SPLM Secretary General Pagan Amum at the press conference in Nairobi. [© Gurtong]
By Gurtong Correspondent
NAIROBI, 10 March 2010 (Gurtong) –Addressing a press conference in Nairobi, a day after the 14th extraordinary summit of IGAD Assembly of heads of state and government on Sudan peace process in the Kenyan capital, Amum said the IGAD peace initiative is one of the most important developments that has taken place so far in the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) since 2005.
Amum said South Sudanese are happy with the resolutions of IGAD to focus on tackling issues of the CPA.
“We are glad that IGAD has resolved to support speedy demarcation of the boarders between the South and North Sudan and Abyei boarder which are key to maintaining peace and stability in the country”, he said.
“Boarders were supposed to be demarcated within the first six months of the interim period, but now the demarcation is being done within the last six months because of the delay by the National Congress Party (NCP)”, added the SPLM boss.
He commended IGAD for its commitment to ensure free and fair elections by promising to send election monitors before the end of March.
“IGAD has also pledged to support the referendum process and as such it was proposed that a commission be set up to ensure the smooth running of the referendum exercise”, he said.
He emphasised on remarks by former Kenyan president and key player in the peace process Daniel Arap Moi that “after the referendum, no matter what the outcome will be, people of Sudan will not suddenly grow wings and fly to China and other continents, they will still remain in the same geographical region”.
Amum reaffirmed the importance of coexistence between South and Northern Sudan, regardless of the outcome of the referendum slated for January next year.
He said South Sudan will still seek to maintain relations with North Sudan if it becomes an independent state, adding that South Sudan still intends to export its oil through Port Sudan in the north.
“There is a lot of ground for cooperation and we will need to put greed aside”, said Amum.
On the objectives of the SPLM, the party Secretary General said that SPLM aims to make Sudan to be at peace with itself and consequently with its neighbors by implementing programs that are inclusive of all citizens.
He added that millions of lives have been lost due to the state’s implementation of programs that exclude citizens.
“We are the only country in the world where the president is indicted internationally and is a fugitive of justice”, lamented Amum.
He refuted reports that the SPLM is planning to drop Yasir Arman as the SPLM Sudan presidential candidate, saying that SPLM fully supports its candidate whom they believe will provide a favorable environment for the wishes of the people to be respected during the referendum.
Amum said the Government of Southern Sudan had received reports that the NCP plans to destabilise South Sudan by training militia in the north and infiltrating them to the south and also crippling the disarmament process by giving the civilians arms after they have been disarmed.
“The GoSS is taking the issue seriously and this matter was also been brought to the attention of the IGAD during the summit”, he said.
He said most South Sudanese were eagerly awaiting the referendum, saying that as a result many were looking forward to the plebiscite more than the forthcoming general elections.
“It is important to have a country than to have a government. That is why the people of South Sudan want to know first that they have a country then they will see what kind of government they want”, he said.
He affirmed that the SPLM will accept the results of the elections if it loses provided that they are free and fair.
He further pointed out that there will be no Universal Declaration of Independence (UDI) after the referendum given that the exercise is carried out fairly and freely.
The press briefing was also attended by the GoSS Minister for Regional Cooperation Oyai Deng Ajak and the GoSS head of mission to Kenya Michael Majok Ayom.