President Kiir’s Assurance On Referendum in Sudan

The Government of Southern Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit has assured South Sudanese living in North Sudan that they will be offered protection during the referendum.

President Kiir said that Sudan President Omar al Bashir has directed that allegations about South Sudanese running away from the North and Northerners running away from the South be verified.

“It is important that both the National and Southern Sudan Governments re-assure both communities that they will be provided full protection during and after the referendum. Our position in the Government of Southern Sudan has been clearly stated in several occasions that Northerners living in Southern Sudan will be fully protected. We continue to call on the National Government to do the same”, he told last week’s Governors’ Forum held at the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly in Juba.

He added that the Presidency in Khartoum also resolved to demarcate the agreed area of 450 km of the north-south border, which is located in the north-eastern part of Southern Sudan.

“The Presidency has not reached agreement on the Abyei issue, and the SPLM and NCP are expected to continue with further discussions on the outstanding issues. The two parties are also continuing their negotiations on post-referendum arrangements”, said Kiir.

He said that the budget for the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission has been referred to a committee for final approval.

He also affirmed his government’s commitment to holding the referendum on time as scheduled.

“Given our unwavering position in the Government of Southern Sudan that the referendum must be conducted on 9th January, 2011, it is our collective responsibility to do everything possible to facilitate the timely conduct of the referendum”, he said.

He directed relevant Ministries and institutions in the Government of Southern Sudan and states to mobilise resources to support the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission through the Southern Sudan Referendum Bureau to enable it conduct the referendum on time.

He directed the State Governors to address security concerns in their respective states in order to create a conducive environment for the conduct of a free, fair and transparent referendum.

President Kiir at the same time chided certain media houses in Khartoum that are spreading cheap propaganda alleging divisions within the Government of Southern Sudan and the SPLM.

“They have even gone further by manufacturing differences between me and my Vice President by attributing certain comments on me against Dr Riek Machar and even our great hero Dr John Garang. I simply see all these as a desperate attempt by a group of people who have run out of ideas and strategies to undermine the timely conduct of the referendum”, he said.

He added that no amount of propaganda can break the will of the people of South Sudan to remain united to confront the challenges associated with the referendum and beyond.

The 5-day Forum that ended on October 30 was chaired by the GoSS Vice President Dr Riek Machar and majorly dwelt on the forthcoming referendum.

It was attended by the Governors from all the ten states of the semi-autonomous region, senior GoSS officials and representatives from non-governmental organisations.

(Additional reporting by Jerry Abuga)