’ stance against new amendments, adopted and described it as most tedious and tiresome bill ever discussed and passed by the parliament since formation in 2005.

In speaking to the press in Khartoum on Tuesday, the same day it was passed, SPLM Deputy Chairman, Riek Machar, described adoption of the bill in the absence of Southern Sudan parties, by the National Legislature as an indication of a political fight between the two regions.

Machar said by “endorsing the bill in the absence of Southern Sudan parties, the National Legislature appears to be representing northern Sudan”.

This prompted SPLM parliamentary bloc in the assembly to declare intentions to suspend their participations in the house till differences over referendum and other pressing bills are resolved.

Thomas Wani, a deputy head of the SPLM bloc in the parliament said that his party will not recognize the Southern Sudan Referendum law endorsed on Tuesday and that they will remain out boycotting parliamentary sessions and activities.

Similarly, representatives of The Union of Sudan African Parties, (USAP) in the house, rejected the endorsement of the bill in the absence of the Southern Sudan political parties.

Adam Cholong who spoke as USAP representative in the National Assembly, said National Congress Party does not represent Southern Sudan adding that bill endorsed by the Presidency should not have witnessed deletion and insertion new articles.

The Southern Sudan Referendum bill was passed through mechanical majority of the National Congress Party in Parliament prompting Parliamentary Blocs of SPLM and Southern Sudan political parties to walk out of house on Tuesday’s session protesting new amendments on the draft bill.

The new amendments give rights to all Southern Sudanese living in the north to vote during the referendum process.

However, members of the ruling national Congress Party in the house like deputy head of the National Congress Party bloc, Amin Daffa’allah, described the boycott as undemocratic arguing that parliament is an independent institution and has the right to decide on issues concerning the country without any political agreement.

(ST)