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Sudan Tribune

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Referendum commission leaves appointment of Secretary General to Presidency

By Ngor Arol Garang

August 19, 2010 (RENK) — The leadership of Southern Sudan Referendum Commission on Thursday said it decided to leave decision to appoint Secretary General to the Presidency.

Hundreds of supporters of south Sudan independence rallied in Juba, six months ahead of a crucial referendum that could lead to the partition of Africa's largest country (AFP)
Hundreds of supporters of south Sudan independence rallied in Juba, six months ahead of a crucial referendum that could lead to the partition of Africa’s largest country (AFP)
This came following internal upheavals over who should be appointed as Secretary General to run administrative affairs of the commission. Chan Reec Madut, Deputy Chairperson of the commission told Sudan Tribune from Juba that internal discussions to appointment secretary general have failed to reach any consensus.

Though the SPLM Politburo has agreed this week that NCP will nominate a person to fill the post, the right person from the NCP candidates is yet to be agreed and appointed.

While internal attempts to appoint Secretary General for the Commission have met resisting voices by commission’s members from the south, two candidates from the north were proposed for the post and no candidate from south was officially proposed.

“Internal attempts in the commission to appoint Secretary General have failed, so it is left to the Presidency to decide,” said Madut who is also the head of the Juba based Southern Sudan Referendum Bureau.

He however added that other activities, which he mentioned as coordination between Juba and Khartoum as well as with southern states continues to be carried out despite the disagreement.

“Routine activities are progressing well. We are in daily contacts and communicating with state high committees,” he said.

Last week, Professor Mohammed Ibrahim Khalil, chairman of the referendum commission with his deputy, Justice Chan Reec, appointed high executive committees in the states and sworn in members of the referendum bureau in Juba.

“We have appointed high executive committees in all the ten states of Southern Sudan last week. They are in processes of setting office in the states to select and form sub-committees in the counties,” he said.

A nine member commission representing the two peace partners of 2005 agreement was formed in June following initial deadlocks to reach consensus over membership composition. Its membership includes five representatives from the south and four from the north.

“So far we have 63 positions filed, including the commission itself. In these 63, four are northerners and 59 are southerners,” said Khalil.

“So what is all this fight about nominating a person who happens to be a northerner to be Secretary General? That would make five northerners to 59 southerners. What is all this farce about?” he asked in an interview with Reuters last week commenting on the opposition of southern members to appoint a northerner as secretary general of the commission.

Referendum, one of the key provisions of the 2005 peace accord that ended the more than two decades long civil war between north and south Sudan, allows southern Sudanese to vote at the end of six years of interim period to decide whether to remain part of united Sudan or choose to be separate from the rest of the country.

The National Assembly in Khartoum passed a referendum act in December 2009 allowing formation of a commission responsible for organizing demonstrations demanding passage of the act.

“The main obstacle is time,” said Khalil. With the commission formed three years behind schedule; a task which in the view of interim constitution should take nearly 42 months is now required to be done in six months.”

Despite the delay and concentrated timeframe, the commission said it is determined to conduct the exercise and denied reports in the media and from politicians that it had requested a postponement of the referendum.

“Newspapers and sometimes politicians, for reasons of their own, make me say what I have not said. The memorandum is not requiring a delay,” said Khalil, referring to a letter he sent to President Bashir.

Emphasizing on the need to appoint to a Secretary General to follow what he termed as complex and politically sensitive task of voter registration, constitution requires that final list be published three months before reaching actual proposed date for referendum and after completion of appeal process.

“Work is being done but of course there is a limit to what you can do things before the nomination of the secretary general,” he said.

Despite difficulties between the two peace partners, President Bashir has never missed assuring Southern Sudanese populace of the commitment his government to conduct referendum as proposed.

(ST)

10 Comments

  • DOOR
    DOOR

    Referendum commission leaves appointment of Secretary General to Presidency
    Will Bashir really make a wise choice? Ofcourse not, he would have an hyena share as usual.

    Reply
  • Gat nyaraan
    Gat nyaraan

    Referendum commission leaves appointment of Secretary General to Presidency
    The way the CPA is heading especially the referendum is worrisome. Now the appointment of the secretary general has been referred to the presidency to decide. The decision making in the presidency is not favorable to us southerners in any case. Albashir and Taha agree on issue while Kiir disagree which makes it an unequality two vs one which means the decision has been reached. kiir will have nothing to do except gnashing his teeth in anger than leave to Juba in which case he will make a statement upon his arrival at juba airport citing his disagreement but the decision has been taken. Man! The Jalaba are dubious they devise this decision mechanism to neutralize and paralyze us in the person of Kiir while we are awake. If the appointment of secretary general of the commission has been handed to the presidency there are doubts that a person of our want will be selected by bashir and the NCP, instead we are going to see one northerner appointed specifically to run down the conduct referendum whether in terms funds allocations or voter registration.

    Southerners beware, the jalaba are at full swing to derail referendum conduct and deny us our rightful independence.

    Reply
  • Akolde Nhiak Jinub
    Akolde Nhiak Jinub

    Referendum commission leaves appointment of Secretary General to Presidency
    Dear Readers,

    NCP has a great sinister plan and intentions about our destiny. If Nafi (Manafi talks as he can be seen on media) what about his (their plans)at night in their quarters!!!??????

    We must be very VIGILANT and concern for any statement from NCP figures!!!! They aren’t just talking, but they are / have also planned for Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)in all forms! Look at the 2009 weapons from China, first of its kind in the soil of Africa and world. Think; who do NCP / Sudan Army Forces would want to shield with this artiliary???!!!!

    God has everything. How many of these weapsons kind that NCP has used in Southerner soil during 22 / 50 years of protracted wars, however God was there to protect us.

    Nafi says, UDI by South Sudan Parliament is “political suicide”. Who tells Nafi that Sudan is still one. Nafi is day dreaming. Where on earth that a territory you claim control has an independent Army, Flag, constitution, boundary, identity, cultures, language of instruction (English in the South & Arabic in the North)and total autonomy of official travels, business links.

    South Sudan is African and North Sudan is Arab. Go Middle East and let us to East Africa; period!! Do you hear me!!???

    Whether NCP likes it or not, we are gone. SPLA Oyeee! SPLM Oyeee!! South Sudan independence Oyeee!

    Those composing National Anthem, please hurry up, time isn’t on our side.

    Akolde, Rumbek

    Reply
  • okucu pa lotinokwan
    okucu pa lotinokwan

    Referendum commission leaves appointment of Secretary General to Presidency
    Unity by force will not help,NCP trick will not even help.
    The country is already divided, President for GOSS Mayardit and for GON is Omer Bashir,and what next
    SPLA soldiers for the south,SAF soldiers for the North,the formation for SG for referendum is the duty of these two presidents not Omer alone.
    Okucu Pa Lotinokwan wishing every southerners to vote for indepedent of South Sudan ie separation.

    Reply
  • Manyieldit
    Manyieldit

    Referendum commission leaves appointment of Secretary General to Presidency
    Now what is the reason of taking this issue to the presidency when the SPLM has already compromised their position to allow the NCP to nominate the SG? This is just a wast of time and a delaying tactic. The right of the people of South Sudan has been already betrayed by the loose position of the SPLM in this case. We all know that Dr. Kiir has no voice when discussing issue in presidency though the CPA has given him a right of veto which he did not know because that part in the CPA was discussed when Dr. Kiir was busy planning the coup against SPLA in Yei with those of Garang Mabil and Aleu Ayieny. So Dr. Kiir need to be told that you have the right to veto what Taha and Bisher said.

    Reply
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