Arman denies any secret deal between SPLM and NCP over his withdrawal
April 3, 2010 (JUBA) — The Deputy Secretary General for Northern Sector, Yasir Saeed Arman, has denied that his withdrawal from the Presidential elections was based on a secret deal between his party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the National Congress Party (NCP).
Earlier, SPLM Deputy Chairman, Riek Machar, cited continued conflict in Darfur and electoral irregularities as causes for the Presidential pull out, adding that the SPLM would also boycott elections at all levels in Darfur region.
He also revealed that the pull out was initially advocated by Arman himself.
“He [Arman] advocated for his withdrawal. We had tried to convince him for weeks not to do that, but he insisted that he wanted it done that way,” Machar said.
On Thursday, Arman said the presidential election was aimed at deflecting the International Criminal Court (ICC), which a year ago issued an arrest warrant for Bashir for alleged war crimes in Darfur.
“The elections for president is made for one person, it is not made for a democratic process or for the Sudanese people, it was only made to save General Bashir from the ICC,” Arman said.
But opposition parties appeared unhappy about the unilateral SPLM decision and hinting that it was done in coordination with the NCP for fear of the latter placing hurdles before the 2011 referendum.
“This is a betrayal by the SPLM of its agreement with the opposition forces,” said Kamal Omer from the opposition Popular Congress Party (PCP) to Reuters, adding the party would not be boycotting the polls.
Fouad Hikmat, from the International Crisis Group (ICG) think tank, said the SPLM had struck a deal with the NCP to allow Bashir to win the presidency.
“The SPLM have decided to not [fully] boycott the elections because they don’t want to jeopardize the referendum — that is very important to them.”
The longest serving incumbent president of Sudan, who seeks for re-election after 20 years in power, earlier warned the ruling party in the South that he would cancel the process for conduct of the upcoming referendum on independence if it boycotted the elections.
Bashir had told a political rally in Damazin, the capital of the Blue Nile state: “The elections will not be postponed or cancelled. They will take place on time.”
“Our partner (in the government), the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, agrees with us,” he added but did not elaborate.
In January, the NCP in a surprise move said it would not field a candidate against SPLM chairman Salva Kiir for South Sudan presidency and called on the former rival to reciprocate.
Bashir, wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes in Darfur, had threatened a southern referendum in January 2011 if the SPLM boycotted the April 11-18 polls. The NCP hopes an election win will legitimize the rule in face of the warrant.
The NCP welcomed the decision [withdrawal of Arman and participation in the elections at other levels]: “We welcome the decision to run for the elections which is the right decision and I hope the other parties will follow,” senior NCP official Ghazi Salah Al-Deen Al-Attabani told Reuters.
Arman was serving the party as Deputy Secretary General for Northern Sector when the SPLM’s highest organ, the Political Bureau, nominated him in February this year to be its flag bearer in the match to the national presidential palace in Khartoum.
He had conducted several campaigns in both Southern and Northern Sudan states, including in the troubled region of Darfur.
The office of Southern Sudan’s incumbent president, Salva Kiir Maydrit has dismissed reports published in Khartoum alleging that the SPLM chairman had called to support the candidacy of Omer Al-Bashir for Sudan’s presidency.
Press reports published on Friday in Khartoum said Salva Kiir during an electoral meeting in the Lakes state had said the SPLM decided to withdraw its candidate Yasir Arman in order to allow Bashir election for Sudanese presidency.
Kiir did not demand to vote for Bashir, an official of the GOSS presidency who accompanied Kiir to the Lakes told the London based Asharq Al-Awsat, adding “On the contrary, he said that the National Congress Party rigged the elections, although the Political Bureau of the Movement for this reason decided to withdraw its candidate for presidential elections, Yasir Arman, on Wednesday.”
(ST)
Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy
Arman denies any secret deal between SPLM and NCP over his withdrawal
Every SPLA corruptee show interest in campaign when there is source of money.
Deng Wel Deng
Arman denies any secret deal between SPLM and NCP over his withdrawal
This was a deliberately manoevured strategy on the policy of you “scratch my back and I will scratch yours too”. Despite the facts that there are quantifications of vote rigging and other excuses,SPLM is real mature of politic in sudan to hit the nail on the coffin.
Dinka Boy
Arman denies any secret deal between SPLM and NCP over his withdrawal
Dear South Sudanese,
Who is to be blame for the dishonoring of our referendum?
Salva Kiir Mayardit and PB are to be blame.
Politics is a dangerous game. In politics, people or politicians without further analysis are the one who fall to the dirty side ,while those who have clear illustration of ideas fell to the apparent side of it. SPLM is suffering from power greed,and it will be very clear soon. There is no lucidity reasons why SPLM withdraw Yassir Arman so that we SPLa can understand.
In fact, i doubt whether South Sudan will be in condusive enviroment if our politicians think this way. Mr Abraham I can,t conprehend your arhuments because it seems that your mumbling about the previous method of choosing Arman. Whom to you want to be elect while both Rik Machar and Salva kiir resfuse to contest for the Sudan presidency?. Please it was the right decision,but sleep under sleeping leaders withdraw Arman at the last minutes. It’s hazardous game that i can not agree with SPLM leaders.
My friend, SPLM made a wrong decison to withdraw Yasir Arman at the last minutes. We SPLM who disagree with this decision are having more questions that you and those of Riek Machar fail to understand. If we South Sudanese are aiming for referendum,then why not we can conduct this election,and latter just wait for the result. If Arman win the election then it’s what we have been yearning for because he will not interfere with referendum,the most vital issues of South Sudanese.
In contrast, if Bashier win the election then why are we care much about his ICC as the essential precedure that can help or hand referendum to the South Sudanese. It seems that we South Sudanese are confuse base on these issues because 2011 without 2010 election mean nothing to the seperation of South,and this will escalate war more than you guys think of.
Why are we worried about Bashier ICC while we are hopping for the separation of the country after 2011. If NCP steal the elections,then the withdrwal of SPLM candidate won’t and cann’t solve our issues because this CPA is not something that we can easily torn apart by ourselves, never!. In deed, we South Sudanese need to perform April election so that we can immediately go to the referendum without delay.
I don,t think whether SPLM made a right choice at all because most of them works in SPLM with hidden agenda that will destroy the South. We know there are desperate leaders in SPLM hungerily yearning for leadership,but if they want it that way,then South Sudan will be always ugly,mark that in your medulla.Now, the deal of SPLM and NCP is completely a poor decision making and that will be like the one of Addis Ababa.
I don’t believed the deal of SPLM with NCP ,so that Bashier will win the election will exactly give South Sudan referendum. Are you crazy my dear? what are the cues that shows that Omer Bashier will help South to be separated. What are documents or the agrees that was made between SPLM and NCP so that we South Sudanese will be sure that we will give Bashier presidency for the independent of South Sudan.
Are you/SPLM now not talking about the addis Ababa agreement again, or the unpredictable possibilities?. What are the evidences that will help the South when they withdraw Arman in the race? i never saw any positive said side,but i saw CPA violation.
We South Sudanese need to understand that other people value time and money than we do. The international community and the other monitoring team who have devoted themselves for the election and referendum might and automatically misunderstood SPLM as a political party who have no critical thinking and effort of others. SPLM thinking contradicts the agreements that ressemble nation of South Sudan. It’s just a pre assumption and the baseless prediction of possibilities.
SPLM and people like Isaiah Abraham, please don,t count your chicken before they hatch because lots of them always died and others remain in the a broadening cage. We South Sudanese can not thought of giving Bashier presidency will help us for referendum because we have no evidences to support our thought. We can not trust other oppostions parties because they are the same people who fought the South.
We can not agreed for Bashier’s deceptive game of seek-and hide, while we have someone (Arman) who will throw him to the carve. Bashier took power in 1989 by Coup and he can garbage referendum like the way he does think,and fight the South like before, i hate when our leaders are lead by traitors like this, riek Machar is a traitor who had sleep in various houses in Sudan,why SPLM make him fools them. That is redicules.
Why Darfur issues bother South Sudanese as the major issues , who is sure that SPLM will make acoalition forces with Darfur and fought against Bashier?,None will help us if went think of seperation unless we SPLM need war. Please tell me what you know about politics then thinking about the deals. I know SPLM is political power struggling,but that will bring unexpected in the near future. Thanks
Gatwech
Arman denies any secret deal between SPLM and NCP over his withdrawal
Southerners,
Yasser Arman called it a quit for good and NEVER to participate in the presidential contest. He begged for withdrawal!
It was the best decision to withraw Yasser Arman and make him quit the presidential race for good because strategically is very wise decision.
I believe this is after assessing so many issues and the conclusion that Arman would NOT win the elections and………..
Sorry for the wasted resources (money) on the aborted campaigns.
I heard that his photos are being torn down every where they are posted, but what will you do about his name and picture which are already on the presidential ballot paper?
The same thing goes to other presidential candidates like Sadiq Al-Mahdi who have boycotted, will another ballot paper be printed without their names and pictures? This is important because it will bring confusion to voters.
Dinka Boy
Arman denies any secret deal between SPLM and NCP over his withdrawal
Why NCP requested the withdrawal of Yasir Arman initially since he was elected as SPLM presidential candidate and at the last minute SPLM agreed to withdraw him ?
Something is going on here!