South Sudan accuses North of launching economic war
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By Ngor Arol Garang
July 25, 2011 (JUBA)-The newly established government of the Republic
of South Sudan (RoSS) on Monday accused the neighboring state in the
north of launching an economic war by adopting “hostile and
discriminative” policies aiming at crushing its economy.
JPEG - 33 kb
SPLM Secretary General Pagan Amum holds a press conference in the
South Sudanese capital of Juba on July 25, 2011. (Getty)
Speaking at a press conference held at the headquarters of the Sudan
People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) in Juba, Pagan Amum, the Secretary
General of RoSS ruling party, cited the release of a new currency in
North Sudan as one of the strategies aimed at stifling the economic
growth of the new nation by reneging an agreement he said was reached
by the two parties in January to allow the two states to use one
currency for the period of six months.
“The release of the new currency by the North violates the agreement
we signed in January”, said Amum.
South Sudan was the first of the two states to launch a new currency
on July 18, claiming that it was forced to do so as North Sudan
stopped supplying it with cash.
Amum said North Sudan’s move would cost South Sudan US$700 million as
the cash they are exchanging for the new South Sudan Pound will become
valueless.
He described reports and allegations that the North was not aware of
the plans by the South to release its own currency as a “white lie”.
"As a matter of fact, this issue was discussed and agreed by the two
parties in Addis Ababa in January 2011. It was again discussed and
agreed in March that the two states would even share the features of
the proposed currency with the North," he explained.
He described action taken by the government in the north as "hostile
and unacceptable behaviour".
Rabie Abdel-Aatii, a spokesman of North Sudan’s ruling party said the
adoption of the new currency will be gradual and so the people of
South Sudan have a chance to change the old currency.
"Our banks now are dealing with the same, the new currency and old
currency," Atti said. "I don’t think this is a big problem ... I think
it can be resolved technically without trouble for the north or the
south."
Last week Sudan’s finance and national economy minister Ali Mahmood
Hassanein cautioned on the possibility that part of the old Sudanese
pound would be smuggled into Sudan for the purpose of exchanging it
with the new currency and stressed that measures will be taken to
prevent that.
Hassanein was apparently making reference to what Sudan perceives as
attempts by the authorities in South Sudan to undermine their economy.
South Sudan has been resisting demands by Khartoum to hand over the
old version of the pound circulated in the South which was estimated
to be equivalent to $700 million.
The Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS) said last week that South Sudan wants
to replace old currency only through exchanging it with foreign
currency or commercial trade between the two countries.
But Hassanein today dismissed the demand saying that South Sudan can
keep the old currency "in the museums".
They can keep it the same way they kept the [Sudanese] flag [at South
Sudan independence ceremony]" the minister said.
WITHDRAWN RESIGNATION
The minister also confirmed reports that he had submitted his
resignation from both ministerial portfolios and position of Secretary
General of the party, but his decision was rejected by the president
and the leadership council.
He explained that he had wanted to “give room to new blood in both the
government and the party”, denying allegations that he was pushed to
resign from his positions due to differences within the party.
He reported that the chairperson of the Abyei negotiations, former
president of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, is expected to visit Juba
tomorrow on Wednesday to hold consultations with the officials from
SPLM and the government of South Sudan on the way forward on the
negotiations.
Last Sunday, President Bashir agreed to the resumption of talks
between the two countries over the remaining issues.
Speaking about unresolved issues in the 2005 Comprehensive Peace
Agreement, the South Sudan government spokesperson told the press
Monday that some critical issues are still subject to negotiations
with the help of the international mediators.
The two governments have signed the Abyei protocol to resolve the
border conflict and both parties should implement that protocol.
Barnaba Marial Benjamin said 80 per cent of border issues have been
agreed upon. "We had prepared Blue Nile and South Kordofan protocols,
which will help resolve current issues and bring stability in both
countries,” he added.
The minister said his government is committed to the concept of soft
borders with the North, allowing freedom of movement to pastoral list
and it will welcome and help settle Southern Sudanese who wish to
return from the North.
South Sudan will recognize all legally acquired property and land
ownership. It will also respect the right of people living in
territory from diverse ethnic cultural and racial backgrounds as the
transitional constitution”, he said.
(ST)
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