Sudan’s Southern Front reportedly faces split over future policies

KHARTOUM, Oct 14, 2004 (Al-Sahafah) — Al-Sahafah has learnt that the Sudanese Southern Front is experiencing disagreements, and is torn between two opposing tendencies. The ruling party tried to resolve the problem unsuccessfully.

The Southern Front yesterday sent a memorandum to the president office, baptized the “Suba” document, to inform him that Brig-Gen Kilwak Ding Garang had been chosen as the front new leader and tasked with the reoganization of the front.

The memorandum, a copy of which was obtained by Al-Sahafah, supported the peace protocols with SPLM and condemned the sabotage attempt. It also confirmed that only the people in southern Sudan should have the right to decide their identity and destiny, and that they are free to choose their own democratic system.

The memorandum also said the Khartoum and the Fashoda peace agreements should be respected, and that political and administrative situation in the south should be organized in such a way that would meet the challenges ahead. It also said executive and political bodies in the southern states should boosted, and that the ruling party in the area should restructured to overcome its current impotency there.

Observers believe that the memorandum will worsen the dispute inside the Southern Front and lead to a split between two wings, one to be led by Dr Riyak Gai, who is chairman of Southern Sudan Coordinating Council, and the other one by Kilwak Ding.

BBC Monitoring Service