NCP favors Sudan’s unity in 2011 referendum: official

December 26, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese ruling National Congress Party (NCP) stressed today that it is working towards making the choice of unity a dominant one among Southerners in the 2011 referendum.

Mohamed Mandoor Al-Mahdi the NCP’s VP in Khartoum state, said that the party’s leadership is in favor of Sudan’s unity, saying that the discussions with the Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) focused on the required percentage of voters in the referendum to declare the south an independent state.

The NCP official told reporters today that the NCP sought to increase the percentage to bolster hopes that unity option will be possible adding that this issue was thoroughly discussed with the ex-Southern rebel group.

Both parties in the National Unity government have been deadlocked for most of this year on the referendum law particularly over the turnout and the ‘Yes’ vote in favor of independence.

Initially the NCP wanted between 75%-90% yes vote and a two thirds turnout arguing that the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) says that the secession choice should be made difficult.

However, following stiff resistance from the SPLM, the dominant party agreed on a simple majority result for secession and a 60% turnout.

This week the national assembly adopted the referendum bill but NCP legislators modified it by cancelling an article stipulating that southerners who reside outside the region will have to register and vote only in South Sudan.

The SPLM walked out on the voting session to protest the change introduced to the bill threatening escalation if the move is not reversed. The US administration criticized the NCP saying it is reneging on the CPA.

The bill is scheduled to be sent back to the parliament to remove the modifications made by the NCP.

Al-Mahdi denied reports that the national assembly will look into the entire bill but rather at the article in dispute which the parties sat down and agreed on its resolution.

He acknowledged that the referendum law makes secession easier noting that some SPLM figures have publicly expressed their opinions in favor of independence.

On Friday the Ezekiel Gatkuoth, head of South Sudan’s mission to the United States told the Washington Times that the US financially is helping South Sudan to be a viable state should it decide to secede in 2011.

The NCP official slammed the SPLM questioning the fate of $8 billion sent to the south to be spent on development adding that this would have contributed towards making unity attractive.

Source:sudantribune.com

Independence an uncertain draw for Khartoum southerners

Kiir claims southern Sudan gets less than 25 percent of revenues generated by oil produced from its territory




KHARTOUM — Amid wrangling in parliament over an independence referendum for south Sudan, southerners in the capital Khartoum look forward with enthusiasm to secession, but the prospect unsettles some.

There are about 520,000 south Sudanese -- mostly Christian -- living in the Muslim north, according to a northern government census. The southern government says the figure is much higher.

This population, most of which fled the south during a 22-year civil war with the Muslim north that ended in a 2005 power-sharing agreement, is at the centre of a dispute that saw southern MPs withdraw from parliament this week.

The ruling northern National Congress Party (NCP) pushed a bill in parliament that allowed diaspora southerners, including those in the north, to cast absentee ballots for the 2011 referendum.

The bill, passed after MPs with the Sudan Peoples' Liberation Movement (SPLM), the ruling party in the south, staged a walk-out in protest, will be resubmitted to parliament on Monday for a second reading.

The NCP says barring southerners in the north from casting ballots would violate Sudan's interim constitution, which allows freedom of travel in the country.

But southern politicians say the measure opens the way to fraud and pressure on voters.

The majority of southerners are still expected to vote for independence, but in Khartoum they view the referendum with a mixture of optimism and apprehension.

Saber Azaria, 21, a student in Khartoum and the son of a northern father and southern mother, said he would be torn by the partition of the country.

"It will be like having one leg here and the other leg there," he said.

Others, conscious of religious and cultural differences with the north, where Islamic sharia law applies, say they belong to the south.

"In Juba (the southern capital) I feel at home. Here I feel as if I'm in a foreign country," said Kwashi James Amum, a young woman preparing to attend mass at a cathedral in Khartoum.

"We have a different culture, language and religion," she said.

Southerners in Khartoum complain of being treated like second-class citizens. "When I look for work, the first question I am asked is: are you Muslim or Christian?" said Gatwech Mueth Bol, a 27-year old university graduate.

"I spent more than 20 years here in Khartoum but we south Sudanese are not considered true Sudanese," said Anthony Gony, 45, a technician.

Southern politicians also claim that Khartoum has failed their region, which sits on lucrative oil reserves.

SPLM leader Salva Kiir said in November that the south receives less than 25 percent of revenues generated by oil produced from its territory, although the 2005 agreement apportioned 50 percent to the southern government.

Others blame Khartoum for a spate of ethnic killings this year mainly in Jonglei state, where they accuse the NCP of arming and backing local tribes, an allegation Khartoum denies.

The violence has led to concern ahead of general elections next year.

Under the referendum bill passed this week, a simple majority of votes in support of independence would suffice.

But some fear a lurch into an uncertain future. Lisa Peter, 21, says she is drawn to an independent south, yet still finds the prospect "terrifying."

Source:AFP

Sudan Parl't to vote on referendum law

The office of Sudan National Congress Party says the dispute between the ruling party and Sudan People's Liberation Movement about referendum on Southern independence, concerns the participation of the southern who live outside the region.

The head of the office, Ghazi Salah al-din, released on Monday the news in a statement, a copy of which was received by Al-Alam.

The statement said that the removal of the clause 3 of the article 27 on referendum law, created a lot of disagreements between the two parties.

According to this clause, those Sudanese citizens who belong to southern Sudan ethnic groups and have not had permanent residence since January 1956, do not have rights to participate in the referendum.

Sudan's parliament was due to vote again on Monday on the referendum law.

"We agreed on the fact that the law on the referendum will be resubmitted to parliament on Monday to be adopted with the article that had been removed," said Riek Mashar of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement.

On Tuesday, MPs from the SPLM and other southern parties walked out in protest at a new clause allowing diaspora southerners -- including those in the north who could be subject to northern influence -- to cast absentee ballots

Source:alalam.ir/

Darfur mediation urges Sudan to create conducive environment for peace talks

December 27, 2009 (DOHA) — Darfur peace mediation today has urged the Sudanese government to create a conducive environment before to start peace talks which would take place during the last week of January in Doha.


Sudanese advisor to the president, Ghazi Salah AlDeen Al-Attabani (R), meets with Joint United Nations and African Union mediator for Darfur Djibril Bassole in Khartoum on July 15, 2009. (Getty) The Sudanese Presidential Adviser, Ghazi Salah Al-Deen Attabani who is in charge with Darfur dossier held today a working session with Ahmed bin Abdullah Al-Mahmoud, Qatari Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and Djibrill Bassolé, the AU/UN Joint Chief Mediator for Darfur.

The meeting tackled the ongoing preparations for the upcoming peace talks between government and rebels delegations scheduled to start on January 24.

"The Mediation strongly recommended that the Government do everything possible to create a climate of trust and a conducive environment for reaching a lasting settlement of the conflict, particularly in the areas of security and freedom of movement, as stipulated in UNSC resolution 1769 and the Goodwill and Confidence Building Agreement signed in Doha on 17 February 2009," said a statement released today by the mediation.

Despite Khartoum statements on readiness to hold talks with the rebel groups, the Sudanese government refused to release some hundred fighters from the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) in accordance with a confidence building agreement asking them to sign a ceasefire first.

Also, the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement of Abdel Wahid Al-Nur and other rebel groups ask the government to improve the security conditions before talks but the government army and militias attacked several times their position in the troubled region.

The mediation also informed the Sudanese delegation about the resolutions of a conference it had organized in Doha for Darfur civil society and requested "the Government to take into consideration the aspirations expressed by the people of Darfur."

The four day meeting, held by the mediation in order to identify the means for supporting the peace process, called for a ceasefire and urged the stakeholders to work with the mediation to reach a lasting peace agreement.

After discussing the upcoming electoral process with the government delegation, the mediation said hoping that the "ongoing peace negotiations will continue so as to enable all the Darfur population to partake in the April 2010 elections in a free and democratic manner."

Contested in the past by the rebel groups among skepticism from some regional powers, the Doha process is seen now as the most viable approach to end the six year conflict as it conjugates the efforts of the African Union and the Arab League with the support of the international community and adherence of rebel groups.

Last week, the UN Secretary General reiterated the support of the international community to the Doha process and the joint mediator while he hailed the holistic approach of Mbeki for the resolution of Sudanese crisis "By giving Mr. Bassole our unequivocal support, we will send a strong message to all parties that they must engage in the negotiations he is leading" he said.

Source:sudantribune.com/

Sudan: Local languages in schools to promote better understanding

Southern Sudan nationals have expressed satisfaction over the introduction of local languages into their school curricula by the ministry of education. They say it will help their children to study better.

Amos Longwa, a parent and also chairperson of Magwe parents association in southern Sudan said, "We are happy about the development. English is a foreign language which is not easliy learnt by children in primary schools. The children will learn better in their local languages."

The Minister of Education in the southern Sudan, Job Dhoruai, said during an interview that "the introduction of mother tongue languages into the curricula, in primary one to primary three levels, is in accordance with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

The government is committed to the language policy. The teaching of mother tongue during the formative years in school can increase children’s understanding."

He said that encouraging mother tongue use is also the easiest way to end illiteracy in the Southern Sudan.

This effort has been praised by observers who believe that local languages as part of a wider school curricula will also help students discover the various mindsets that constitute their environment and promote national cohesion.

Among the languages to start with is the Muru language. Over eight thousand text books in Muru have been produced by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

Simon Okello, a primary teacher in Bol primary school in southern Sudan said "It has not been easy to teach in English in primary one and two. Introducing local languages in primary schools will make our work easier."
Source:en.afrik.com/