Sudan’s SPLM to initiate South-South dialogue

By independent USAID-funded Sudan Radio Service

NAIROBI, Jan 14, 2005 — The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) will soon initiate a South-South Dialogue to promote unity among Southern Sudanese.

Sudan’s People Liberation Army leader John Garang (R), flanked by his deputy Commander Salva Kiir Majardit, answers a question during an SPLA press conference in Kenya’s capital Nairobi, January 8, 2005. (Reuters).

The third SPLM vice chairman and the secretary of political affairs commander, Wani Iga, told Sudan Radio Service that the movement will soon convene the South-South Dialogue to reconcile Southerners.

Wani said “It’s the stand and the position of the movement to immediately start with South to South Dialogue, it’s also going to be South to North Dialogue so that we reconcile. Number two is the issue of production.”

Wani added that the one of the priorities of the government of Southern Sudan is to boost food and production to guarantee food security.

He was addressing hundreds of Sudanese who attended a party on Wednesday 12 January at the Nairobi home of the SPLM leader Dr John Garang to celebrate the comprehensive peace agreement.

Material provided by the BBC Monitoring Service.