South Sudan beefs up security amid poll results
April 24, 2010 (WUNROK) – The authorities from the regional government of Southern Sudan have stepped up deployment of security forces amid announcement of the recently conducted poll results across the region.
Both the SPLM and opposition figures cited electoral frauds and favoring of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) of the Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir.
The withdrawal of SPLM’s presidential candidate Yasir Arman sparked much concern amongst his supporters who subsequently called on SPLM to push for his return to the race saying the decision was a deprivation of their rights to vote in favor of the candidate of their choice.
In the south, repeated reports of intimidations, threats, expulsion, physical abuse and arrest of agents representing political contenders in the polls during voting process dominated the media. However, the SPLM led government in the region quickly denied these reports terming them as baseless and unfounded.
Throughout the poll and counting periods, strong rivalry prevailed amongst contesting political candidates where SPLM candidates turned independents. The candidates from other political parties drew little public attention as majority in the south associated them with the northern based political parties, particularly the NCP.
There were five strong candidates from independent groups who drew a lot of controversy during their campaign.
These candidate included General Alfred Ladu Gore in Central Equatoria State, General George Athor in Jonglei, General Dau Aturjong Nyuol in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Ex-governor,Brigadier General, Alession Ojetuk in Eastern Equatoria, Colonel Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro in Western Equatoria State and Madam Angelina Teny in Unity State.
They have all led preliminary results against their rivals hence prompted security concerns among their supporters as accusations of arrest continues to float.
With results being partially announced by the National Elections Commission, Lieutenant General Achuil Tito Madut, Inspector General of the Southern Sudan Police service, at the ministry of internal affairs in Juba, confirmed deployment of police forces across the region.
“We are deploying more from our well trained police riot units to states identified with potential threat and violence,” General Achuil told Sudan Tribune by phone from Juba.
Additionally, Southern Sudan High Election Security committee, Spokesman, Major General, Eliya Hariha, reportedly told press in Juba today that adequate security measures have already been established to contain situation across the region.
“There will be no problems. Security of the citizens will be under controlled during announcement of results in all states,” the General said.
The General further added that they have also established chain of contacts for quicker deployment of the security forces at request.
“We have put dedicated forces on high alert and will maintain constant contacts. We will also need cooperation with SPLA forces in each state in the event results are announced and violently protested by supporters of the political contenders,” the General reportedly said.
(ST)
Gatwech
South Sudan beefs up security amid poll results
Dear readers,
Yes, it is true that all those independent gubernatorial candidates led their SPLM rivals by wide margins in the priliminary results as reported in the article by the reporter.
What took place was really inflation of results in favor of SPLM to shame independents into losing the battle. That is “vote grabbing” as rightly put by Mr. Gatkuoth Deng on his excellent article on southsudannation.com, entitled, “South Sudan Elections: An Exercise of Demo-crazy, not Democracy.”
Independent candidates won all those states’ gubernatorial elections by were forced to lose by wild rigging.
Dinka Boy
South Sudan beefs up security amid poll results
The deployment of SPLA across the Southern States is crutial.
Now we get back our honorable back in their governorship( Honorable governor Taban Deng, Paul Malong, Malik Agger,and many more heros on the way).
These independent candidates were encouraged to distabalized the security of the country,but that can not happen in the South. Security must be alert to response to any militia mentality agggression.
Thanks
Dinka Boy
South Sudan beefs up security amid poll results
Worldmaker,
I and mr Kuminyandi will tell you that SPLM is for all of us.
Please just exclude your food lovers as your supporters but leave the other proud South Sudanese out there because they like SPLM.
Mr worldmaker, why not you go if you will make it happen.
Your own live is miserably hard let alone what you will do to SPLM.
Who are You? a little black ant!
Hillary B.M.L,M
South Sudan beefs up security amid poll results
Congratulations Independent Candidates for More Parliament Seats and yet not announce officially, i hope 3 or 2 of you will win Governorship Posts amid SPLA fraud and latter demonstration for your win.
This is not your will but the will of the citizens who deem you can improve their situations in all levels of your Administration.
Those Security force should see that SPLA corrupt supporters would not ignore the law, if do so please i advise you to Punish them.
Pwad Achob
South Sudan beefs up security amid poll results
Dear readers,
There is one thing I know that southern sudanese don’t and won’t accept a dictator or allow themselves to be humiliated and deprived of their freedom and identity. For these reasons, they have first revolted against the imposition of leaders from the north after independence 1955. We have fought under the first movement and had signed Addis Abba agreement which gave us local attonomy. We failed to rule ourselves under that self rule because some individuals thought that they were the best and we lost that opportunity which should have given us very good chance to develop our capacity to tackle our affairs. I think we are repeating previous mistakes in the south today.Lets waite to see what is going to happen in few months and years. But i have a feeling that our future is doomed.Pray to Almighty that these greedy people learn from pass mistakes.
Wad ogot
Gatwech
South Sudan beefs up security amid poll results
Kuminyandi (aka Dinka Boy),
Blame your poor IQ for not getting my messages clear.
First, I was against the elections. Remember that I used to call it “fake, pre-rigged, good-for-nothing elections.
I was saying that it was better to indefinitely postpone it and do rereferendum first and then each state (North and South) if separated would then conduct their respective elections after the referendum.
I also used to say that the elections would not change any thing but will only confirm Bashir as president to use it against the ICC indictiment.
I also used to comment that this elections would more likely bring post-elections violence in the South.
Now, ya Mr. Dinka Boy with poor memory, can’t you remember all those things I used to say on this website before the elections.
And now check the results and you will agree that all those of my predictions have come true. Bashir is winning to use it against the ICC and the South is getting into trouble (violence).
Yes, because people did not listen to me and went ahead with the elections, I have to focus on the current developments….
I have divided the elections aftermath into three levels of national, South Sudan and states.
Nationally as the CPA is concerned, Bashir and Kiir should continue in the presidency to continue with implementation of the CPA.
Kiir and his twin candidate, Dr. Riek Machar should also remain in the presidency of the South.
For the states governors and constituencies elections, popular candidates should have been elected even if they were independents or from other South Sudan political parties. And this is where you see me criticizing either BAshir, Kiir or any other person who interfers with state elections.
I hope you now get me clear…….
Deng Garang Akech
South Sudan beefs up security amid poll results
Dear readers,
If this election was free and fair,
what is the reasons of police forces for ? And it was our votes casted for all the leaders of States and Presidents of the GoSS and GoNU.
There is no need for wars and conflicts within ourselves after this election results.
Please wait for the next once,if you are defeated.Accept been defeated and plan on how to win the coming one election by year 2011.Good luck and nice time to all of you !
Achuil Manyuat Tong
South Sudan beefs up security amid poll results
Thank general Achuil Tito other people in the ministry.
Security is neccesary at this particular time for us.
It was a democratic election by our standard.
R. TOOL
South Sudan beefs up security amid poll results
Mr. Gatwech and company,
For ones, you people need quite being cantankerous. Did you people read the article below?. No wander the war took so long to end, it because you people are so stupid. All you people do fight among each other and forget the real enemy. All you people do is be-rack who is superior, superior “screw” who is superior, I am sorry but you people are idiots. Who cares who is superiors when you lose so many of your people… fools!. The Arabs north are coming after you people even before 2011, so be ready to leave southern Sudan. You lost 2.5 millions of your people and you’re not even angry at the Arab north. You people in the south have mental deficiencies. It is frustrating to real all your garbage of in fighting. I wish the the international community will stop supporting you people, but that would not be fair to those who have no voice.
You (south) all should be united to free yourselves from Middle East.
By Opheera McDoom
Reuters
Sunday, April 25, 2010; 12:01 PM
KHARTOUM (Reuters) – Clashes between south Sudan’s army and Darfuri Arab tribes killed 58 people, raising tension along the border with the north of the country as results of the first open elections in 24 years are released, officials said on Sunday.
Sudan’s oil-producing south was allowed to keep a separate army and form a semi-autonomous government in a 2005 peace deal ending more than two decades of civil war with the north.
Southerners will vote in a referendum on January 9, 2011 on independence.
“There was movement from the Rizeigat (tribe) and from the SPLA (the southern Sudan People’s Liberation Army). I can’t tell you who attacked who first but they clashed,” Rizeigat Arab tribal leader Mohamed Eissa Aliu told Reuters from South Darfur.
“It happened Friday and those killed from the Rizeigat were 58 and 85 injured,” he said, adding the attack was in Balballa, South Darfur, which borders Western Bahr al-Ghazal in the south.
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The SPLA said they were attacked by the northern army (SAF) in Raja, a remote part of Western Bahr al-Ghazal state, near where at least 5 officials from the dominant northern National Congress Party (NCP) and four others were killed by an SPLA soldier during five days of voting which began on April 11.
“Our company came under attack from the SAF forces yesterday afternoon,” SPLA spokesman Malaak Ayuen said late Saturday. “The SAF was using four land cruisers with mounted machine guns.” He could not give further details.
A SAF spokesman denied any involvement but confirmed the SPLA attack on the Rizeigat in Darfur, calling it “a clear violation of the (peace deal).”
The north-south border there is one of many disputed areas yet to be demarcated.
Sunday, the SPLA said it had been attacked for a second time in Raja and had been forced to retreat.
“They reinforced themselves and launched another attack and occupied the place,” Ayuen said Sunday.
Of the around 100 SPLA troops in the area, 47 had reported back with the others likely still in the bush, he said.
Results of the elections, marred by boycotts in the north and opposition accusations of fraud, are slowly being announced after days of delays.
The NCP and the ex-southern rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) are expected to form a coalition government as both parties look set to maintain their respective dominance in the north and the south.
The international community is concerned that only 8 months before the 2011 plebiscite on independence, issues like the demarcation of the border, grazing rights of nomadic tribes and citizenship have not been agreed.
The north-south civil war, Africa’s longest, has raged on and off since 1955. It claimed 2 million lives mostly through hunger and disease and destabilized much of east Africa.
The south, which follows mostly Christianity or traditional religions, fought the mainly Muslim north over issues including oil, ethnicity and ideology.
(Additional reporting by Skye Wheeler in Juba; Editing by Janet Lawrence