SSRRC boss warns army, communities over SPLM “internal problems” ArticleComments (26) EmailPrintSave
May 03, 2013 (JUBA) – The Chairperson of South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission(SSRRC) has warned communities and the national army (SPLA) to avoid getting soaked into “internal problems" within the country’s-ruling party (SPLM). SSRRC chairperson Peter Lam Both (goss) Peter Lam Both, in an interview with Sudan Tribune, said the SPLM is currently facing internal leadership problems, which can only be resolved by its top leaders from within the party, not outside it. “What the party [SPLM] is facing is an internal problem that was created by its leaders within the party. The SPLA and communities must not be part of this problem in any way,” the SSRRC head said on Friday. He further stressed that only the SPLM political bureau, its National Liberation Council (NLC) the party’s extraordinary meeting were capable of resolving the SPLM’s current problems, which has attracted lots of public debates. Both, who previously served as Upper Nile state’s Information Minister, said it was "too immature” for SPLM members to begin discussing transition, while the party’s constitution is still in its draft stage and the country’s Transitional Constitution is under review. “The party constitution, which should guide members on the transfer of power within the party, is still not passed. Our Transitional Constitution, as you know, is yet being reviewed. It’s too immature to talk about transition,” he said. The official further told Sudan Tribune that it will be the mandate of the National Election Commission (NEC) to set guidelines and criteria for the conduct of the much-anticipated elections, expected in 2015. Last week, the Jikany-Nuer community, disturbed by the ongoing political atmosphere in the country, called its members for a meeting, which took place on April 21. At the meeting, participants reportedly adopted a resolution calling on President Salva Kiir and his Vice President Riek Machar to play peaceful politics and prevent a leadership crisis. However, the community, including lawmakers in the national legislature, on Thursday accused the SSRRC chairperson of “desperate lies” after he issued a statement said to be contrary to what they discussed at a meeting they held with President Kiir. Both, in a separate interview, denied he ever said something negative, while appearing on the state-owned SSTV. “What I said on television was not something bad, unless people misunderstood me. I only said what SPLM is facing is a leadership problem from within, and communities should not get involved into it,” Lam stressed. “I did not say the Vice President was the cause of the problem, as many people seem to imply,” he added. At the time, the SSRRC chairperson was understood to be alluding to reports of the unfolding controversy within the south-ruling party, regarding the party chairmanship. The SPLM has been preparing to hold its convention this year in which it will either confirm Kiir as its chairman or decide to elect a new chairperson who will also run in the 2015 presidential elections on the party’s ticket. Machar, who is also the SPLM deputy chairperson, declared his intention in the last SPLM politburo meeting to compete for the party’s top post, while also criticising Kiir for what he described as his failure to provide guidance and vision to the party. The VP also rapped his boss for being unable to navigate the nation through the state-building process as the ship’s captain by not tackling the rampant corruption, overwhelming insecurity, poor economy, tribalism and ineffective international relations among others. Machar’s unusual criticism is widely believed to have prompted Kiir to issue an order last month withdrawing all unspecified “delegated powers” which were previously given to his deputy. (ST) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
