Machar calls for Unity state to come together for sake of referendum

By Bonifacio Taban Kuich

November 23, 2010 (BENTIU) – The Vice President of the government of South Sudan Riek Machar urged citizens of Unity state to put aside past differences and come together for the sake of the south’s upcoming referendum on independence.

In a meeting on Monday with county commissioners, and the state task force for referendum committees and intellectuals in Bentiu, Unity state’s capital Machar urged the people of the south Sudan to unite and work hard to achieve what they want for the independent of South.

In January the south will vote on whether it wants to split from the north as part of a 2005 peace deal that ended over two decades of war between north and south.

Earlier in his visit Machar called for unity in the state and asked that the grievances of April’s general elections results be put aside. The fallout of April’s election was particularly bitter in Unity state after Angelina Teny – Machar’s wife – failed to win the governorship of Unity state in the elections losing to the official candidate from south Sudan’s ruling part the SPLM.

After the acrimonious vote, Gatluak Gai, began a rebellion in Unity state, which some in the Government of Southern Sudan believe was backed by Teny, according to the Small Arms Survey.

A report by the research group said that: ‘While Gatluak and his forces have not launched fresh attacks in Unity since June 2010, the area of the state where he initially operated continues to be insecure and the situation will likely remain unstable in the run-up to the referendum.’

The meeting in Bentiu discussed the importance of registration for referendum, the difference of the referendum and post-referendum issues. The south is widely expected to vote for separation.

Machar said that the Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM), who have ruled the south since the 2005 peace deal, and other south Sudan political parties shall work closely and would be included in the task force committees.

The Vice President said, “We should put our differences apart and forget the past events,” adding that “for our work to run smoothly for the referendum success, we should have a daily reports to the task force in Juba.”

Machar said, that security is a threat to many states in Southern Sudan, and therefore “we should improve the challenges by making reconciliations through peaceful negotiation to our brother who are carrying out hostilities with in the South.”

He added that those who wanted division within the SPLM at the state level must now reunite and focus on the main goal for the referendum of South Sudan. He added that achieving an independent South would only be achieved if the South was united.

(ST)