SPLM “bad policies” responsible for current problems: Lam Akol

August 1, 2012 (JUBA) – The leader of the opposition Sudan People’s
Liberation Movement for Democratic Change (SPLM-DC) has accused the
south-ruling party of using “bad policies”, which has reportedly
resulted into the current problems facing the South Sudanese people.

Lam Akol, in an interview with Miraya FM, also denied SPLM-DC alleged
links with the Khartoum regime, and said the “false” allegations are
mainly aimed at detracting attention of citizens from the real
problems they are facing as a result of government “failure”.

“Today, half of our population is in need of food aid, our children
have no schools to go to, the population is lacking health services,
the insecurity is widespread, etc. All this is happening because the
SPLM leaders have embezzled our money and the President is incapable of bringing a single culprit to book”, the SPLM-DC leader told Miraya.

“He [President] wants to make the SPLM-DC the scapegoat for the
difficulties our people are facing, but our people are cleverer than
he thinks”, he added.

The SPLM-DC leader, in 2011, unsuccessfully bid for South Sudan
presidency losing to the incumbent, Salva Kiir in an election the
former claimed was marred by violence, voters’ intimidation and
rigging.

Lam also accused President Kiir of allegedly threatening not to
register his party, arguing that such a move will largely contravene
the constitutional provision of a political party’s affairs council as
well as the Political Parties Act 2012.

“The SPLM does not respect even its own imposed constitution and
laws”, he said, further accusing the south-ruling party of allegedly
working to create a one-party state in the country.

The SPLM-DC leader, during the interview, also accused the President
of ignoring a proposal he presented to him on how best the country can
resolve the current difficulties facing the population. The proposal
on national consensus, he noted, included issues such as unity in
diversity, tackling insecurity problems, relations with Sudan, foreign
policy perspectives and economic outlook.

“He [President] was appreciative but later the hawks in his party
scuttled this national project. They have nobody but themselves to
blame,” he said, but added that the SPLM-DC is ready to cooperate,
whenever approached.

On the talks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia between Sudan and South Sudan,
Lam casts doubt on the possibility of a positive outcome, saying the
discussions are between two parties, rather than the two nations.

“The fundamental problem with the talks in Addis is that they are
between two parties rather than between the two countries. Both
parties have openly said that they would want to effect a regime
change in the other’s country,” the SPLM-DC leader said.

“No talks could succeed in such an atmosphere”, he added, while
calling upon both the National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan
People Liberation Movement (SPLM) to include other parties in the
talks.

Talks between the two countries, under the facilitation of the African
Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) formally end on 2
August. Both nations, according to the United Nations Security Council
(UNSC), could face non-military sanctions, should they fail to reach a
comprehensive agreement on a series of post-session issues.

“We should not be forced to compromise for the fear of sanctions
because our interest is paramount and nobody knows it better than
ourselves”? said the SPLM-DC leader, when asked about the possibility
of South Sudan facing these sanctions.

(ST).