South Sudanese Mark Historic Day, Khartoum Looks for Trouble
January 9, 2011 (Juba) — Southern Sudanese go to the polls on Sunday to decide their future on whether or not they want to remain as part of united Sudan…
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SPLM Official says Party to ‘Champion Separation’
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Read More Asharq Al-Awsat Talks to SPLM Secretary-General Pagan Amum
By Mohammad Ali Salih
December 14, 2010 (SSNA) — The London-based Asharq Al-Awsat Newspaper spoke with Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement [SPLM] Secretary-General Pagan Amum earlier this week in Washington in the run-up to the southern Sudanese self-determination referendum that is scheduled to take place in January 2011. Amum is one of the most prominent SPLM leaders and is widely known for his criticisms of the ruling NCP.
In his interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, SPLM Secretary-General Pagan Amum discussed the southern Sudanese self-determination referendum and his own dissatisfaction with the al-Bashir government.
The following is the text of the interview:
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Can you tell us the purpose of your visit to Washington?
[Amum] I first went to New York to attend the UN Security Council’s special meeting on Sudan. The meeting was successful because it confirmed the UN position on the coming referendum in South Sudan to choose between unity and independence. The Council was very clear that all parties should work hard to have a free and fair election, and should accept the results. In Washington, I met some top American officials, talked to the Sudanese in the Washington area, and visited registration centres for the referendum in the South. I encouraged the Southerners to register and to vote.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] What did you tell US officials about secession or unity?
[Amum] I told them that if the South chooses unity, we will call on them to support a united Sudan; if the South chooses independence, we will call on them to support the new state, and also the state in the North, so as not to create problems and tensions between the two countries.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] In a previous interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Karti accused you of supporting US policies against the government of Sudanese President Omer Al-Bashir. Do you have any comment on that?
[Amum] Every time I come to Washington, they say I come to take orders from the American government. There are no secrets in our relations with the Americans. Yes, they helped us in the past when we were fighting in the jungles, and that was because we were under brutal attacks by the armed forces of President Al-Bashir, under the slogan of Islamic Jihad. Yes, they have been helping the Government of Southern Sudan since its establishment, according to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the North and the South in 2005. And yes, they promised to help us in the future if we choose unity or independence.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Do the Americans support unity or secession?
[Amum] You are in Washington; why don’t you ask them?
[Asharq Al-Awsat] The US announced a global war on terror; and this is something that has indirectly resulted in Muslims being targeted, whether this is in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Somalia, or Sudan. Are you exploiting this "war on terror" to win US support?
[Amum] Firstly, what you just said [about Muslims being targeted] is your own opinion. Secondly, we don’t serve the goals of "others"; we are serving our own goals.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] There has been reports that if the south chooses secession, the United States African Command [AFRICOM] intends to establish a base in Juba, and that Israel would also be establishing strong relations with southern Sudan. Would you care to comment on these reports?
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Read More South Sudan President, Salva Kiir Mayardit, Will Not Listen to Supporters of Disunity
Press Release
October, 22, 2010
October 22, 2010 (SSNA) — The people of South Sudan congratulate Lt. Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit for pardoning the armed groups who took up arms against the Government of South Sudan (GoSS) in order to unite the people of the South ahead of historic referenda that will be exercised on January the 9th 2011. The citizens of the South are also delighted that President Salva Kiir united the South Sudan political forces to reach consensus on unifying the South to ensure smooth implementation of the final protocols of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
In spite of the efforts and positive steps put forth by the President of the GoSS, it appeared that there are anti-peace elements who questioned the desire for the unity of the people of South Sudan. Those anti-peace elements began to voice negative opinions questioning the loyalty of Lt. Gen. George Athor, Maj. Gen. Gabriel Tang, Maj. Gen. David Yau Yau and Col. Gatluak Gai. Those individuals have begun making negative presentations that the officers pardoned by the commander-in-chief of the SPLA could not be trusted to join the SPLA army. Back in 2001, the same negative doubters refused unity between Dr. John Garang and Dr. Riek Machar. But John Garang set aside their negative opinions and went ahead to sign Nairobi Declaration with Dr. Riek Machar. Currently, Dr. Riek Machar is working day and night assisting Salva Kiir to liberate the South. The same doubters of 2001 who questioned his nationalism were proven wrong when President Salva Kiir appointed him as vice-president of the GoSS in 2005. The people of the South are confident that the same negative doubters will be proven wrong on the case of Gabriel Tang, George Athor, David Yau Yau and Gatluak Gai.
The people of South Sudan would like to advise the negative doubters that officers like George Athor, Gordon Koang, Gabriel Tang, David Yau Yau and Gatluak Gai are South Sudan nationalists who fought for the liberation of the South. Long before the formation of the SPLM/A in 1983, officers like Gordon Koang Chol and Gabriel Tang were fighters of Anyanya Two who rebelled against the government of Jafar Mohamed Nimeiri in 1975 to liberate the South when it was obvious that President Nimeiri took steps to dishonor the 1972 Addis Ababa Agreement.
All Southern Sudanese Political Parties Conference – Final Communique
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Read More Asharq Al-Awsat’s Mohammad Salih interviews Sudan’s Finance Minister
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{loadposition left} South Sudan News Agency Headquarters Colorado Springs, Colorado United States of America General Inquiries E-mail: [email protected] Editorials E-mail: [email protected] Contact Persons: Duop Chak Wuol E-mail: [email protected]…
Read More Sudanese Opposition Leader Ali Mahmoud Hassanein Talks to Asharq Al-Awsat
By Mohammad Ali Salih October 9, 2010 (SSNA) — A prominent Sudanese opposition leader, currently touring the US, predicted yesterday that if Southern Sudan chooses independence in the scheduled January…
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For Immediate Release October 8, 2010 (Denver, Colorado, USA) — The Leadership Institute of New Sudan (LIONS) will hold a week long Leadership Course in Juba, South Sudan for…
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