Do I need to tell you that someone who is irritated by the NCP’s official position of unity is surely not comfortable with unity? Or have we all forgotten President Salva Kiir’s Sermon at Saint Theresa Cathedral in Juba when he openly preached for secession as the only way for southerners to escape being trapped forever in the second class citizenry position which definitely comes along with the choice of unity?
These are of course my personal deductions based on what I consider as critical analysis of most of the statements made by the SPLM leadership, however given the past circumstances where this very leadership would make a statement and then back off. For sure leaves with more questions than answers.
In line with continuously changing political stances of the ruling party of South Sudan is when on April 27, 2010, First Vice President and president of the Government of South Sudan (GoSS) Salva Kiir criticized the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) saying its policies had made the choice of independence more attractive for the people of South Sudan ahead of the 2011 self determination referenda.
"We are trying to change the administration system, which led to the outbreak of war during the past period, and live as equal citizens with the same opportunities, the SPLM is seeking to achieve unity of Sudan on a new basis, and also try to tell the government in Khartoum, that it should restructured the governance and offer opportunities to all citizens equally" Kiir told ’Private Meeting’ show aired on Egyptian TV.
Based on the above media statement made by Kiir, his colleague, the Sudanese 2nd Vice president Ali Osman Taha, lost no opportunity to hail these remarks made by the South Sudan president regarding his "affirmative action" towards the unity of Sudan. Taha told the state media that Kiir’s statements reflects the awareness on what can be provided by the unity of the Sudan in terms of development, and its ability to cope with the difficulties that obstruct progress.
In another development, although up to date the SPLM has rightly accused its peace partner, National Congress Party (NCP) of deliberately delaying the formation of the referendum commission and warned that the elected parliament in the South may hold it (referendum), without the participation of the northern Sudan ruling party, we obviously rely on the regional bodies like the African Union (AU), the IGAD and the other CPA guarantors, the US, Britain and Norway to swiftly move in to make sure that any revert to war doesn’t happen, and this can only be guaranteed by the full implementation of the remaining provisions in the agreement.
During the elections campaigns, we have all heard different northern groups promising to guarantee the conduct of the referendum on the self determination for the people of South Sudan. But we also over the last five decades have come to know that the northerners never keep their promises. As such no one at this particular moment can come up to mislead the southern public opinion into believing that “an alliance”, formed by the traditional enemies in the north that definitely will include the Umma party of Sadiq al Mahdi, PCP of Hassan al Turabi, the DUP of Al Mirghani, the Sudan Communist Party of al Nugud……. etc will ever facilitate the holding of the referendum in the light of the fact that the South no doubt will overwhelmingly vote to secede.
But of important stress is that, let Yassir Arman and his other unionists clearly understand that the so-called “alliance” which he is now actively calling for is obviously not to the interest of the people of the South who have made it beyond the least doubt that they are for an independent South Sudan Nation. We don’t expect his unionists’ “alliance”, to sacrifice their time and lives in a project that obviously favours secession and as such we will never count on it.
The CPA was signed to be implemented to the letter and spirit. It is not up to any bigoted northern politician or military to choose what to implement and what to delete from the peace agreement. Neither the CPA needs Yasser’s suspicious “alliance”, as a guarantor for its implementation. If Arman is about to form his version of , “Alliance for Unity” similar to what Omer al Bashir has done, I would advise him to be sincere with himself and should straight forward join the al Bashir camp, then we know that Sudan has gone back to square one. North is for unity under Islam, and south for secession away from Islam and no room for the ambiguous and utopian New Sudan Vision.
Last but not least, there is no such a thing like “alliance”, for the implementation of the remaining CPA provisions including the referendum and the borders. It is either through a political will from both peace partners after the votes that they have grabbed for themselves or we call for an external intervention. But pressure is the word.
Dr. Justin Ambago Ramba, M.B, B.Ch, D.R.H, MD. Secretary General of the United South Sudan Party (USSP). The party that stands for the independence of South Sudan. Can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected]