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Omer Al Bashir campaigns in Rumbek

By Manyang Mayom

March 10, 2010 (RUMBEK) — Omer Hassan Ahmed Al-Bashir, the incumbent presidential candidate of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP), arrived in Rumbek in South Sudan today to preach his campaign manifesto.

NCP candidate Omer Al Bashir (right) and Presidential Advisor Bona Malwal (left)
NCP candidate Omer Al Bashir (right) and Presidential Advisor Bona Malwal (left)
Bashir had already campagined in other southern towns including Juba and Yambio. His reception in Rumbek today was so large that it surprised the Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) and African National Congress (ANC-Sudan) which last month held their own rallies in Rumbek Freedom Square.

The NCP presidential candidate was welcomed at Rumbek airport by Lakes state caretaker governor Telar Ring Deng while various security forces deployed in the Freedom Square and all streets leading to the state secretariat office and the square.

Speaking at a rally in Rumbek Freedom Square, Omar Bashir said that “we are happy today; I am back to Rumbek to speak about Sudan and the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) – war has stopped in South Sudan due to the peace that we signed in Naivasha – we just need peace and freedom, education, services, health without any return to war”.

“We respect the Comprehensive Peace Agreement – the CPA granted the election to take place and after the election there will be the referendum in 2011 and all Southerners must decide whether for one united Sudan or two countries and I hope one Sudan is better for us to use one passport as one Sudanese nation. One Sudan will be strong and it will be the best for all of us as Sudanese across the country. We are one Sudanese with one passport,” said Bashir.

Bashir also addressed the widespread violence and feuding in Lakes state. “Cattle raiding: cows are dictated for marriages in South Sudan, yes, why should people fight because of livestock? Fighting over cows is bad, stop that fighting immediately, stop looting your cows among each another and marry more wives as cows are dictated for marriages in South Sudan; so to marry more wives is better than killing your own brother,” said Bashir.

The president spent only a couple of hours in Rumbek before taking off in his private plan to Tonj of Warrap state, and Kuacjok. On his visit to Western Bahr El-Ghazal state, he was accompanied by South Sudan Democratic Forum leader Bona Malwal, Director for National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) for Southern Sector Majak Agot, his Presidential Security Advisor (and ex-chief of NISS) Salah Gosh, among others.

The presidential candidate Bona Malwal, who is also leader of the South Sudan Democratic Forum (SSDF), ensured the crowd that “I am handing over to you Bashir to vote him in power as leader of the Republic of Sudan — if you let him lose the election then you will automatically lose the CPA”.

He also added that Southern Sudan has been complaining for 55 years due to wrong governance; Bashir is contesting with 12 presidential candidates and he is one who can bring about the right of South Sudanese people in the referendum. Bashir is ready to accept secession of Southern Sudan and among 11 presidential candidates nobody else talks about Southern Sudan’s secession, he said.

This is now the second time Omer Al-Bashir has visited Rumbek. During his visit in 2006, Bashir promised publically that he would build a new University of Rumbek, a hospital, Road construction from Rumbek passing Bentiu and then to Khartoum as well technical training school, all those promises mention in 2006 did not succeed to happen.

Today, Bashir insisted he will complete his promise of 2006 but he did not give a time frame. He said, however, that he would do something immediately to help the hungry.

The NPC presidential candidate remains wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes that he committed in the Darfur region of western Sudan.

(ST)

45 Comments

  • Dengtaath
    Dengtaath

    Omer Al Bashir campaigns in Rumbek
    People of rumbek they turn out in alarge number to support Omer Bashier, well you can support him to the presidency but be careful of 2011, this is where our eyes will completely change, you better dy than voting for unity.
    Why Omer fulfil his promises today why 2006?
    This is all lies, he will never build a road from Rumbek to Khartoum or Rumbek university and hospital as he promised.

    Reply
  • murlescrewed
    murlescrewed

    Omer Al Bashir campaigns in Rumbek
    Al-Bashir is just campaigning to win a few votes from South and split votes in the North. But if he is serious about convincing Southerners to vote for him, he must be sincere and campaign for a secular Sudan. No self-respecting Southerner would ever consider voting for a guy who put his religion before unity. It aint gonna happen!

    Reply
  • AUGUSTINO DENG
    AUGUSTINO DENG

    Omer Al Bashir campaigns in Rumbek
    Dear Southern Sudanese people, what are we waiting for? It is really useless indeed to give chance to Omar Bashir in order to campaign for presidency. Are we sure that Salva Kiir Miyardit will win an Election by the way? I don’t think completely. I’m really blaming God for taking away Dr John Garang.

    I believe that if Dr John Garang de Mabior was alive, then I hope Omar Bashir and Bona Malual Madut should not come to Rumbek and Campaign. Look at the way Bona Malual Madut is talking about like he said that “if you don’t nominated Omar Bashir, then you will lose CPA. Malual Madut, eat your own money, Sir.

    By the way, where is Salva Kiir Miyardit? Now, it show that lack of education is the key fundemental to this mess in Southern Sudan. Salva Kiir Miyardit, you better hand this fucken leadership to Omar Bashir completely instead of hovering around for no reason. What kind of leadership is that if your enemy know where you sleep? Salva Kiir Miyardit, you think that you are showing some sorts of leadership, but in reality you are doing nothing to yourself and to the people of Southern Sudan. Your Administration become an office where everyone is trying to do his own political extenship. Look at Bona Malual Madut with his big belly!. He have never come before with Omar Bashir and campaign in Rumbek since the time when Dr John Garang is alive, but right now he come because of your weakness.

    Salva Kiir Miyardit, you will accept the ICC proposal of taking Omar Bashir to jail. If Omar Bashir was taken to jail from the very beginning, then I hope Omar Bashir and Bona Malual Madut should not come to Rumbek. Last year, you are the one warned who ICC of not taking Omar Bashir to jail and you said that “ICC is trying to deteriorate the CPA”. Now, CPA is being deteriorated by Omar Bashir and Bona Malual Madut and the rests of the other Northern sectors of Khartoum in the present of your hand. Again, you sent a warning letter to Yoweri Museveni say that Omar Bashir should not be captured. What do you mean Salva Kiir Miyardit in your speech? As of today, what happen? You will see it and you will feel it. It is better for Southern Sudanese people to have no leader at all. This kind of leadership is really useless. “To be a poor person is better than to be a rich person”. Poor person always think and evaluated things before doing anything, while rich person always decided things for his own”. BY AUGUSTINO DENG.

    Reply
  • Gatmi raan
    Gatmi raan

    Omer Al Bashir campaigns in Rumbek
    TO : SPLM & its cronies
    Dear all readers:

    Read the following paragraph i found from South Sudan.net

    South Sudan election candidate complains of arrests
    Wed Mar 10, 2010 3:27pm GMT

    By Skye Wheeler
    JUBA, Sudan (Reuters) – South Sudan’s government has arrested dozens of supporters of a leading independent contesting the governorship of the region’s main oil state, the candidate said on Tuesday.

    Angelina Teny, the wife of South Sudan’s Vice President Riek Machar and who is running independently in Unity state, said April’s vote would not be fair.

    South Sudan’s democratic credentials will be scrutinised during the elections as eight months later it will vote on independence and many believe the region will secede from the rest of the country.

    Sudan’s opposition complain of harassment in the Islamist north but candidates in the first multi-party vote in 24 years are increasingly speaking of intimidation in the south, where the semi-autonomous government is dominated by the ex-rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement.

    Teny told Reuters some of her supporters were still jailed.

    “There are a number of them in prison in different locations,” said Teny, a former SPLM member who disagreed with the party’s method and choice of candidate for the post. “There is no freedom. You couldn’t possibly have free and fair elections under such circumstances.”

    The SPLM signed peace deal with Khartoum in 2005 ending more than 20 years of war over political, ethnic and religious differences, fuelled by the discovery of oil reserves.

    Teny said that four of her campaign agents were still in jail in the Unity state capital Bentiu.

    “Mostly it is the police but there has been use of the army as well,” she said.”One of them has been accused of ripping down a poster of my opponent, the incumbent governor,” Teny said, adding that the other agents had only been putting up posters and distributing campaign t-shirts.

    She added dozens of her supporters holding meetings had been detained and warned not to gather again.

    “This is a policy of the (state) government to make it difficult for anyone who is campaigning,” Teny said.

    The SPLM and other southern political parties signed an electoral code of conduct saying security agents should not intimidate or harass any candidates, their agents or supporters.

    Anne Itto, who heads SPLM party affairs in the south, told Reuters that she had no information about the arrests.

    The SPLM-led government has faced criticism from New York based Human Rights Watch over the military’s treatment of civilians.

    Two radio stations were raided and staff arrested last week in the southern capital Juba after an interview with a supporter of another independent candidate, Alfred Ladu Gorre, was aired by one of the stations.”

    You are allowing an Omer Albashir & Swar-el daf and Sadiq alike to campaign freely accross South Sudan,The very same people who have made Southern sudan a grave yard, since they were responsible of millions of deaths and You are arresting the Son’s and Daughters of South in their homeland. what a shameful party and leadership. they deserve nothing but death at this point in my opinion.

    Reply
  • babadit
    babadit

    Omer Al Bashir campaigns in Rumbek
    Al Bashir will never tell you the truth in him southerners, he only want your votes.
    people like Bona Malual,lagu,Abel Aller are the people trading in us southerners.

    don’t hear whatever they tell you, your votes are important only during referandum

    Reply
  • okucu pa lotinokwan
    okucu pa lotinokwan

    Omer Al Bashir campaigns in Rumbek
    The large number turn out of Rumbek community to welcome president Bashir might be because of his colour and the warrant rest impose on him by Okampo,so many people want to see him only.Concerning the promise of Omer Bashir this is not a knew thing to the southerners,special in Rumbek,alway for instance when one felt in Love with any lady, to win the confident of that lady.it means you should give some liaring words to attract her mind.But when it came in the real marriage you will start to refuse in some of your promising to her.Exactly this is what the criminal president Omer Bashir is trying now during his election campaign in the Ten states of the south Sudan.
    But what southerners should put in their mind is, no Arab will keep his promising.With the exception Yasir Said Arman,Who said Change and Hope.will do that

    Reply
  • Akuma
    Akuma

    Omer Al Bashir campaigns in Rumbek
    Thanks People of Rumbek for welcoming Bashir to your ancester land. He is our president to compaign in South Sudan but is Southern parties are allow to compaign in Northern Sudan?
    Anyway, you are right, but the face should told, Bashir can not rule Sudan including Southern Sudan unless Yassir Arman is dead. You praising Bashir my dear Soputherners, but you will consequences.

    Bona Malual is just dead body waiting for coffin to be burried.
    How come for him MAlual to associate with Bashir in compaign and leave Barl El Gazeel kitchen Government which is full with primitive and foolishness people.He is greedy in leadership like others farcical leaders in Southern Sudan.
    There is no other Joseph Lagu who is absent now in Barl Gazaal states. Don’t blame Joseph Lagu for what he has done because he was looking for hug money like Bona Malual who move with criminals, one who killhis father, mother, bros and relatives.

    So, vote for Bashir but remember Joseph Lagu story.

    Dr. Akuma, chicago, USA

    Reply
  • Time1
    Time1

    Omer Al Bashir campaigns in Rumbek
    omer bashir is being watched and tested as he moves around south sudan, he words will be measure with his actions, this is his last chances to show the southerners that he is serious about change, freedom and democratic transformation in Sudan, he has to show that he is serious to cooperate with the south for success of CPA and success of the political process in Sudan, this is bashirs last chances to talk to the southerners himself then follow this talks with serious actions, southerners will respond positively if omer bashir and his NCP follow on with a genuine process of implementing CPA until the interim period and also allow for political change generally allover Sudan, this does not mean southerners will vote for bashir or will see unity attractive, but southerners are giving a chance to listen to bashirs last move wether he can match his words with action or he will go down in Sudans history as the man who destroyed Sudan with his arraogancy,lies, false promises, wars, dishonestly and betrayal. Lets keep watching the elections is near.

    Reply
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