S. Sudanese president returns security bill to parliament

December 19, 2014 (JUBA) – The South Sudanese president Salva Kiir declined signing into law the controversial security bill, referring it back to lawmakers for further deliberation and revision.

The presidential spokesperson, Ateny Wek Ateny, told Sudan Tribune on Friday that the president had decided to return the bill because some parts of the legislation were incompatible with the constitution.

“Yes, the bill has been returned to parliament. It was returned on 16 because there are areas which require revision so that it conforms to the constitution and the will of the people”, said Ateny.

The president’s unexpected move, he said, came in the wake of numerous concerns from various sections about the contentious law.

Ateny further said the president’s legal team wants parliament to clearly define espionage, a crime against the state which is not clear in the bill passed by lawmakers in October.

“One vital observation is that the crime against the State as detailed in section 7 of the security bill 2014 but has not been given in the criminal of procedures and South Sudan penal code as a crime against the State,” he told Sudan Tribune.

Several lawmakers confirmed the new development, saying the assembly’s committee on security to study it before it is eventually brought before members for deliberations.

ACTIVISTS WELCOME MOVE

Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), a South Sudanese civil society entity, welcomed the decision taken by the president on the controversial bill.

“Your Excellency, the decision of returning the national security service bill to the parliament is great and demonstrated your response to the public outcry on the controversial provisions of the bill,” CEPO’s Edmund Yakani said in a statement.

Yakani called on lawmakers to sincerely deliberate on the controversial bill in line with the country’s transitional constitutional provisions, citing Article 159, which he said defines the mandate of the national security officers, their duties, functions and responsibilities.

Parliament passed the national security bill in October with resistance from opposition lawmakers and members of ruling SPLM party over powers granted to the service to arrest without arrest.

In November, several MPs from three states of Equatoria region asked Kiir to return the bill to parliament citing lacking of quorum during the final debate. Proponent of the bill, however, said a quorum of more that 50% existed before MPs passed the bill.

(ST)