South Sudan cabinet passes transitional constitution ArticleComments (4). Email PrintSave --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
May 5, 2011 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s Council of Ministers has passed the long awaited four-year transitional constitution, giving more powers to the President of the would-be Republic of South Sudan, from July 9. South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir holds a hat he received from U.S. Senator John Kerry during their meeting in Juba January 8, 2011 (Reuters)The technical constitutional review committee have been working to amend and merge the interim constitutions of Southern Sudan and Sudan national constitution, 2005, for the last two months. The controversial draft constitution was boycotted by a number of opposition political parties in South Sudan, who accused the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) of reneging on the spirit of consensus with them in order to arrive at the final draft. Other political parties sat through the whole process despite their reservations in the draft. The document was presented to the cabinet on Wednesday by the chairman of the technical committee drafting the transitional constitution, John Luk Jok, minister of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Development. The cabinet passed the document almost in its entire form as presented by the technical committee with very few amendments. The minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services, Madut Biar, who acts as official spokesman of the government, told the press after the meeting that the issue of land has been resolved in the constitution. “Land belongs to the community but shall be regulated by the government,” he said. He said it will be divided into three categories: government, community and private lands. He also explained that the transitional constitution has also stipulated that the police forces, their officers, shall be trained nationally and deployed to the ten states by the would-be national government, and not necessarily to states the recruits hail from. Decentralization is encouraged in the document while the proposal for a federal system in all its forms will need to be studied first before any adoption in the next permanent constitution by the end of the four-year transitional period. The powers of the president were strengthened for the next four years from July 9. While the transitional period is stipulated to be four years, the tenure for President shall revert to five years. The president, according to the document, shall have the power during the four years of transitional period to dissolve a state government and fire an elected state governor if situation necessitates. He can also declare war and state of emergency without necessarily consulting with parliament. During the two months of discussions on the draft document, technical committee members explained that the coming period needs the additional powers for the president. The constitution has also provided for inclusion of Abyei as part of the territory of the Republic of South Sudan. Earlier, President Bashir of Sudan threatened to withdraw his recognition of South Sudan independence if the region unilaterally annexes Abyei territory to the new born nation. The document also provides to accommodate in Juba national parliament all the elected members of South Sudanese parliamentarians to the national assembly in Khartoum irrespective of their political parties. The same applies to the 20 members elected to the Council of States in Khartoum. The current parliament in Juba shall be expanded for the purpose as well as create the Council of States in Juba, making the new parliament bicameral. South Sudanese elected to Khartoum state assembly shall join their respective states parliaments in South Sudan, the document has stipulated. Additional 66 members from various political parties shall be appointed by the president to the transitional parliament. 30 other members shall be appointed to the new Council of States, making the total 50, from various political parties. In case the post of the president falls vacant within the first one year of the transitional period from July 9, the document says the political party, on whose ticket the president was elected, shall nominate his successor within 14 days. If the vacancy occurs after one year of the transitional period, then elections shall be conducted to fill the vacant post of the president. There shall be formed a constitutional review commission that shall call for constitutional conference during the transitional period to work on a permanent constitution that shall take effect after four years. The permanent constitution’s process is expected to be completed by the last year of the transitional period. The Council of Ministers, after endorsement of the transitional constitution, directed the minister of legal affairs and constitutional development, John Luk, to table the document before parliament for final approval. After endorsement by the parliament, the document will be signed by the president on 9 July, and to immediately come into effect. South Sudan was granted the right to self determination through a 2005 peace deal that ended decades of conflict. A referendum in January saw an overwhelmingly vote for independence. (ST) -- 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.
