By Deng Riak Khoryoam, South Sudan
September 8, 2010 (SSNA) — As the referendum for the South is at glimpse and with only three months to go; there are a lot of issues pending, which need immediate attention, if we are to take the best and avoid the worse out of this crucial event in our country’s history. One of the pending issues is the IDPs who are living in the north Sudan and who may be caught up in this difficult situation since they may find themselves there illegally and shall then be deemed as citizens of nowhere should the south secedes come 2011. I know all these other issues (the border demarcation and other post referendum issues) are crucial to the success of referendum and are equally important but for now, this particular issue or area calls for immediate attention.
I heard the regional authorities in the south singing the song about the repatriation of those internally displaced persons living in camps and slums in Khartoum and other Northern states, a process that needs to start sooner rather than later if they really meant what they said because it’s something that needs to happen now if we want them to be part of referendum; it could take months if there is no sign of seriousness. They need to really speed the process. We need them to be part of history making and its their inalienable rights to participate at the referendum. I don’t know whose docket it does fall into to spearhead the process, whether it’s the ministry of humanitarian affairs and disasters management in the government of southern Sudan or any other ministry, all we want is to see that this happens before December.
I heard the minister of humanitarian affairs talking about it (the repatriation) some weeks ago, so presumably it falls under his docket; fine but then we need some kind of seriousness this time round. What happened during the elections in April could also repeat itself this time with the referendum but one can only hope that it doesn’t because the result shall be a return to war. NCP has already planned to use the Southerners living in the North as IDPs to rig the referendum results in favor of their desired fake unity, which Southerners do not want, and they will multiply that 1.6 million and something Southerners who are eligible to vote tenth times. If you ever hear them urging SPLM to accept the outcome then it’s because they know, at the back of their right minds that they have pre-rigged the outcome. That is typical of NCP and there is nothing new or special about it!
Why am I so much concerned about this repatriation? It’s simple, just as some of you understand it. It’s because our northern brothers, the Arabs already have that evil plan of manipulating the results which will have serious ramifications for the whole Country. They have already done their calculation long o’clock and are delighted at their cleverness to have managed to keep these southerners as tools to achieve their unrealistic dream of fake unity in the country. They think they are more clever than anybody else on earth, and one thing I know for sure is that they are really good at deceiving people because they are masters of deception! The treacherous comment made by Sudan’s national parliament speaker Mr. Ibrahim Al Tahir when he lashed at south Sudan government for planning to repatriate the southerners in the north ahead of crucial vote on independence is more than a statement and it leaves a lot to be desired. I quote “there is no clause or article in the referendum law indicating the move or transfer of southerners residing in Khartoum to the south so that they can vote in the referendum” Al Tahir said. The question is whether there is any provision or clause/article that says southerners who are residing in Khartoum are not allowed or not supposed to move or be transferred to south to vote in the referendum?
What is the inference implied here? I think those blessed with analytical skills understand this statement very well, because you know what, it’s fishy. He further continued cautioning that the move is against the referendum law and it’s a plan by southern government to “obstruct and hinder” the referendum in a non-transparent manner by overstepping the law. All they want is simply try all means possible to ensure that the 60% turnout of registered voters and the 51% yes vote for the South to be declared independent is difficult to reach or achieve. What a treacherous plan!
Please be wary of these masters of deceits because the referendum body is managed and controlled by them; these Islamic fundamentalists have already done their home work because for them it’s a matter of calculating it well and playing it cool. Through covert, they will declare the opposite! Remember trickery is deeply entrenched into their blood systems. They do not want to let go of southerners, which is why you see them now in the state of panic because our going away is imminent and inevitable but their plan is conspicuous. I penned off herein but I urge the government of Southern Sudan and the international NGOs dealing with IDPs or returnees to redouble efforts and really speed up the process otherwise it will not be possible to have them vote here in the south if we just keep talking without a plan of action.
The Author of this article lives in South Sudan and can be reached at [email protected]