Kiir describes next year as posing a “very challenging” situation in Sudan
By James Gatdet Dak
December 27, 2009 (JUBA) — The First Vice President of Sudan and President of the semi-autonomous Southern Sudan described the remaining one year of the interim period, before the expiration of the 2005 North-South peace deal, as posing a “very challenging” situation in the Sudan.
“Five years are over. We have only one year left to 2011. This one year left is very challenging because of elections and referendum ahead of us,” he said.
Kiir made the remarks on Sunday while addressing the Nuer congregation of the Presbyterian Church of the Sudan in Juba.
He called on the people of Southern Sudan to embrace unity and peaceful co-existence among themselves as they prepare to face future challenges.
The Southern Sudan President dismissed claims in the media which describe South Sudan as potentially a failed state. “I don’t think that is true…You are capable of managing yourselves,” he assured the congregation.
He commended the recent successful and peaceful exercise of voter registration in the South.
He however expressed concern about Jonglei state which he said hosts four tribes of Nuer, Dinka, Murle and Anyuak who continue to resist peaceful co-existence.
Kiir also slammed the results of the 2008 population census which the semi-autonomous government has already rejected because, according to officials, it understated the population of the South as 8 million.
As a result Southern Sudan has rejected the use of the results to determine power and wealth sharing between North and South and demanded that it keeps its 1/3 share in accordance with the provisions of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
Kiir told the congregation that the incorrect census results have been put to “shame” following the recent successful higher results on a different exercise of voter registration in many states of Southern Sudan.
He earlier told the Southern Sudan parliament that some states have scored more than 130% in voter registration, citing Unity state as an example, than the estimates of its eligible voters per the results of the controversial 2008 population census.
He urged the people of Southern Sudan to get prepared for the elections, which he said should be conducted as provided for in the CPA, and advised the people to vote for leaders who can stand their ground and face the future challenges together with the people.
“True leaders are those who face challenges together with the people and not those who run away when things get tougher,” he told the congregation.
He reminded that the people of Southern Sudan have only two options in the upcoming referendum; to either confirm the unity of Sudan, and if that does not go well with them, they can opt for independence of the South in January 2011.
Kiir also advised the people of Southern Sudan not to mistreat Northern Sudanese who live among them in Southern Sudan.
On his part, the Vice Moderator General of the Presbyterian Church of the Sudan and Pastor in Charge of the Nuer Congregation in Juba, Rev. Paul Bol Kuel, encouraged the Southern Sudan leadership to improve on providing good leadership and remain vigilant and courageous like Joshua in the Bible.
He also called on the leaders to always seek wisdom from God for guidance so that they make correct decisions and cross the people to the Promised Land in 2011.
Rev. Bol on behalf of the Nuer congregation expressed appreciation and described the visit and participation of President Kiir in the congregation service as special, explaining that his visit qualified to be special because it occurred for the first time in five years since 2005.
Kiir who is Christian in Catholic denomination earlier described the service as a re-union of the Christian family.
(ST)