USSP speech on the referendum results celebration hosted by GoSS Mission to United Kingdom
Date: 5th March 2011 Venue: Camden Town Hall, Euston Road, London Distinguished Guests, Ladies, and Gentlemen, Fellow Compatriots, Women and Men of Independent South Sudan. This is a very remarkable occasion on which only a few of us are honored to celebrate. Before we proceed I kind request everyone to stand up in respect of fallen heroes and heroines whose blood have nourished our over ten decades of struggle for independence, liberty freedom and dignity. Thanks, you can sit down Today we are celebrating the end of unity under oppression. It marks the end of the New United Sudan dream. In 1972 under the leadership of General Joseph Lagu Yanga, the Anya Nya Liberation Movement was forced into signing an agreement with the colonialist forces of Khartoum under the late Jaafar Numeiri for autonomous powers for South Sudan within a united Sudan. It was called unity in diversity. It was a vague word of the May Revolution under Nimeiri. Three decades later after 21 years on the second liberation war led by Dr. John Garang de Mabior another peace agreement was reached between the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement and the Khartoum-based government under the monopoly of the Nation Islamic Front (Salvation or Ingaz regime), aka the National Congress Party (NCP), in 2005. In that agreement again the unity of the Sudan was a preference, however with a promise of self-determination referendum at the end of the interim period. It was here that the difference between the Addis Ababa Agreement which was abrogated by late Nimeiri in 1983. It was this abrogation which encouraged the NIF/NCP to reach the CPA with the SPLM/SPLA in Naivasha 2005. The aim was to lure the SPLM/SPLA into the government of national unity, and then plot to block the referendum – an intention that initially looked achievable given the fact the SPLM/SPLA leadership’s core manifesto was to maintain the Sudan as a united country – a New Sudan – democratic and secular. Most senior members of SPLM/SPLA had usually sited the fact that the first bullets were fired against the Southern separatists. But today every South Sudanese separatist can safely celebrate what they voted for. You might have heard from some of South Sudan’s political leaders who preached that, if the NIF/NCP could abolish the Sharia – Islamic Law – then the Sudan would remain one. Although this could have sounded sensible to the South Sudanese unionists of the SPLM, but to USSP this wasn’t the main reason why the people of South Sudan resorted to armed struggle in the first place. It was for the total independence and freedom that even the foot soldiers in the SPLA fought the 2 decades of war, despite the delusional United Secular Sudan which their leaders chose as a slogan to find accommodation inside the so-called United Sudan, ruled from Khartoum. On behave of the people of South Sudan; we are grateful to the international community who brokered the CPA, especially the former US President George W. Bush. Our thanks extend to as well to the current US government under President Barack Obama, who made it impossible for the Islamists of the dominant NCP of president Omer Al Bashir to mess about with our people rights to self determination. Thank you President Obama you made it possible for us to express our rights to self-determination as agreed in the CPA. I take this opportunity to express USSP appreciation to the South–South dialogue, where all South Sudan political parties signed an agreement to work together to achieve a peaceful, fair and transparent referendum. The spirit and principles of the dialogue reflect a political maturity in South Sudan politics. However, from time to time, the ruling SPLM party has acted in defiance of the road map. USSP believes that it is never late to point out the wrongs and rights of the government institutions of the GoSS and the ruling party in South Sudan. Congratulations to all the South Sudanese separatists for overwhelmingly voting in favor of an independent South Sudan, thus totally and permanently defeating the anomalous philosophy of the United New Sudan. It was a defeat to the Jallaba and their agents. As we celebrate this day, USSP has this vision for a democratic multi-party Republic of South Sudan: There must realize Inclusiveness and ethnic balance in all the positions, civil and military in order to create a sense of citizenship to the new nation. In other words create an end to marginalization. A way forward should be better realized under the three main regions that historically formed the three provinces of Southern Sudan before 1956, which are Bahr Ghazal, Equatoria, and Upper Nile. Ministries have since been divided into sovereign, service, and economic ministries. However, it is an open secret that the ministries of Interior, Finance, Defense, Foreign Affairs, Central Back of South Sudan, Supreme Court, Chief of Intelligence have been so far monopolized by one tribe, this must change and each of the regions be represented by two ministries. South Sudan has now inherited the same problem of rebellion and must be addressed in different way as to how the Sudan government managed the rebellion in the South from 1955. Independence comes with responsibilities good governance, rule of law, accountability, transparency and respect for human rights. We know that there was a shortage of these in South Sudan over the last five years of the semi autonomous GoSS. This must change and the first cabinet in the government of the newly Independent Republic of South Sudan (RoSS) must be a broad-based one. The participation of the different political parties must be on qualifications and in fulfillment of the regional balance and nomination to positions must be done by the political parties concerned. USSP hereby calls up all South Sudanese to give priority to the nation building – and here I mean a correct nation building far away from the socio-political anomalies of tribalism, nepotism, and favoritism. USSP warns against those who continue to talk about the possibility of re-uniting with the chauvinistic northern Sudan. Last but not least, it’s an honor to conclude by expressing USSP happiness and appreciation to every South Sudanese who voted for Independence with a dramatic out-come of nearly 99%. This smashing victory is attributed to millions of our martyrs, South Sudanese martyrs, who gave their lives as a price for our independence, freedom and dignity- we salute them. Long live the independent nation of South Sudan God Bless South Sudan. Thank You Dr. Justin Ambago Ramba Secretary General United South Sudan Party (USSP) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "JFD info" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/jfdinfo?hl=en.
