Warrap parliament stages backbench rebellion against hunger accounts
August 22, 2011 (JUBA) – As the government of South Sudan’s Warrap state continues to deny the prevalence of hunger, food shortages and malnutrition in some areas, the state parliament has warned that the executive must accept the truth and assist the affected population.
However, members of the state assembly say the cause of death in the area has nothing to do with disease but a manifestation of prevalence of real hunger which the state should address without prejudice.
Amet Amet Kuol, the chairperson for Peace and Reconciliation committee said on Monday they are not in the parliament for the sake of honorable titles but for real business and that they do not joke around with the plight of the electorates.
Kuol is the chair of the parliamentary committee tasked by the house to investigate the cause of the deaths in the area and report the findings by Wednesday.
“If we allow them to die who will elect us or other people into these offices”, Amet asked in an interview with Sudan Tribune.
“The situation on the ground is real. We do not need to deny it. Before you hear any report about hunger, you see people dying in your presence”, he said.
The lawmaker cited a recent visit of members of the executive to a nearby camp where they were shown graves of people reported to have died of hunger between period covering May and the beginning of August.
“The state government formed a committee and sent members of the cabinet to the camp where a lot of people, especially those who returned from the north are reported to have died of hunger in the recent months. They saw it themselves. In fact they were even informed while in the area of a person dying at their presence,” he said.
Deng Mayom, another member of parliament in the area said the house is taking the issue seriously.
“We are serious about this issue. People should not be allowed to die of hunger. Something must be done”, said Mayom, explaining that they did not go to the parliament just to sit and watch.
“We did not come for appeasement. We are the representatives of the people elected to come and deliver basic services to them. We had the mission. The executive and other branch of government should not see us as different set up of government. The parliament is one branch of government though it has different function. We should be working together in order to address challenges which requires attention from the government”, said the lawmaker
Warrap State Assembly has a history of impeaching members of the executive. In beginning of this year, the house impeached the state minister of finance over allegations of financial scandal involving the 2010 budget.
“The MPs across the party lines demonstrated what is technically known as ‘the back-bench rebellion’. They all asked the government to go to the drawing board and come with a practical package designed to promptly address blues currently strangling the area. The issue of hunger in the area remains priority one of the house”, explained Mayom.
He said the move instantly won public praise since the state assembly was, for a long time, regarded as a mere rubber stamp endorsing anything that the state government proposes.
“The parliament is living up to the people’s expectations,” said a Maluk Awak, a native of Warrap State and who resides in Jebel Kunjur, Juba.
“The Constitution of Warrap State empowers the members of house to ask any question to a minister concerning public affairs which are within his or her jurisdiction. The MPs may also debate the performance of the ministry during the annual budget session, as well as deliberate upon and authorise any short or long-term plan which is intended to be implemented in the country and enact a law to regulate implementation of the plan. The Assembly is also empowered to deliberate upon and ratify all contracts”, he explained.
(ST)
Nhomlawda
Warrap parliament stages backbench rebellion against hunger accounts
No child should die anymore in South Sudan because of lack of food. It used to happen before because Arabs did not care about our people but it should not happen now since we have our own government.
All MPs must keep government responsible for poor food planning and management and even pass vote of no confidence in government either GOSS or state government for failing to response to the need of people.
Aleu
Warrap parliament stages backbench rebellion against hunger accounts
Why the governor want to deny the fact?
This is more than being a saheful to governor mrs, Nyideng Malek and the president himself. The people are dying for shortage of food in the home State of president, how that sound to president himself.? This is proven that, the officials are not taking cares to their own citizens, it is also true that, the officials in South Sudan are busy on corruption and they forgotten the real people in the communities.
This is the State that have been failed from the beginning as a result of president when he always moving governors every half of year which made Warrap State disfuction to help communities.
The first governor was mr, Anei Kueidit although he was been appointed as a game to move Warrap Captal from its original in Tonj. Anei Kueidit was been moved out by president Salva Kiir Manyardit just before he did not even finished one year. The second governor was general Anthony Bol Madut Bol and he was been removed by Salva Kiir Manyardit six months later before he hadn’t done one year. The third governor was mr, Tor Mawien which is close to president himself and president did same thing. Some people thinks the president maybe he felt doubt that, if he don’t trust the Warrap’s governor then, he will fail if election held and that suggestion is not far from the true.
I think this State of Warrap must be divided in to two States, because the people themselves both greats two counties known as the Gogrial County and the Tonj County have lacking of understanding each other and GOSS must not ignore otherwise nothing will be done good for sure. There smarts people in one side always making a favortism and do I mention the nepotism also it is there. There are numbers of things which related to failure in Warrap State for example, corruption,none plan, nepotism,favortism such as the transfer of Warrap’s Captal from its originally area in Tonj to Kuacjok very inner to Wau this is absolutely evidence of nepotism by those smart people who thinks the good development should started in their side.
A shame, shame, shame, shame, shame, and please step dwon governor it is big numbers to deny it.
Ariambek
Warrap parliament stages backbench rebellion against hunger accounts
Dear MPS,
(We are serious about these issues)(Something must be done)(House is taking the issue seriously)
Shame at you and indeed is enbarrament to MPs, where have you been when alarming number people died due to hunger. Any solution would bring lives of innocent people back, what kind of serious you talk of, what would you do whilst you are present in state and washing people are departed. Plaese, keep quiet and eat your money as before, let almighty God help his people not mouth justice.
Dr.Ariambek
watchout
Warrap parliament stages backbench rebellion against hunger accounts
I am totally upset when I heard that the state government of Warrap state deny the out broke of hunger and food shortage which is well know disease all over the South Sudan’s states. Are you not feel a shame if you deny the right of those who put you in that position, or are you second Arabs since there is a black Arabs in the South. Bear in mind you eat but don’t let position loss you sense as they proverb say the days of the thief are forty. These citizens are the bridge to the food or resources that you are misused. THINK big don’t let the government be abuse becoz of you. Besides that they are 100% to let you loss your post.
ngepande
Warrap parliament stages backbench rebellion against hunger accounts
people of warrap should not cry of hunger why did they vote an incompetances women to be the governor instead of Bol Madut who has been the hero during the war look how stupid is that women worsened the situation of the strongest state of jurkatac which has been known genanyuon for centuries
shame on nyandeng , kiir and koryom the new governor of bank
Lat Dak Nyaroah
Warrap parliament stages backbench rebellion against hunger accounts
Madam Governor,
The problem is too obvious to be denied. The MPs have witnessed deaths. What love do you have for citizens of Warrap when denying actual cause of death?
Governor, your denial to root cause of death in Warrap will make South Sudan Citizens not to elect female for governorship next time. If you would love other women to get good positions, please, act responsibilly.
Akol Akol
Warrap parliament stages backbench rebellion against hunger accounts
What a shamful parliament we have in Warap.
Dear Warap people, I’m not a fan of Sudantribune, but what has happened in our state compelled me to voice my concern. I’m troubled and disturbed to hear our people dying without even the so-call parliament, aware of their situation until their death. This is troubling, and should not be just investigation, but a course of action that will hold the parliament accountable.
It is confusing for me as individual,of how those elected by the people,let the very people who send them to the parliament dies of hunger,while they just sit in their offices like thugs. Warap, “charity begin at home”. Let not let down the republic of South Sudan, and I hope you the people of Warap, have the power to fire them now, or tomorrow.
Rich Dinka
Warrap parliament stages backbench rebellion against hunger accounts
What a shame on this old lady who pretends to be the governor of Warrap state.Every female living thing loves its children. How come for Madam governor to leave the returnees dying when she is present? You have to resign immediately or else you will be held accountable for the deaths of these returnees.
Ayuel Bong
Warrap parliament stages backbench rebellion against hunger accounts
I am really worrying the way our members of parliament of Warrap State handling the issues concerning their people when they said they were serious about the food shortage in state without proposals for resolution and I think they want other people to die if there is no fund money that the state government provided to help the returnees from northern sudan,instead to form a committee because the committee will take a time to come with the facts and we need something urgency now not tomorrow so I wish the members of parliament to think wisely instead of wasting time who will be responsible for the food shortages!