Sudan’s liberal parties call for better relations between North and South
LDP/SSLYF joint statement
on the Relation between the two Sudanese Republics
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) of the Republic of Sudan and South Sudan Liberal Youth Forum (SSLYF) of the Republic of South Sudan had provided extensive talks and visits during September 2001, and had agreed on the following:
1. On the ill-treatment of Sudanese citizens from South Sudan by the NCP government in Khartoum:
LDP and SSLYF have keenly observed that, Since South Sudan became independent on 9th July 2011, the National Congress Party controlled government in Khartoum has been undertaking unconstitutional measures to undermine the rights of Sudanese citizens hailing from South Sudan and living in the Republic of Sudan (North Sudan).
The Sudan Government after the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of South Sudan immediately started mistreating its own citizens labeling them as foreigners simply because they originally came from the Southern part of the country, now the Republic of South Sudan.
The citizens of Sudan from South origins have been widely observed to be suffering the following in the hands of the unjust government of NCP;
• The government dismissed them from their jobs in public sector;
• It was also extended to the private sector and those originally from South Sudan were eliminated from the system by many private companies;
• The government also unilaterally, unconstitutionally declared that it will render Students who originated from the Southern part of the country foreigners and treat them as such;
• The Khartoum government has began blocking all the trade routes between South Sudan and Sudan. This decision stop the normal exchange of commodities between Sudan and South Sudan is a denial of the citizens’ freedom of access to businesses opportunities;
• The Khartoum government has also been inciting some militias in the North against its citizens originated from South Sudan, who attacks trains and vehicles traveling to South Sudan just with the aim of killing the citizens hailed from from South Sudan.
All the above ill-treatments have been observed by LDP and SSLYF to be executed by the Government against its own citizens who came from the Southern part of the country before it became an independent state.
The LDP/SSLYF condemns the above mentioned ill-treatments against those hailing from South Sudan and advice the Sudan government to abide by the constitution and reconsider taking the observation of human rights as its sole responsibility.
2. On The Situation of Citizens of The Republic of South Sudan hailed from Northern Sudan
LDP and SSLYF also visited the South Sudanese Citizens who hailed from the Northern part of the Country before secession which is now North Sudan.
These citizens who are mostly business men occupying all the major towns in South Sudan like, Juba, Torit, Rumbek, Yambio, Wau, Bor, Malakal, Kuajok, Bentiu and Aweil have unanimously confirmed to the two liberal organizations that they are very much comfortable doing thier businesses in the South than even in the North.
The businessmen said that they are conducting their businesses normally without any interference or market control by the South Sudan Government, unlike in the North where NCP controls the market to make sure that those conducting flourishing businesses are members of the NCP. They do that by imposing heavy taxes on the businesses of the non NCP members.
The businessmen informed that There have been no any citizens accused of conducting any illegal business with South Sudan. Both the Sudanese and South Sudanese citizens have been dealing in mutually beneficial goods and services which is a prime requirement for a peaceful coexistence.
The South Sudan Government also declared that it will consider the Northerners who are now in the South as South Sudanese. We therefore declare a unanimous appreciation to the government of South Sudan for being an example of respecting the rights of its citizens.
3. Call for better relations between the North and the South Sudan and Recommendations to the Governments of North and South Sudan
The LDP and SSLYF hereby call upon the government of the Republic of Sudan (North Sudan) to reconsider restoring good relations with the Republic of South Sudan and allow it own citizens to enjoy their constitutional rights.
The Government of Sudan (North Sudan) should understand that the Southerners who are living in the North are now citizens of the North and it is up to them to choose to have dual citizenship either by registration or by birth and be considered as both Sudanese and as South Sudanese. Likewise for the Northerners who are in the South and have already been given citizenship by South Sudan, they have also the right to have North Sudan citizenship by birth.
The Sudan government should open employment and services opportunities to all its citizens including those hailing from South Sudan and stop labeling them foreigners.
We also call upon both Sudan and South Sudan governments to restore good relations and open all trade routes so that their respective citizens can trade normally.
We also call for soft borders between the North and the South for the economical and social benefits of the citizens. The borders have to be free so that the nomadic tribes like the Misereeya can move northward and southwards freely and avoid inciting the border communities to fight themselves.
The LDP and SSLYF also call on the Sudan government and the opposition SPLM-N to peacefully solve the outstanding issues pertaining South Kordofan and Blue Nile according to the CPA and Addis Ababa accord stipulations and avoid further escalation of conflicts in the regions.
We hail the recent steps taken to address the Abyei issue and still urge both the governments of the North and of the South to permanently solve the problem of Abyei according to the Compressive peace agreement.
The LDP from Sudan and SSLYF from South Sudan as the liberal organizations hereby generally urge the Sudan Government and South Sudan Government to amicably solve their problems in a non-violent manner and restore better relations for the benefit of their respective citizens.
4. On Co-operation between the two organizations and future of Relations:
The LDP and SSLYF has agreed on the need to strengthen their co-operation within the Liberal Family. The representatives of the two organizations would co-ordinate their work within the Group of East African Liberal Organizations and within Africa Liberal Network and Globally.
LDP has expressed its support to the initiative of SSLYF to organize a meeting of East African Liberal Parties and/ or a meeting of African Liberal Youth in Juba and will join these meetings with a high delegation.
The LDP and SSLYF also calls on all Women, Youth and Nongovernmental organizations from Northern and Southern Republics of Sudan to strengthen their co-operation and tie relations for the benefit of the two nations.
The two organizations also call on liberal businessmen from North Sudan and globally to invest and provide business relations in the Republic of South Sudan in order to assist the country’s program of Re-building.
The LDP and SSLYF agreed on working an extensive and detailed paper to express their position on the future relations between the two countries.
Signed in Juba, September 2011
For LDP for SSLYF
Adil Abdel Aati Peter Kuot Ngong