Africa
Southern Sudan steps up independence campaign
First Vice President and chairman of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) Salva Kiir addresses a past news conference in Khartoum. Photo/FILE
The Government of Southern Sudan yesterday intensified calls for cessation warning that the unity achieved through the signing of Comprehensive Peace Agreement with the North, had failed.
Speaking in Nairobi, GOSS principal liaison officer, Mr John Andruga Duku supported President Salvar Kiir’s call for independence but added a lethal rider to it that “forcing unity is only pushing us to the precipice of war.”
Mr Duku said: “We lost millions of our people looking for separation and thought unity if CPA was fully implemented would be attractive but this has flopped.”
President Kiir spoke for independence on Sunday in Juba during a special church service to mark the start of registration set for multi-party elections in April next year.
He was quoted as saying: “When you reach the ballot boxes the choice is yours. You want to vote for unity so that you become second class citizen in your country that is your choice and if you vote for independence to become a free man, we will respect your choice.”
The North’s National Congress Party (NCP) blasted the plea made by President Kiir in which he urged Southerners to vote for independence in the 2011 referendum.
A member of the NCP leadership council, Mr Mandoor Al-Mahdi said that GoSS remarks amounts to “backtracking on the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA)”.
Mr Al-Mahdi said that Mr Kiir’s statement “does not fit” someone who works in the Sudanese presidency.
He dismissed suggestions that southerners are treated like “second class citizens”.
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As a kenyan i can not understand what it will mean to sever ties with the north , all i see is a way the southern sudanese setting a proper agenda to foster development. i even see a situation where they can piggy back on uganda and kenya to handle some of the developmental agendas, notably education, transport and health. Good luck dear brothers and sisters, i guess this is the time you have been waiting for since the end of the war. And maybe those in the dafur region may have a safe place to set too.
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I think Sudan is too big to be governed by one person.Texas was the last state to enter US unity.In that respect Al-Bashir will fight to the last min which i hope will fail.The truth is Suth Sudan is black country and with many christians and i do not see why Bashir should hold on to people who don wonna be ruled by him.Eritria got indepence after fighting for many years and so should southern sudan.They need indepence and shold not be forced to be 2nd class citizen in their own country.
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as a sudanese myself i wish you nothing but the best of luck mr. first vice president, hope everything work out pretty good in your favor. iam not say it is going to be easy but i have faith in you; i think you can do this.Unity does not mean living side by side without serious differences but disagree to agree.
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