Arman sets to visit Aweil for talks with independent candidates

February 12, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — Yasir Saeed Arman, SPLM candidate for the President of the Republic, is set to head high level delegation scheduled to visit Aweil town, the state capital of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, for talks with senior members and leader of the independent candidates.

The delegation made up of Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior, wife to late SPLM chairman, Dr. John Garang de Mabior, and a former minister of roads and transport in the government of South Sudan. She is also an advisor to President of the government of South Sudan on human rights and gender affairs.

Besides her is Sudan’s current minister of foreign affairs, Deng Alor Kuol among others carrying political bureau message to dissuade independent candidates from contesting upcoming elections.

But Arman’s visit is criticized by the supporters of independent candidates saying he would definitely support incumbent governor having received donation of one billion Sudanese from the state administration for his political campaign.

“The coming of Yasir of Arman will not bring any difference. They are people of the same interest. Their interests identifies themselves very well and that was why governor Malong was quick to donate that huge amount to support his campaign because he knew Arman and Pagan are at the apex of leadership to defend him in the political bureau,” said Honorable Deng Athian from Aweil town.

Northern Bahr el Ghazal state was the first southern state in January to donate significant amount of money to support Arman campaign.

The SPLM fears possible defeat of its official nominees if independent candidates are allowed to contest the race. Pagan Amum, the Secretary General of the SPLM requested independent candidates to reconsider their positions saying allowing them would divide votes from the electorates and support base of the SPLM.

He also admitted occurrence of what he termed as “irregularities” in the selection process of the official nominees but declined to comment on how best this could be solved.

He however gave out three options to the independents with first option being withdrawal from the race in favor of the official nominees.

The other option allows consultations with supporters of both official nominees and independent candidates for voluntary concessions based on mutual understanding between the two parties. The last being political bureau consultations to take last option incase independent candidate falls to step down.

On Thursday 11, a Warrap State delegation led by incumbent governor, Tor Deng Mawien left Aweil after failing to convince neither side.

Lt General Salva Mathok Geng who is an advisor to GOSS president Salva Kiir Salva on SPLA affairs with former state minister of Agriculture, Aleu Ayeny Aleu, was part of the delegation.

According to Aleu, he said they did not go to Aweil to impose talks on anybody but voluntarily felt the necessity to negotiate way out of impasses for peace and instability in the state of northern Bahr el Ghazal being neighboring state of Warrap.

“We were in Aweil delivering presidential message requesting independent candidates to accept stepping down, and for talks with all both independent and official nominees to consider building confidence for peaceful elections,” he said during press interview with journalists in Wau town upon arrival from Aweil yesterday on Thursday 11.

He continued to say the purpose of their visit was to generate trust and confidence by building steps that enhance and strengthen peaceful understanding in relation to political differences that have emerged after selection of the official nominees by political bureau.

“We do not need these differences remain unsettled throughout and beyond the election period,” he said adding that their mission was looking at possibilities to end the impasses.

(ST)