S. Sudanese Nuers in Ethiopia back rebel plan to create more states

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

July 21, 2014 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudanese Nuers community in neighbouring Ethiopia on Monday declared full support to proposal made by the leadership of SPLM/A in opposition to create more states in South Sudan.

South Sudan’s former vice-president and current rebel leader, Riek Machar, last week announced the armed opposition group’s plan to expand South Sudan’s 10 states to 21.

Koat Gatkuoth Diu, chairperson of the Nuer Youth Union in Ethiopia (NYUE), told Sudan Tribune that the planed creation of more states is crucial to sustain political stability, to prevent tribal conflict and to speed up economic growth in the country.

“This proposal will open a new path to a new development, peace, reconciliation, justice, equality and prosperity in the new born nation,” Diu said.

“We believe that by having more states in the country; we will have full potential of progress in our states,” he added.

He added the creation of more states in the country will emphasize suitable route to the formation of federalism of good governance as the new system in country.

The union’s chair called up on all the citizens in South Sudan, in East African countries, in the Western world and Arab countries to voice their support to the new proposal noting it had been a long-awaited demand of the South Sudanese people.

Equatorians and Chollo community in South Sudan have also voiced their support to the SPLM-In-Opposition decision of creating more states in country.

The new proposal of creating more states comes weeks after the rebel leader puts to public debate about the formation of a new system of governance, federalism, in the youngest African nation.

The SPLM rebel faction stresses federalism was the only system of governance that would bring a change of development and long lasting peace in the country.

The question of introducing federalism seems to get wide approval from citizens particularly Equatorians and Nuers.

However, South Sudanese president Salva Kiir has maintained his position against approving the federalism system of governance.

In a recent interview with Sudan Tribune, Machar stressed that federalism was the system of governance that could accommodate the country’s diversity and which could bring about unity among the people of South Sudan.

(ST)