DeTall Malual
Gabriel M.Tor
I am a poet and a opinionated writer.
The Government of Southern Sudan has allocated 30 million Sudanese Pounds for repatriating southerners from Egypt and northern Sudan to enable them to participate in the upcoming 2011 referendum. Southern Sudan coordinator for repatriation, Kormach Chol Badong, told Radio Miraya that 25 millions SDG of the grant will be used for repatriating southerners from the north, and the remaining amount for repatriating refugees from Egypt.
The Vice President of the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) Riak Machar said the southern government and all Churches in Sudan should join efforts to ensure peaceful conduct of the upcoming referendum. He mentioned that the southern government is working hard on referendum preparations, and urged all the citizens to register when the registration commences, and make sure they turn up and vote.
The youths also appeal to counterparts to turn out in large numbers ahead of next years’ national referendum
By Josephat Siror
September 10, 2010 (Nairobi) -- Dozens of Sudanese youths assembled in Nairobi yesterday calling for their counterparts to support separation of Southern Sudan from the Muslim-dominated North. The Southerners group of youth also launched their referendum campaign in earnest in the capital city of Kenya where a Comprehensive Peace Agreement was reached in 2005.
While launching the diaspora campaign, a first in Kenya’s political scene, the Sudanese warned against success of ‘unity’ government, saying that it would spark another ‘eruption’ of bloodshed in the fragile Horn of Africa country.
The referendum launch comes amid mixed reactions over the referendum date set for 9th January next year and the raging debate on 'surprise' visit to Kenya by Sudanese President, Omar al-Bashir during the Promulgation of the new constitution a forth night ago. Mr Bashir's visit to Kenya fired debate since he is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes that led fleeing of Sudanese nationals most of them seeking temporary stay in Kenya.
But yesterday as the diaspora youths launched the campaign, they appealed to the fellow Southerners to turn out in large numbers and vote for the separation. “We are appealing to our diaspora colleagues wherever they are to come in large numbers and demonstrate their rights by voting during the referendum,” said Luala Abraham, leader of the United South Sudanese youth for Referendum Campaign (USS).
He lamented over the mistreatment unleashed to Southerners by the Northerners, who are mostly supporting unified type of government. These people (leaders) in the North have continuously treated the Southerners in a hostile manner through Islamic Sharia law,” he said adding that the vast country of Sudan is not a Muslim state.
The country has been subject to war-related crimes following a disagreement between the Southerners and Northerners. But the youths waving ‘orange’ T-shirts said they would push on for the separation despite being out of their homeland. “Our launch today exhibits a series of campaigns ahead in Kenya. We will also visit our brothers and sisters in refugee camps in Kakuma and Dadaab,” said Luala.
The number of Sudan nationals has been rising in Kenya, most of them from the South where rebel groups have been fighting the fragile government until the signing of the Peace Agreement between National Congress Party (NCP) and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) in Kenya.
Josephat Siror, BSC, is a journalist who has worked in different mainstream media houses. He has been part of Humanitarian Crew during the surge of famine that hit the Horn of Africa in 2007 stretching through 2008, he has worked in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia and part of Gulf of Eden, and worked then as a media consultant with International Red Crescent and Red Cross (ICRC). His main tasks have been reporting on humanitarian, political and social issues.
The Special Representative of the UN Secretary General to Sudan, Haile Menkerios, has called both government of Southern Kordofan and the Administration of Abyei Area to continue dialogue on post referendum arrangements so that the peaceful co-existence of the two areas is maintained.
The Chairman of Southern Sudan Referendum Bureau, Chan Rec Madut, disclosed to Miraya in an exclusive interview that registration of voters for the coming referendum begins in October.
The United Nations Mission in Sudan has opened its first referendum office in Mundri County, in Western Equatoria State.
At the inauguration ceremony, UNMIS regional coordinator, David Gressly, said UNMIS would provide technical support to ensure a successful referendum. Gressly further added that UNMIS is planning to open similar offices in all the counties across Southern Sudan.
August 19, 2010 (Khartoum) -- The Sudanese government on Thursday warned against any move by the autonomous Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) to declare Southern Sudan as an independence state, saying the ruling party in the South will commit “political suicide” if it (the SPLM) chooses parliamentary vote without a referendum.
The warning comes just one day after Juba unveiled an ambitious plan for future cities of Southern Sudan - a plan designed to transform the war-torn region into animal-shaped cities.
“The SPLM wanted to divide Sudan. If the movement decided on declaring South Sudan's independence by a parliamentary vote without a referendum it would be committing political suicide”, Sudan’s ruling National Congress party deputy chairman Nafie Ali Nafie told reporters in Khartoum.
Dr. Nafie, who is also senior advisor to President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, defended his party stance on the referendum process saying the NCP will agree to hold the referendum on time if it serves the best interest of the people of Southern Sudan.
The special advisor to the president accuses the SPLM of working against the unity of the Sudan.
The US special envoy to Sudan Major General Scott Gration (Ret.) is in Sudan for several days visit amid fear that the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) may turn to a new North-South civil war.
Before Gration departure to Sudan, the US State Department expressed "concern and dissatisfaction" over the upcoming referendum vote which is an important part of the CPA.
"We believe that keeping the referenda on track is part of building a lasting peace and our ultimate goal is, obviously, full implementation of the CPA. So we don’t want to see any delays”, Acting Deputy US State Department Spokesman Mark Toner said.
The Southern Sudan Referendum Commission tasked with day-to-day operations of the referendum is deadlocked over the selection of its Secretary General.
The two main peace partners formed the nine member commission in June as part of their commitment to implement the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
The people of South Sudan are expected to choose secession over unity by January 2011.
KHARTOUM (AFP) – Sudan's ruling National Congress Party said on Thursday its southern partners in government would commit "suicide" if they declared an independent state without a referendum.
The southern Sudan People's Liberation Movement threatened to opt for "alternative options" if a January referendum is delayed. A commission tasked with organising the referendum has not yet started work because of disagreements.
The NCP's deputy leader Nafie Ali Nafie told reporters that the SPLM wanted to divide Sudan, adding "if the movement decided on declaring south Sudan's independence by a parliamentary vote without a referendum it would be committing political suicide."
He insisted the NCP wanted to hold the referendum on schedule and resolve problems that could delay it.
The referendum was a key part of a 2005 peace agreement that ended more than 20 years of fighting between the north and the south.
The commission that is responsible for organising the referendum, which analysts say is likely to result in a win for the secessionists, has yet to appoint a secretary general to conduct its work.
On Wednesday, US envoy to Sudan Scott Gration arrived for talks, in an effort to address concerns over the schedule of the vote.
Khartoum (Borglobe)… Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, the official ruling party in South Sudan said on Monday that it would accept a member of National Congress Party (NCP) to take a key post if a deputy could come from the south.
Yaser Arman, SPLM’s senior official said his party looking forward for referendum to be held on time as scheduled on January 9, 2011.
However, the Head of referendum commission Mohamed Ibrahim Khalil told Reuters the five southerners in the nine-member commission would vote as a block to prevent a northerner taking the post of secretary general, who would control the commission's funds.
The referendum is the climax of a 2005 north-south peace deal ending Africa's longest civil war, which claimed an estimated two million lives (Reuters).
UN News Centre
13 September 2010 –Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today he has convened a high-level meeting at the United Nations to discuss the situation in Sudan as it prepares for a vote on the self-determination of the south of the country. The meeting will be held on 24 September on the sidelines of the annual high-level segment of the General Assembly, Mr. Ban told reporters in New York.
“We have to ensure that the two referenda, regardless of what the results may be, should be conducted in a transparent and peaceful manner. This will have larger regional implications,” the Secretary-General said. “This is almost the last opportunity for world leaders to discuss how we can make sure that this referendum will be successfully and transparently conducted.”
The referenda are provided for in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which was signed in 2005 and formally ended two decades of civil war between the northern-based Government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) in the south. Following the agreement, the SPLM formed the autonomous Government of Southern Sudan.
Inhabitants of southern Sudan will vote on 9 January on whether to secede from Sudan or remain united with the rest of the country. On the same day, residents of Abyei area in central Sudan will vote separately on whether to retain Abyei’s special administrative status in the north or become part of southern Sudan.
In response to a reporter’s question, Mr. Ban said he was happy that United States President Barack Obama “has made it clear publicly that he’s going to participate in the high-level meeting on Sudan.” In a related development, David Gressly, the Regional Coordinator for Southern Sudan for the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) has concluded a two-day visit to Warrap and Western Bahr El-Ghazal states by inaugurating the peacekeeping mission’s office in Kuajok, the capital of Warrap.
During his trip, Mr. Gressly met with Warrap Governor Nyandeng Malek and Western Bahr El-Ghazal Governor Riziq Zakaria Hassan, as well as members of the two states’ referendum high committees and assured them that UNMIS will provide robust logistical support and technical advice on the referenda.
“In an effort to strengthen UNMIS presence before the conduct of referendum, I am happy today to open officially the Warrap Team Site,” said Mr. Gressly, adding that the facility in Kuajok will work closely with the referenda support bases that the mission plans to establish in all of the state’s seven counties.
