Juba residents during the peaceful demonstration today. [©Gurtong]
By Peter Lokale Nakimangole
TORIT, 28 December 2009 (Gurtong) –The party under the leadership of its state chairman Brigadier General Louis Lobong Lojore joined other states in demonstrating against controversial bills that were passed by the National Assembly last week.
The bills are seen as a major destabiliser of the peace agreement signed in 2005.
The Assembly passed the National Intelligence and Security Service, Southern Sudan Referendum, Abyei Referendum and Popular Consultation for Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile States bills, which are awaiting Sudan President Hassan Al Bashir’s consent.
Speaking to the press today at the SPLM State Secretariat office in Torit Brigadier General Lojore called on citizens regardless of their political affiliations to press for the full implementation of the peace deal.
He said the passing of the three bills by the National Assembly without the involvement of South Sudanese parties was “a clear sign of disrespect to honouring of a peace deal won after two decades of war in Sudan”.
“ To make it worse the bills had numerous changes dominated by deletions rather than insertions of basic articles and clauses formerly present in the bills”, he said.
The state citizens condemned the insensitivity of the National Assembly to the quest for peace in Sudan.
“We wonder whom to turn to as the CPA is our only hope for a bright future of our country”, said a resident.
Other parties that actively participated in the demonstration include SANU, UDSF, ANC-Sudan, SSDF, USAP 1 and 2 among others.