SPLM senior official rules out reconciliation during Saturday NLC meeting
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December 13, 2013 (JUBA) – A senior member of the South Sudan’s
governing Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) has ruled out the
possibility of addressing the leadership crisis and reconciling two
rivaling groups of the party during the upcoming meeting of the
National Liberation Council (NLC) scheduled for Saturday.
JPEG - 65.7 kb
SPLM senior leaders holding a press conference against actions of
party chairman, Salva Kiir, Dec. 6, 2013, Juba (Photo/ST)
Martin Majut Yak, the secretary for Popular and Syndicated
Organizations in the national secretariat said the meeting would be
strictly for passing the four basic documents namely the party
constitution, manifesto, code of conduct and rules and regulations.
He explained that there will be no item on the agenda in the NLC
meeting to try and resolve the current differences between the two
groups in the leadership until the third National Convention next
year.
Speaking to Eye radio FM on Friday morning show, the party official
further explained that after the NLC meeting, the leadership will go
ahead and organize congresses in all the states in preparation for the
next year’s convention.
“The meeting will be for passing the basic documents. If there are any
differences in the party leadership, they will be tackled in the
National Convention…After NLC meeting the party will go ahead with the
organization of congresses” Yak said.
On 6 December, dozens of members from the SPLM’s highest executive
organ, the Political Bureau (PB) and NLC called on South Sudan’s
president and party chairman, Salva Kiir, to first call for the PB
meeting in order to set the agenda for the NLC in accordance with the
ordinary party procedures.
The group which included the former vice president, Riek Machar,
suspended party secretary general, Pagan Amum and Rebecca Nyandeng de
Mabior, widow of late SPLM founder, John Garang de Mabior, among
others, also accused Kiir of “dictatorial tendencies” by dissolving or
ignoring the party’s official organs.
They decried Kiir’s unilateral actions in which he instead directed
the state governors to select their respective party committees of
their liking to organize for various party congresses prior to the
National Convention.
They called for a public rally on Saturday, 14 December in order to
enlighten the public about the party’s affairs.
Observers say Kiir has got no significant support in the 19-membership
of the Political Bureau organ, which explains the intention to avoid
its meetings.
Yak however said it was up to the other concerned SPLM group to
whether or not participate in the Saturday meeting of the 160+
membership of the NLC, saying the meeting will go ahead as planned.
In a counter-press conference by the other group led by the vice
president, James Wani Igga, also second deputy chairman, they accused
Machar of trying to imitate the 1991 split.
Robecca Nyandeng de Mabior, presidential advisor and member of the
Political Bureau, however responded on Bakhita radio FM on Tuesday,
rebuking those who were still recalling the past differences in 1991
in order to blackmail others, urging them to instead address the
current challenges facing the party and its leadership.
The Saturday abrupt schedule was seen as disrupting the planned public
rally by the other party officials.
REACTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC
The revelations by the SPLM official on the status quo raised a number
of questions and concerns from the citizens who threw various
questions directly to him.
Alfred Gai Thot, a resident in Juba, wondered why some in the party
leadership don’t want the politburo to meet first and set the agenda
for the NLC.
“Why do you avoid Political Bureau meeting first before the National
Liberation Council takes place? Will you resolve differences in the
NLC meeting?” he asked the SPLM official.
“I don’t like the way the vice president [Wani Igga] responded to the
press conference held by the other group, dismissing their concerns as
those outside the government. I hope the NLC will be reconciliatory,”
commented another, Charles.
Ezekiel from Central Equatoria state was also concerned that the
“rushed” meeting of the NLC without PB organ setting the agenda first
may not bear the desired fruits.
“Why do you meet as NLC before meeting as PB? Will this not bring
problems? Secondly, the language used by the vice-president [Wani
Igga] was not a responsible language,” he told the official.
(ST)
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