South Sudan’s President warns against violence during referendum campaigns

October 20, 2010 (JUBA) – The President of the semi-autonomous government of Southern Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit on Wednesday, issued a statement warning that policies inciting violence during campaigns in the forthcoming referendum on self determination for people of south Sudan, would not be tolerated.

South Sudan is widely expected to vote for independence in the poll, agreed as part of a 2005 peace deal that ended over two decades of war between north and south.

Kiir said his government would create an environment for all parties and advocacy groups to campaign freely for both unity and separation and urged state governors to do the same.

“All state governments and institutions must create conducive environment for all proponents without distinction on the basis of their choices,” said president Kiir in a six page document received by Sudan Tribune on Wednesday.

Advocacy groups campaigning in support of both two options would receive government funds to make their case, the document said.

Kiir warned that any campaign that incited violence would not be tolerated.

“The government of southern Sudan will fund both advocacy groups campaigning for unity and secession and assure them to freely campaign for options of their choices without holding any fear. This is what I have been saying and I repeated it during the opening session of all political parties’ conference which ended on Sunday. I said a high leveled ground will be provided for all to campaign freely,” said Kiir.

The president of the regional government said that he wanted all political parties to be empowered to play a role in educating voters for all processes of registration and polling as well as campaigning.

President Kiir, while addressing the end of the southern political parties’ conference that ended on Sunday urged his own government controlled by the SPLM in the south and the Khartoum government dominated by the National Congress Party to protect rights of the citizens.

Many southerners live in Khartoum and other areas of the north and northern Sudanese also live and work in south Sudan.

Kiir said that in the event that if the south secedes all citizens and their property should be protected.

Calling for regular consultation among political leaders and parties before, during and after the conduct of referenda, he emphasized the need for the two regions to improve their relationship.

“I have said many times in several meetings and occasions that south Sudan will exert all necessary efforts to maintain close and improved relations with the north if it secedes because it will not move from its original geographical location.”

“If it separates, it will not be shifted to the India occasion or to anywhere else a part from its current geographical location. It will remain here in the same geographical location. The same to the north unless something magical occurs, hence the need to maintain close and improved relations with all her neighbors,” said Kiir.

The two sides are currently deadlocked over establishing the commission for a separate referendum in the oil-rich region of Abyei.

They also cannot agree on which tribes will be legible to vote.

This week the north reacted angrily to Kiir’s suggestion that a UN buffer zone of peacekeepers should be established on the north-south border.

(ST)