MP likens 2010 South Sudanese parties’ to 1954 conference

October 20, 2010 (JUBA) – A southern Sudanese MP, historian and writer says the timing and resolutions of the recent Southern Sudanese political parties conference that ended in Juba on Sunday were similar to the 1954 South-South conference, also held in Juba, just over one year before Sudan became independent in January 1956.

Arop Madut Arop, who represents the oil-rich region of Abyei in the Juba parliament said in a live television interview with South Sudan Television on Tuesday, said the 1954 South Sudanese leaders conference was the first forum organized by southerners themselves unlike the 1947 Juba conference which was organized by British colonial administrators.

The 1954 conference, also known as the ‘Both Diu Conference’, founded South Sudan’s first political party – the Liberal Party – and successfully brought together all the political and traditional leaders from the South and the Diaspora for the first time, Arop said.

He said that this was similar to the recent South Sudanese political parties conference in Juba which agreed on a roadmap for formation of an interim broad-based national government and review of interim constitution should the South become independent

The 1954 conference, which also took place in October in Juba, came up with resolutions calling for establishment of a federal system in the post-independent Sudan in order to remain united with the South.

“The resolution of Both Diu Conference overwhelmingly asserted that the safeguards put forward in 1947 Juba Conference must be honoured and implemented. They resolved that the establishment of the federal system in Sudan is not negotiable as it is the only way to safeguard the interest of the South. If this fails then Southerners would opt for the ultimate self-determination. This resolution is found in a letter written by Hon. Benjamin Lwoki, the Chairman of the 1954 Both Diu Conference to Governor-General [British] and copied to Prime Minister. Like Juba Conference of 1947, the voice of Southern Sudan was largely ignored by both Britain and Al-Azhari’s government.”

Arop said more than 200 delegates attended the October 1954 conference and all signed the resolutions with the exception of seven absentees.

This he said was similar to the 23 political parties that have signed to communiqué that recently concluded the 2010 conference, agreeing on referendum and post-referendum issues with the exception of only two small political parties.

Arop commended the President of the Government of Southern Sudan and chairman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) for bringing the people of Southern Sudan together at this critical time, saying the move had surprised the northern government which, he claims, does not believe in South Sudanese unity.

The Abyei MP said the differences between the SPLM and many other political parties such as the United Democratic Front (UDF) of Peter Sule were mainly over the support for unity or separation. Arop said that the UDF chairman, Sule, met in Nairobi with late Dr. John Garang de Mabior for five hours trying to convince late Garang to support separation of the South.

On the impact of the South Sudanese unity, the veteran MP said the north seemed to be adjusting to the fact that the separation of South Sudan was a foregone conclusion.

“The north is confused and bewildered,” said Joseph Abuk, a lecturer at the University of Juba, as he was referring to the build up to the self-determination referendum.

The following 23 political parties participated in the recent conference in Juba and signed to its Resolutions and Code of Conduct for the referendum and post-referendum era:

1) African National Congress (ANC)
2) Communist Party of Sudan (CPS)
3) National Alliance for Southern Sudan (NASS)
4) National Congress Party (NCP)
5) National Democratic Front (NDF)
6) National Justice Movement Party (NJMP)
7) National United Democratic Front (NUDF)
8) Sudan African National Union (SANU)
9) Sudan Labor Party (SLP)
10) South Sudan Democratic Front (SSDF-Front)
11) South Sudan Democratic Forum (SSDF-Forum)
12) Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – Democratic Change (SPLM-DC)
13) Popular Congress Party (PCP)
14) United Democratic Front (UDF)
15) United Democratic Salvation Front (UDSF)
16) United Democratic Salvation Front – Mainstream (UDSF-M)
17) Democratic Unionist Party (The Original)
18) United Democratic Party (UDP)
19) United Sudan African Party (USAP)
20) United South Sudan Party (USSP)
21) Umma Party “Reform and Renewal”
22) Umma Party
23) Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM)

(ST)