Kiir says secession that brings peace is better than unity
The President of the Government of southern Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, said secession that brings peace is better than unity that returns the country to war.
Addressing a mass rally in Abyei on Thursday 9, Salva Kiir explained why the people of southern Sudan should be allowed to have a referendum in 2011 in order to determine their destiny.
"When people hear that southern Sudanese will go for a referendum, some people would say, No, let them not be allowed to go for referendum because they would vote for secession. This is a wrong concept", he said. "Even if southerners live in a united Sudan and the war does not stop, such unity would be useless. Unity will be useful when people live in peace," he further said.
He continued to add "if the secession of southern Sudan will bring peace in Sudan, it is better that we let them go for referendum and we see what they will do."
However, he was quick to say we are ready for unity if situation permits.
He went further to explain "When we founded the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in 1983, we wanted to fight the government in Khartoum and chase them away so that we could establish a country called the New Sudan of Justice and Equality."
"Southern separatists who were with us escaped from us and attacked us and argued why should southerners go to fight in order to liberate the whole of Sudan, Let us just liberate our southern Sudan and leave it at that," he said.
"We told them in response that even in northern Sudan there are our people the Nuba and those of Malik Agar from Blue Nile State, the people of Darfur and those in the far north, we would like to tell them that these are all our people. If we cut off southern Sudan, we would have left many of our people out there," he said.
Kiir in a speech delivered on July 7 in a rally at Kadugli, Southern Kordofan pleaded for the unity of the country adding that the government of national unity (GoNU) must “work hard” to make unity attractive “through providing better services and undertaking development projects in the South”.
Also the SPLM denied statements attributed to Kiir saying he secured the Libyan support for southern Sudan independence.
The Sudanese First Vice-President also urged the Dinka Ngok and the Arab Misseriya to live peacefully in the area and maintain their unity.
He further reiterated the commitment of the National Congress Party and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement to implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and he promised that the two partners will to bring peace to Darfur.
He also promised to launch an extensive construction and development plan for Abyei.
"Despite all the destruction that occurred in Abyei, we wish to embark on construction and development in the area. The Unity Support Fund is there and they have already a master plan in order to come to Abyei and start developmental work here," he said.
Kiir pledged they will provide roads, electricity and running water in the area and after that the office of the administration and the residence of the administration. Then they will renovate the hospital and construct an airport and they will renovate primary and secondary schools, he explained.
Finally he concluded his speech with a pledge to build an elementary school in the name of the late Lino Wor Abyei and also there will be a secondary school in the name of Doctor John Garang de Mabior here in Abyei.
"We will construct the mausoleum of Chief Deng Majok, it should be well constructed so that it is tall so that when people come to the area they will visit it and see that this was the person who founded this area and ruled this area," he said.
He also paid a visit to the mausoleum of the late Sheikh of the Misseriyas, Babo Nimir, and promised to construct a dome or "guba" on the mausoleum in Muglad.
He donated 100,000 Sudanese Pound for the construction of the Abyei Chiefs’ Council Hall and 50,000 SDP to the widows and children of the martyrs of the May clashes between the Sudan Armed Forces and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Abyei last year. He also donated 50,000 SDP to war veterans in Abyei.
Kiir accompanied by Pagan Amum, SPLM Secretary General Pagan Amum, Sudan’s Foreign Affair minister Deng Alor, Deputy chairman of the SPLM and Governor of Southern Blue Nile, Malik Agar, and Governor of South Kordofan State Ahmed Haroun among other high ranking officials.
His visit was also attended by Northern Bahr el Ghazal State Governor Paul Malong and Warrap State security Advisor General Garang Mabil.
- Database Search
- Unpaid Debt A comprehensive overview of the role of the Lundin Consortium in the oil war. ECOS calls upon the Swedish, Austrian and Malaysian governments to investigate whether, as a matter of international law, Lundin, OMV and Petronas 'were complicit in the commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity by others during the period 1997-2003.’ In response, the Swedish Public Prosecutor for International crimes opened a criminal investigation into ‘links between Sweden and the reported crimes’.
- In Depth For more specific information about the Lundin court case please visit the Unpaid Debt dossier.
