Warrap state authorities pledge full security during conduct of referendum

By Ngor Arol Garang

August 8, 2010 (KHARTOUM) – Authorities in Warrap state have pledged to provide security during the upcoming referendum in the region.

Colonel Dominic Deng Kuoc, Twic County commissioner in the state on Saturday said his administration would provide security to residents and traditional leaders of the county in the upcoming referendum.

“I assure you that the upcoming referendum will be conducted in a free and conducive environment. The area is now secured. There is no threat and hope it remains the same in the coming months so that referendum is conducted in a free and secured environment,” he said.

He reiterated commitment of Warrap state government under Mrs Nyandeng Malek to equally extend services to serve all citizens of the state including Twic County without distinction. He made the remarks during a meeting he held on Saturday with representatives of Amiol community, one of the biggest sections in Twic County in Turalei.

Paramount Chief Garang Nyuol of Amiol section, on his part thanked Commissioner Kuoc for cooperation and assurance of full security during referendum and recommended vigilance and inclusion of local representatives into North- South border demarcation technical committee.

“Your administration needs to pay close eye and stay alert at the north –south border during demarcation process. When time comes for demarcation, I suggest that our representatives should be involved. We have people who know exactly where border lines lies. They know these boundaries more than the young ones. They know them even by trees because these were areas from where we use to take our cattle for grazing while young before eruption of civil wars in the country,” explained Chief Nyuol.

Assuring traditional leaders on commitment of the SPLM to respect choice of the people of Southern Sudan, Commissioner Kuoc said the SPLM leadership at all levels will do the best possible to ensure that choice of the people of Southern Sudan is not manipulated. “The choice of our people will never be compromised either. We will support what they consider as their right choice not what they will be asked,” he said.

Kuoc further said government is aware that it has to partner with traditional leaders to effectively serve the people. “We in the SPLM are fully aware that traditional leaders are the real and right partners in all activities such as development and future of the region. There is nothing a government can do for the public without consulting chiefs. This was why our President Kiir felt the necessity to give each and every chief a vehicle. It was meant to help them reach out to the grass root level on time,” he explained.

Describing Southern Sudan as resourceful place, he said unlike other regions, Southern Sudan is such a wonderful place for development. “We have water, land and hardworking people, all we need is development. There is nothing we need from our government apart from development.”

“South[ern] Sudan has everything. We have almost everything with us. There are fine professional teachers for our children. There are health practitioners for health matters. There are lawyers. There is water. There is fertile agricultural land. There are and there are a lot in our land. What we need is freedom and development,” he continued to explain.

However, the governor of the state, Mrs. Nyandeng Malek, whose husband comes from the area, said her state government was determined to ensure that road infrastructure in the state is worked on as one of the priorities. Campaigning for the office in last April elections with education on top of all proposals, she said she would give priority to issues that pin down growth and promotion of quality education in the area.

“We will give our attention to one of the most important area of education for our children. We have to invest money into education. We have to build more schools, train more teachers and build more houses for the teachers to ensure that our children are prepared for the task of development,” said the governor.

“People desperately need health services and should have access to health facilities and medicines with trained manpower to provide quality medical services. I am standing before you to tell you that my administration will be committed to providing these services. Of course it cannot happen at once; we have to go step by step. We must plan this development and ensure that resources are distributed equally in all the counties of the state,” Nyandeng told the cheering crowd at Akoc Thon constituency during the weeks leading to the final days of electoral campaigns in the area.

Makuc Makuc Ngondit, SPLM Secretary General at the state and current advisor to governor on political affairs, said in his swearing in ceremony, shortly after he was appointed, that he was grateful that the people of Warrap state were peaceful and that they continued to work together.

He said development can only take place when there is peace and unity in any place. “There can never be development when there is no peace and unity anywhere in the world. There can never be development when people are subjected to fear of any possible attack and there can never be development when people and their leaders do not sit down to plan together,” Makuc said, pledging his cooperation and loyalty to the SPLM and government of Warrap state under Nyandeng.

He also thanked the people of Warrap state for their continued support for the SPLM. “You have shown your consistent trust and confidence in SPLM leadership by electing our members. Your choice to elect Comrade Salva Kiir Mayardit as our President and Comrade Nyandeng Malek as our governor among other leaders show trust you have in them to deliver to our expectations,” he advised.

(ST)