Lakes state governor says 2011 will be a new era for South Sudan

By Manyang Mayom

January 4, 2011 (RUMBEK) – The Governor of Lakes State, Chol Tong Mayay, has expressed hope for a new era in Sudan as the country prepares for the south’s referendum on independence.

He said that 2011 will be a “new era in [the] history of Sudan” and a year for “hope for [the] marginalize[d] people of South Sudan to form a new state”.

Governor Mayay made his comments as part of the governor’s New Year Message which he read to the press at his office in Rumbek on Friday evening.

In his message, Tong congratulated the citizens of his state for celebrating Christmas “peacefully and joyfully”, adding that this atmosphere “gives the state high hopes that love and moral values among our Christian people are being restored”.

The mainly Christian south is expected to split from the predominantly Islamic north in the referendum, which was agreed upon as part of a 2005 peace agreement.

The governor then made known his hopes for the New Year, saying that it will be a year of “fundamental change” for Sudan and for the entire African continent, envisioning “the end of a long history of domination, discrimination, humiliation and marginalization,” to be replaced by “a new era of freedom, peace, and prosperity” for the people of Southern Sudan.

Tong said his government was trying to curb insecurity in the State, adding that the reduced incidences of conflicts, mainly over cattle, helped the peaceful registration of 300,444 potential voters for the referendum in Lakes State.

He reiterated his campaign pledges from the April 2010 elections, over roads network, health and education sectors, stating that “plans are underway” to have these facilities improved.

The governor also addressed the issue of returnees, revealing that his government has coordinated the repatriation of up to 2,630 returnees back to Lakes state.

Chol Tong appealed to the Sudanese people “to be calm and support [the] peaceful, free, fair, and transparent conduct of referendum” describing the self-determination referendum on as “the final milestone in the implementation of the CPA and the last chance for the oppressed people of Southern Sudan to break the chain of oppression.”

The one-week-long vote for self-determination of the people of Southern Sudan will start this coming Sunday, January 9th and conclude on Saturday, January 15th.

Southern Sudan’s ruling party the SPLM have created taskforces to help run the referendum. The task forces have launched a massive training to people across Lakes state on how they should cast their vote.

Voting begins on January 9 and is expected to end on January 15.

(ST)