W. Equatoria: Rival political leaders reconcile Maridi election dispute

January 5, 2011 (MARIDI)- Supporters of two rival political leaders in Maridi, Western Equatoria, turned out in huge numbers at a reconciliation rally on Wednesday ahead of southern Sudan’s independence referendum on Sunday.

Adel Sandrai and Bashir Bandi, who participated in a closely fought campaign in Sudan’s April elections, addressed their supporters in their first joint appearance to in an attempt to tensions.

Both men contested the Maridi County parliamentary seat to the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly and accused each other’s camps of massive rigging and intimidation during the April poll.

Bandi emerged as the winner of hotly contested seat to become the areas MP, representing Southern Sudan’s ruling party the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).

Sandrai, who was not selected by the SPLM, contested as an independent candidate.

After eight months of political enmity, Sandrai, who is the Western Equatoria Minister of Education Bandi reconciled their differences in a meeting on Tuesday December 28, 2010 brokered by the Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Sudan (ECS) Justin Badi.

Sandrai and Bandi embraced and shook hands in front of supporters who attended the rally.

“To my supporters and of my brother’s Bandi supporters I urge you to forget our April elections differences and rally behind us for the unity of the people of Maridi ahead of the forthcoming referendum exercise,” Sandrai told the crowd.

In response, Bandi told Sandrai that he had forgotten all that happened during his political fight against him, which he compared to a boxing match.

“Each boxer has his style of fighting but after the fight the two boxers embrace each other,” Bandi said.

He added that it was time to put “a definitive end to what happened in the past”.

He said he could not advocate for the unity of southern Sudanese while his backyard is divided.

The Sandrai-Bandi reconciliation is considered a major step in the Maridi’s reconciliation process.

Maridi County veteran politician and the speaker of Western Equatoria State Legislative Assembly, Bukulu Edward Mandeson said “we are so happy to be here, we want the whole Western Equatoria State to be honest of it self – there is nothing impossible.”

Western Equatoria governor, Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro attended the reconciliation rally having held his own post-election reconciliation conference with his rival the former state governor Jemma Nunu Kumba in August.

Bakosoro said “we have come here for a very significant cause – reconciliation. Indeed I have witnessed the peaceful reconciliation of key political heavyweights of one geographical constituency.”

He added that the region would not benefit “if we go into referendum with disunity.”

Southern Sudan votes on whether to create Africa’s newest nation or remain as part of Sudan on January 9 as part of a 2005 peace deal. The semi-autonomous region is

Bakosoro denounced tribalism as saying “hatred among tribes cannot lead southern Sudan into development; however I urge individual tribe[s] to respect the norms and cultures of others tribes.”

(ST)