From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Wed Aug 26 2009 - 06:14:37 EDT
Over 90% of the people of South Sudan will vote for separation - survey
Tuesday 25 August 2009 07:00.
By James Gatdet Dak
August 24, 2009 (JUBA) - An overwhelming majority of the people of Southern
Sudan are expected to vote for separation to form their own independent
country in the 2011 referendum, according to a survey report.
JPEG - 6.8 kb
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(The survey recently conducted by the US-based National Democratic Institute
NDI), and presented to the Governors Forum in the Southern Sudan parliament,
has indicated that the region is moving towards becoming an independent
country.
Based in Washington, DC, NDI is a "nonpartisan, nongovernmental organization
that has supported democratic institutions and practices in every region of
the world for more than two decades.and works to establish and strengthen
political and civic organizations, safeguard elections, and promote citizen
participation, openness and accountability in government."
NDI works on five continents in more than 110 countries with political
parties, governments, parliaments and civic groups to establish and
strengthen democratic institutions and practices.
Its officials told the Juba parliament in the joint Forum that the survey
they conducted in many towns and villages across Southern Sudan dwelled
mostly on the respondents' views on issues of good governance, the upcoming
general elections and referendum in the South.
They said the findings have indicated that over 90% of the people surveyed
said they are discontented with the status quo under the CPA arrangements
and want to establish their own independent country in 2011.
When asked by the surveying team whether their current view of the status
quo would change if a Southerner is elected to the post of the national
President of the Republic of Sudan, the report indicated that an
overwhelming majority would still vote for separation.
They argued that electing a Southerner as the President of the country would
not stop the North from exploiting the resources from the South because
Northerners would still continue to take 50% of the resources.
According to the report, they also said electing a Southerner to the
Presidency in 2010 could simply be a trick to lure Southerners into voting
for unity in 2011 and once that is done the Northerners would remove the
President and return the country to their agenda; hence back to square one.
They however think that electing a Southerner to the Khartoum palace for
eight months between April 2010 and January 2011 would only be an added
advantage to use his or her presidential powers to help the South in
facilitating the process towards independence.
On governance, the report indicated that respondents in overwhelming
majority were also very much concerned about insecurity and corruption in
the region.
But it said that a good number of Southern Sudanese were blaming insecurity
and corruption or scarcity of resources partly on the North and would want
to judge it squarely on Southern Sudan leaders once independence is
achieved.
The NDI team, however, warned officials of the semi-autonomous government
that the people of Southern Sudan will have even higher expectations of
basic service delivery to them, than they currently have during the interim
period, if independence is achieved by 2011.
Libyan leader says independent South Sudan would be 'very weak'
Tuesday 25 August 2009 06:37.
August 24, 2009 (TRIPOLI) - The Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi today said
that he would support the independence of South Sudan if its citizens decide
so in the 2011 referendum but warned that it will become a "very weak
state."
Gaddafi in a meeting with leader of the Darfur Justice and Equality Movement
(JEM) Khalil Ibrahim said he has long standing conviction with regard to
South Sudan from a historical perspective.
"South Sudan I had my own opinion on it since a very long time ago and the
days of Joseph Lagu and days of Garang [late SPLM chief]" Gaddafi was quoted
by the official Libyan official news agency (JANA).
"It [South Sudan] was in reality attached and became part of Sudan due to
the colonial divisions that we talked about. Colonialism created a new map
and new people according to its interests and wherever its armies reached,"
he added.
The Libyan leader suggested that secession of South Sudan would be the
logical choice to be made by Southerners.
"I told them my brothers that even if you secede I will support your
independence. Why? Because you don't speak Arabic; your language is English
and your language is local. Your religion is not Islam; you are animists and
some of you are Christians. You are from another side not from Sudan,
different from Darfur and Nubia and East Sudan and Khartoum," Gaddafi said.
Last June Gaddafi sparked anger by Khartoum when the Sudanese First Vice
president Salva Kiir disclosed that the Libyan leader pledged to him that he
would support an independent South Sudan.
The Libyan embassy in Khartoum at the time denied that Gaddafi made any such
remarks in his meeting with Kiir.
JANA cited Gaddafi as saying that Southern Sudanese have characteristics
that are "not in harmony" with Sudan and that it was better to be left a
separate state "similar to Burundi or Rwanda."
However, the Libyan head state said he warned Southern Sudanese about the
downsides of separation.
"You will be a very weak state and you will need someone to support you from
outside and you will be colonized either the US, China or Europe.or
Israelis" he said.
"Whoever that will colonize you will oppress you and take your wealth and
lie to you telling you that he will help you and your independence and that
you are newborn state," Gaddafi added.
Gaddafi said that since this is South Sudan "destiny" then he recommends
that they remain with united Sudan saying it is better than being
independent "under the protection of other imperialist or Zionist powers."
The Sudanese government reacted angrily following Kiir disclosure on
Gaddafi's remarks saying that it is an "interference in Sudanese internal
affairs" and that it could affect bilateral relations.
Last month Egypt, another neighbor of Sudan, said that separation of South
Sudan would lead to proliferation of poverty and internal conflict within
the new state.
Southern Sudan, in accordance with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA),
will hold a referendum in January 2011 on whether to create its independent
state or remain part of the Sudan.
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