Nuer community criticise MPs for amending S. Sudan constitution

November 19, 2015 (KAMPALA) – The Nuer Community in Uganda have criticised a decision by lawmakers to back a presidential order creating 28 states in South Sudan.

James Nyoat Bilieu, the chairman of the Nuer community in Kampala told Sudan Tribune Thursday’s amendment by lawmakers of the Transitional Constitution was a total violation of the peace agreement signed by the two warring parties.

South Sudan’s Tansitional Constitutions, Belieu said, does not give any powers to the president to make any unilateral decision to create or rename states.

“We condemn the unilateral decision taken by President Salva Kiir and his tribal legislature in the national parliaments, who have passed this amendment without proper study, whether new created states will bring more problems to South Sudanese,” he said.

Last month, President Kiir issued a surprise decree creating more states, a decision boycotted by the armed opposition with whom he signed a peace deal on power sharing.

On Thursday, however, president Kiir referred his order to the national parliament only to realise less than two thirds of the majority lawmakers required to make any approvals.

Ruon Machar, the deputy chairman of the Nuer community at a United Nations-manned refugee camp at Kiryandongo in Uganda said the action by parliament interrupts peace.

“This is a violation of the peace agreement signed by the two [warring] parties. South Sudan is in dire need for peace, give them chance, we request the international community to pressure President Salva Kiir to revoke his decision,” he added.

The international community earlier expressed grave concerns on the move by government to create more states describing the decision as a set back to peace implementation.

(ST)