S. Sudan: Salva Kiir visits Abyei

From Sudan Radio Service, Friday, 10 July 2009:
Salva Kiir Visits Abyei

(Abyei) – The President of the Government of southern Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, says secession that brings peace is better than unity that returns the country to war.

Addressing a mass rally in Abyei on Thursday, Salva Kiir explained why the people of southern Sudan should be allowed to have a referendum in 2011 in order to determine their destiny.

[Salva Kiir]: “When people hear that southern Sudanese will go for a referendum, some people would say, "No, let them not be allowed to go for referendum because they would vote for secession." This is a wrong concept. Even if southerners live in a united Sudan and the war does not stop, such unity would be useless. Unity will be useful when people live in peace. If the secession of southern Sudan will bring peace in Sudan, it is better that we let them go for referendum and we see what they will do. 

We are ready for unity. When we founded the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in 1983, we said we wanted to fight the government in Khartoum and chase them away so that we could establish a country called the New Sudan of Justice and Equality. 

Southern separatists who were with us escaped from us and attacked us and argued why should southerners go to fight in order to liberate the whole of Sudan? Let us just liberate our southern Sudan and leave it at that. We told them even in northern Sudan there are our people – the Nuba and those of Malik Agar (from Blue Nile State] who spoke here before, the people of Darfur and those in the far north, we would like to tell them that these are all our people. If we cut off southern Sudan, we would have left many of our people out there.”

Salva Kiir urged the Dinka Ngok and the Arab Misseriya to live peacefully in the area and maintain their unity.

He reiterated the commitment of the National Congress Party and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement to implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and he promised that the two partners will to bring peace to Darfur.

Salva Kiir promised to launch an extensive construction and development plan for Abyei.

[Salva Kiir]: “Despite all the destruction that occurred in Abyei, we wish to embark on construction and development in the area. The Unity Support Fund is there and they have already a master plan in order to come to Abyei and start developmental work here. They will provide roads, electricity and running water in the area and after that the office of the administration and the residence of the administration. Then they will renovate the hospital and construct an airport and they will renovate primary and secondary schools. I would like to add that we will build an elementary school in the name of the late Lino Wor Abyei and also there will be a secondary school in the name of Doctor John Garang de Mabior here in Abyei. We will construct the mausoleum of Chief Deng Majok, it should be well constructed so that it is tall so that when people come to the area they will visit it and see that this was the person who founded this area and ruled this area."

Salva Kiir also visited the mausoleum of the late Sheik of the Misseriyas, Babo Nimir, and promised to construct a dome or "guba" on the mausoleum in Muglad.

The GOSS President also donated 100,000 SDP for the construction of the Abyei Chiefs’ Council Hall and 50,000 SDP to the widows and children of the martyrs of the May clashes between the Sudan Armed Forces and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Abyei last year. He also donated 50,000 SDP to war veterans in Abyei.

For further reports, click on Abyei label here below.