South Sudan minister calls for massive reception of President Bashir in Juba

By Ngor Arol Garang

January 3, 2011 (ABYEI) – Barnaba Marial Benjamin Bill, minister of information and broadcasting service in the government of south Sudan on Monday called for massive reception of president Omer Hassan al-Bashir when he visits Juba on Tuesday.

Marial, a prominent member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement which controls affairs of the regional Government of Southern Sudan said in an interview with Sudan Tribune: “The President of the republic of Sudan, Omer Hassan al-Bashir will visit Juba tomorrow. For this reason, we are calling on the general public to give him a warm welcome. We have asked our security forces to allow citizens turn out to receive president Bashir.”

The government is calling for massive reception of president Bashir to Juba because he has taken the courage to publicly announced that he would be one of the first leaders to recognize and accept choice of the people of south Sudan incase the referendum result becomes secession, says minister.

“This was the positive statement from President Bashir ahead of the referendum creates an environment which is conducive for the people to vote freely without fear. It is welcoming statement because it provides a reassurance that the referendum will be successful and guarantees better relationship in future between the two states in case the Southerners vote for independence,” said Marial emphasizing that this statement reflects the spirit of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

He described the statement as showing good intentions and the spirit of peace as was in the case during the negotiations of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005, which granted the south the right to secede.

Marial said that asserted this atmosphere should be maintained by the CPA partners to resolve the pending issues such as the future of the Abyei region, border demarcation and other post referendum arrangements that are currently under discussion.

The minister’s call for massive reception follows remarks made by Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in which he pledged on December 28 to help build a secure, stable and brotherly state in the south if it votes for independence in the referendum.

“We will not deny our southern brothers their decision, and we will help them to build their state, because we want a secure and stable state if there are troubles, these troubles will come to us,” Bashir said in a live speech on national television last week.

The Sudanese president who was addressing thousands of supporters of his party in Gezira state, said he would be “the first to recognize the south” if it chooses secession in a free and fair vote on January 9.

“The ball is in your court and the decision is yours. If you say unity, welcome. And if you say secession, also welcome, and welcome to a new brotherly state.”

“We are going to cooperate and integrate in all areas because what is between us is more than what is between any other countries.”

Reacting to President Bashir’s remarks, Pagan Amum, Secretary General of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), welcomed the statement and said “this is the positive outlook we are calling for … This is precisely what we are saying,” he told reporters in Khartoum.

“We are calling on the people of northern Sudan to be in solidarity with the people of southern Sudan as they begin to build their own independent state.”

“They need their solidarity, as people of south Sudan needs to give solidarity to the people of the north as they begin a new journey of building a new state in what remains after the separation of the south.”

Earlier, Minister Marial also on Monday commended decision of President Bashir to visit ahead of Sunday’s vote saying the visit shows the commitment of the National Congress Party to maintain a good relationship with the south even if it becomes separate nation.

He said President Bashir’s visit is to come and see arrangement made for the conduct of the referendum in the south.

“The visit of the President Bashir is very important since referendum is the last item in the comprehensive peace agreement. He is coming to come and exchange views on how the referendum would be conducted with Government of South Sudan because it is everybody’s wish that this referendum be conducted in a violent free environment so that it is free, fair and transparent,” he said.

Achier Deng Akol, one of the five members of the Juba based Southern Sudan Referendum Bureau said in a separate interview with Sudan Tribune from Juba that the commission was on the right track to conduct the exercise.

“As commission, we very much welcome visit of the president Bashir to the south so that he see himself arrangements that have made in regard to the conduct of the referendum. He may be aware of the ongoing activities but it is also important he see them himself,” said Akol.

Akol, the public out reach officer of the referendum bureau said their programs of preparations to conduct credible referendum are on the right track and progressing well.

More than 3.5 million southerners are registered to participate in the referendum, which will give them the chance to vote on whether to remain united with the north or secede.

(ST)