Southern Sudan referendum bill passage delayed until Tuesday
December 29, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – The two houses of the national parliament in Khartoum, the National Assembly and the Council of States, have delayed the debate and passage of the Southern Sudan referendum bill till Tuesday.
The controversial bill was prematurely passed last week by the NCP’s block in the parliament amidst protest by the SPLM block in collaboration with other Southern Sudan political parties that walked out in rejection of an article in the bill.
The article, which the NCP block modified against the original wording agreed upon by the two parties and passed in the Council of Ministers, reversed that northerners who claim ancestry in the South would register and vote wherever they are in northern Sudan or abroad.
The SPLM’s position is that those northerners who claim to qualify to have been southerners should move to the South for verification and confirmation by their respective local chiefs before they could qualify to register and vote within the South.
SPLM senior officials on Monday held a briefing in Khartoum with the Vice President of the Government of Southern Sudan, Dr. Riek Machar Teny and discussed the current nature of the bills of referendum laws for Southern Sudan and Abyei in addition to popular consultations for Southern Blue Nile and Southern Kordufan states, pending their passage by parliament.
Among the participants in the meeting included the SPLM Secretary General Pagan Amum and his deputy for Northern Sector, Yasir Arman as well as SPLM members in the National Assembly and other prominent party members.
The Southern Sudan referendum law has been returned to the National Assembly and is expected to be passed on Tuesday in its original text as earlier agreed upon by the two parties.
Dr. Machar who went back to Khartoum on Monday from the Unity state’s capital, Bentiu, where he celebrated Christmas holiday, is also expected to separately meet with the Vice President of the Republic, Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, on Tuesday to review other pending issues in the CPA.
The NCP official Irahim Ghandour said that said that both parties agreed on the required amendments of the referendum law and make sure it satisifes the wishes of the SPLM.
On the substance of the changes made Professor Al-Amin Dafa’alah from the NCP bloc said it was the inclusion of article (4) so that the amendment is consistent with the disputed portion with no conflict.
He noted that they have heeded to the SPLM request to delete the word “since “ and replace it with “starting” for the Southerners who were born on January 1st 1956, describing the modications introduced as “excellent” and removed the confusion in the conflict with the constitution and provides an opportunity for Southern citizens living in the north to vote and register in the constituency they are in rather than having to be physically present in the South.
Dafa’alah also denied the existence of disagreement between the partners on any of the provisions of the Abyei referendum law and said that the protocol in question, which was “literally” adhered leaves no room for disagreement, expressing hope that a final agreement would be reached with the SPLM.
Meanwhile a peaceful procession was staged across Southern Sudan on Monday in protest of delay in passing the bills and implementing other outstanding issues in the CPA implementation.
In Juba the GoSS president and First Vice President Salva Kiir urged the international community to extert pressure on the ruling NCP to pass all outstanding bills.
“If the National Assembly insists on passing its own versions of the three bills, I will personally once more travel to Khartoum to try with President Bashir to avert any crisis that might undermine the CPA implementation, and if necessary we will urge for the extension of the lifespan of the National Assembly to enable it pass the acceptable versions of the three bills. The choice of our people is peace and the full implementation of CPA and we shall not let them down” Kiir said.
“I therefore, call upon the international community to urge the NCP to pass without any changes the three bills as agreed by the two parties, and abide by the procedures adopted by the two parties to resolve any differences over the implementation of the key provisions of the CPA” he added.
(ST)
Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy
Southern Sudan referendum bill passage delayed until Tuesday
This is how arabs like to play with SPLA corruptees. Always delay which result to failure.
Kim Deng
Southern Sudan referendum bill passage delayed until Tuesday
Folks,
It’s a matter of time before the South declare her independence by all mean necessary unless and otherwise.
Sala Gai
Southern Sudan referendum bill passage delayed until Tuesday
Mr. Omer el Bashir
Known way here unless you have to agree and sign the two Law likely referendum bill and safety security law in 2011 that will help your rest to ICC count and tell your audience in the South to eat thier money in good manner not to kill innocense people.
Your plan dog arebelow:
1. Dr Lam Akol
2. kanga and etc
advice them for thier life here in the South
Gadingo
Southern Sudan referendum bill passage delayed until Tuesday
Dear comrades, any alteration by NCP party should be rejected in all its form. And they should be forced to reinstate the right bill that was agreed upon by the two parties.
Pee-Funk
Southern Sudan referendum bill passage delayed until Tuesday
SPLM need to be very Seriously with NCP because they try by any all mean to let referendum law fail, but we cannot let that happen. SPLM need to play a smart game so that NCP will not get a room in southern Sudan Politic. there is reason behind for all this delayed stuff. that is good move for SPLM to block and rejected an article that NCP put it in the referendum bill.
Dinka Boy
Southern Sudan referendum bill passage delayed until Tuesday
What does NCP mean when they say original wording?.
NCP does not want to accept the manipulation of bill and they say the change the wording.
The party of Bashier is criminal party who change the agreed bill.
SPLM is not care now whether you forward the bill in 2011.
South have clear destiny from you guys.
Thanks
boduop
Southern Sudan referendum bill passage delayed until Tuesday
NCP should not reamended the words defined in the agreement.We know English is not our Language but we deserve to have it inorder to understand ourselves.NCP cannot use its majority in the National Parliament to pass the Bills without other political parties.
NCP should not rejected the rights of the poeople of Southern Sudan to vote iether for secession or Unity,and the Unity cannot be enforced by NCP in the South.
SPLM should take care,NCP is passing the three Bills prematurely and this premature passed Bills can bring confusion and people will go back to war.
President Kiir can avoid pleasing Omar Al Bashir he should travel to Khartoum not roaming around in Juba with Bear.This is a tough time for Southerners to achieve what is the CPA and what CPA want us to do now before 2011,we remaind with 12months to reach our destination.
Thanks.
Botrus Duop.
Gatwech
Southern Sudan referendum bill passage delayed until Tuesday
Dear readers,
NCP should not forget that it is dealing with highly educated people in the South. Playing around with the words “since” or “starting” will not give them an easy route to escape. Every line and every word in the document is being scrutinized very carefully by the SPLM before it is passed. NCP has proved to be a party that kills confidence. They agree on this during the day time and at night they change the wording and print a different document. What a party!!
Salva Kiir as the ONLY member of SPLM in the 3-man presidency should be encouraged to move to Khartoum immediately and tell Bashir to sign the law as soon as it is passed on Tuesday in his presence. Bashir may delay the signing of the law again if Salva is not sitting beside him pushing him to sign it immediately.
M.Cool.J
Southern Sudan referendum bill passage delayed until Tuesday
That is how somebody who knows how to play the game does it against a naive.
It is a cheat-and-delay-as -we-go-on kind of a game and I tell you that is the true arab game player who will always laugh at Southerners,the dull players.
Thyinka
Southern Sudan referendum bill passage delayed until Tuesday
The referendum law will be passed sooner or later. The delay, avoid, run-in-circles tactics will still come to an end because they will not break the will and resolve of Southerners.
Nyaborjiok Makuac
Southern Sudan referendum bill passage delayed until Tuesday
Kir should now sharpen is focus on national issues and should simply stop criticizing goverment in the north for what is as simply failing to do, people have to work to make thing change not to talk to make them happened how shall kirr fear going to khartoum and face these Jalaba. this is hight time that our leaders wathc out and start reall politic not Jungle one as logic boy use to said, the claim is clear that khartoum shall transport arab and camp them in southern sudan and that will secure them some seat and help them secure good ground in southern sudan.
all need to think critically not making noise.
Sebit Phillip Elioba
Southern Sudan referendum bill passage delayed until Tuesday
Dear Bsir,
stop causing unnecessary delays in the passing of the bill for the soutern sudan Referendum. These current Sudanese are not the colonilalist type of sudanese you cheated and let the sudan being exploited by the foreigners.
You are dealing with modernized Sudanese.
Act very first on the passing of the southern sudan referendum bill.
Thanks