SPLM hopeful of landslide win in elections says official

By Ngor Arol Garang

March 22, 2010 (RENK) — A senior member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, the SPLM, Brigadier General Dok Jok Dok, who doubles as Upper Nile state chairman and deputy governor, expressed hope that his party will win the upcoming April elections.

Dok explained that the elections remove from SPLM the authority to appoint – as has been done for the past five years under the Interim Constitution — and empower the people to elect leaders and representatives of their choice to all institutions of governments.

However, he was quick to caution the electorate to vote wisely saying do not allow your vote to return you to sufferings and slavery that you have lived for decades. “Who of you wants return to internally camps in Khartoum and elsewhere where little attentions were paid?” he posed

He said that he was confident of victory for SPLM. “We in the SPLM particularly in the greater Upper Nile state are hopeful that our rural population will vote in our favor for a landslide victory in the April polls,” Dok said

The deputy governor was speaking at the official rally launching SPLM’s campaign in his native county headquarters of Renk where he repeatedly asked citizens vote for Yasir Arman and Salva Kiir in the upcoming elections.

“You are already aware that elections are at the corner, just three weeks from now, and you have already seen many pictures of contestants for various positions including position of your commissioner, Deng Akueny, who is next to me here posted everywhere,” he indicated.

“We brought you peace and current developmental projects such as schools and primary health care units now serviceable in some rural areas and we are determined to bring you more as peace means development,” the official said.

“We are not people who promise people for elections interests… there are people campaigning now pledging a lot of things which they did not do in the past while they are the same people who have been in the power for decades,” he said. He was referring to pledges made by President Bashir who recently visited the state and stayed for three days, visiting Nasir.

In his opening speech at the rally, Commissioner Deng Akueny said SPLM’s policy of both regional and national reconciliation has contributed to creating a society that is in harmony and at peace with itself.

He said to continue on this path, there is need to embrace the different cultures of the country adding that a divided community wastes valuable time in internal wrangles, which can only sap its strength and cause failure.

He also said his party will ensure implementation of agricultural projects such as rice production, aquaculture and grape cultivation. He however said food security cannot be achieved by government alone, but with the involvement of the private sector.

These projects and programmes will only succeed if their implementation is assured jointly by both government and private institutions. He noted that most of the development is in Khartoum and other regions are not government projects alone, but are privately owned projects only regulated by governments.

Earlier Deputy Governor Dok said Sudanese women — particularly those in the war affected regions – had been a great pillar in the struggle for liberation. “Our women have greatly contributed to all sorts of struggle for liberation, without them there would have been no peace today. They acted as logistics carrying our ammunitions on their heads as well as cooking for our soldiers the same time,” recalled the SPLM brigadier.

He said therefore the movement will increase women’s share of posts from 25% to 30%. He asked all SPLM nominees and other officials to communicate this message to all people particularly those in the rural villages, emphasizing that women’s representation at the assemblies will this year increase if SPLM wins upcoming national elections.

He also added that SPLM will continue to ensure that the rights and interests of Sudanese women are realized calling Sudanese to promote culture of peace, reconciliation and national unity.

(ST)