Lam Akol denounce rebellion, call for multiparty democracy in S. Sudan ArticleComments (1). Email PrintSave --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Julius N. Uma November 6, 2011 (JUBA) — Lam Akol, an opposition leader in South Sudan strongly condemned armed rebellion against the newly established government and advocated for a multiparty democracy where both the opposition and those in power co-exist to steer the new nation. Lam Akol (AP)In his first public appearance since his return from Nairobi, Kenya last month, the leader of the opposition SPLM-DC, said while both those in opposition and government always considered each other as enemies, time was ripe for the two to engage in dialogue mean to foster national unity. “Government should not see the opposition parties as enemies nor should the opposition look at government as a system they can hardly work with. Instead, these two systems of multiparty democracy must co-exist if national dialogue is to be achieved,” he said during a public lecture in Juba, the South Sudan capital on Saturday. The lecture, which based on the theme, "Issues of national dialogue" mainly focused on experiences from African countries that got their independence in the post-colonial era. He also discussed why South Sudan needed dialogue at this critical moment and underlined issues to be discussed at national levels. The SPLM-DC leader, who received a standing ovation on arrival, also criticized the rampant corruption, which he said had eroded the country urged President Salva Kiir’s to devise stringent measures to ensure that those implicated prosecuted by law. He specifically applauded Kiir’s five-point anti-corruption policies, saying the mandate to fight corruption and all forms of graft should not only be left to the audit chamber and anti-corruption commission, but also include the country’s justice ministry. Reacting to the Auditor General’s recent report presented before the National Assembly, Akol said the financial shortfalls in the accounts were mainly due to government reluctance to institute proper tax regime to monitor systems in place. "A country cannot achieve any meaningful development, unless the government puts in place strong physical and monetary measures to manage the economy," said SPLM-DC leader amid applause. According to Akol, the newly independent South Sudan can only achieve meaningful dialogue if issues encompassing good governance, national unity, economic diversity and food security through agriculture are properly addressed by the system in power. For instance while nearly 80 percent of the southerners depend on agriculture as the backbone of rural economies, only 4 percent of the country’s agricultural land is reportedly being used accordingly leaving over a million people food insecure. The SPLM-DC also urged government to adopt a sound agro-based policy aimed at tapping agricultural potentials in the country, and strongly called for massive reduction in government expenditure at national levels. “For South Sudan to succeed, it needs to adopt a proper strategic plan that addresses the agricultural sector to give a relative competitive edge over other countries in regional markets,” he said. (ST) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" 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/SouthSudanKob?hl=en.
