Lakes state holds emergency security meeting
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By Manyang Mayom
June 3, 2011 (RUMBEK) - Lakes state MPs and executive held an
emergency meeting in Rumbek on Thursday with the deputy speaker of
South Sudan’s parliament Daniel Awet Akot to address security fears in
ahead of South Sudan’s independence in July. Cattle raiding, banditry
and revenge killings have blighted Lakes state in recent months.
The meeting called upon all Lakes state inhabitants to remain calm and
to be fully prepared for the celebration of the independent of the
Republic of South Sudan on July 9. It called for the immediate
cessation of cattle raids and inter-clan conflicts and the arrest of
the violent gangs who operate on the roads of Rumbek Central and
Cueibet counties.
The meeting discussed the impact of insecurity on the Lakes state
government, collaboration with opposition parties and increasing
support for the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) - South
Sudan’s ruling party - at the grassroots level.
Awet called upon Lakes state’s citizens to stop disputes among
themselves and appealed for peace as independence from the North
approaches in July.
The new country - to be called the Republic of South Sudan - will be
created after an overwhelming vote for independence in a referendum
held in January as part of a 2005 peace deal. Under the agreement the
former rebels the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) became the
official military of South Sudan and its political wing - the SPLM -
the ruling party.
After the deal was signed, the SPLM/A moved from Rumbek to Juba, which
will be the capital of the new nation in five weeks time.
Speaking during the meeting, Awet said:
“Lakes state [was] the center of Southern Sudan during the struggle.
It became the base of UN [and] NGOs. It became base of the SPLA/M. It
became base of struggle. The world was with us in 2000 to 2003 here in
Lakes state."
During the north-south civil war the SPLA and SPLM were based in
Rumbek as were humanitarian agencies working in non-government
controlled areas of South Sudan.
However Awet noted that since 2005 Rumbek has fallen behind over
states in South Sudan because of insecurity hindering development.
"Our neighbors although they have problem among themselves, they are
better then us”, he said.
The South Sudan deputy speaker added that "togetherness" after
independence, despite the 99 percent vote in favour of secession,
would not be achieved without including opposition parties.
Awet said that the state belonged to its citizens but more efforts
were needed to address the grievances of young people and prevent
young men from entering a cycle of tribal violence.
Lakes state member of parliament Marial Amum, challenged Awet saying
that the SPLM in Lakes state had lost control since Awet based himself
in Juba.
Awet moved to Juba after he failed to win the nomination to contest
the Lakes state Hogubernatorial on the SPLM ticket. Despite moving to
the South Sudan capital Awet to become deputy speaker of the Juba
parliament he has retained the chairmanship of the SPLM in Lakes state
as well membership of SPLM Political Bureau.
Amum said that the SPLM deputy chairman of state has resigned and the
SPLM state secretary was ill and died recently. It was this power
vacuum, he claimed, had watered down power of the SPLM and the
resulted in the recent killing, as there were no people to talk to
young people.
Chol Tong Mayay, the governor of Lakes state acknowledged that “there
is a great need to heal all wounds" of the April 2010 general
elections.
He added that opponents from other political parties "are not happy
with us – they are disappointed seriously upon us and we have a chance
to forgiveness with them."
(ST)
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