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Sudan’s peace partners close to agreeing on South Sudan referendum bill

By James Gatdet Dak

June 12, 2009 (JUBA) – The two peace partners to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which ended the 21 years of North-South war in 2005, have come closer to reaching an agreement on referendum bill for Southern Sudan.

The National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), both of which constitute 80% of the Government of National Unity (GoNU), are discussing the final draft bill on referendum for Southern Sudan.

This is in accordance with the provision of the CPA that provides for exercise of referendum in 2011 by the people of Southern Sudan to choose between creating an independent nation in their territory and confirming unity of the whole Sudan under the present arrangements of the interim period.

Separate bills are also being discussed on Abyei referendum and popular consultations for the two regions of Nuba Mountains and Southern Blue Nile, respectively.

The SPLM Deputy Chairperson, Dr. Riek Machar Teny, who also chairs the SPLM High Executive Political Committee for CPA implementation, briefed the Government of Southern Sudan’s Council of Ministers about the draft bill after his arrival from Khartoum on Friday.

The meeting was chaired by the First Vice President of the Republic and President of the Government of Southern Sudan, General Salva Kiir Mayardit.

Machar said other issues discussed by the two parties in the national capital included the role of Southern Sudan High Elections Commission (SSHEC) that would supervise 2010 elections in Southern Sudan.

The need to effect implementation of policy on the Central Bank of Sudan with two separate Islamic and Conventional windows for North and South, respectively, was also discussed by the joint committee.

Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Dr. Luka Tombekana Monoja, told the press after the cabinet briefing that Machar distributed the draft bill to the cabinet members for consultations in which he cited a number of outstanding issues which were yet to be resolved by the two parties.

The main issues to be ironed out by Machar’s committee included the seat of the Referendum Commission, its chairmanship, composition of the Commission, voter definition and qualification and voting centers.

Machar who has been moving between Juba and Khartoum, leading SPLM committee to review and enact new laws, blamed the NCP on the delay of the referendum bill.

He said it took the NCP six months to study and respond to his committee’s initial draft bill on the Southern Sudan referendum.

He said the SPLM’s position is to quickly finalize the draft bill so that it reaches the National Assembly for enactment into law before the Assembly goes on recess on 24th June.

The National Assembly is also expected to be dissolved or go for final leave by December before February 2010 elections.

More than 20 national laws are required to be reviewed in accordance with the CPA provisions.

Draft bills finalized at the parties’ joint committee level pass through the Council of Ministers in Khartoum for approval before they are presented to the National Assembly for final deliberations and endorsement.

The Joint High Executive Political Committee is co-chaired by the Vice President of the Republic of Sudan, Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, representing NCP, and the Vice President of the semi-autonomous Government of Southern Sudan, Dr. Riek Machar Teny, representing SPLM.

Machar added that NCP’s committee also proposed discussions on post-referendum arrangements, incase the South becomes independent after the 2011 referendum.

These post-referendum arrangements, proposed by the NCP for discussions, include what to do with the national assets, liabilities, currency, waters, Joint Integrated Units (JIUs), oil (its production, transportation and export) and international agreements.

He, however, explained that the SPLM’s position on the post-referendum arrangements is to discuss these issues separately, but not jointly with the Southern Sudan referendum bill.

(ST)

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