--- PRESS CONFERENCE ---USSP for Independent South Sudan

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Date: Tue, 13 November 2007
KHARTOUM, SUDAN


Honourable members of various political parties;
Members of diplomatic corps;
Ladies and gentlemen;
Good afternoon.

In the name of peace, and on behalf of myself and colleagues in the United South Sudan Party (USSP), I warmly welcome you all to this important press conference. Today, USSP salutes the collective efforts of all the Sudanese people who sacrifice their lives for the sake of peace, liberty, respect for human rights and human dignity and justice for all. For those who died in the course of this struggle, may their souls rest in peace?

Today, I am announcing the activities of our party, the United South Sudan Party (USSP), here in Khartoum State. This party was formed in 2005 and was registered here in Khartoum in 2006. USSP believes in permanent peace and therefore supports the complete implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in its entirety. As a party, we aspire for the achievement of an independent South Sudan. A South Sudan that will have good relationships with its neighbours, including the present Sudan, should that become the case; a South Sudan that will be built on democratic principles with respect for the rule of law, human rights and zero tolerance on tribalism, nepotism, corruption, favouritism, regionalism and the abuse of power.

Why does USSP prefer the independence of South Sudan to a united Sudan?

We believe that a united Sudan is unachievable. It is a fallacy. It is a forced idea that does not come naturally. Therefore, it is not workable, a waste of time, human life and resources.

Sudan has failed to be peaceful as a nation. Since independence from Great Britain in 1956, Sudan has experienced no harmony, no peace, but war. Over 2.5 million people have died in South Sudan since independence from Great Britain. No agreement between South Sudan and Northern Sudan has ever worked. There is no evidence that it will ever work in our day. Instead, the misery of the people of South Sudan has continuously increased as a result of trying to force unity between Northern Sudan and South Sudan. USSP believes that democracy will not be justified if the people of South Sudan, who suffer the most from this relationship with the North, are not given the democratic right to choose between independence and unity of Sudan. They are the sufferers, the victims of this forced relationship and deserve the right to choose the direction of their destiny. That is why USSP supports the Naivasha Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) unequivocally.

The simple question to the proponents of a united Sudan is: Why perpetuate the suffering of the people of South Sudan? Doesn't South Sudan deserve to live in peace, comfort, security and prosperity like other countries? All these human aspirations are impossible under a united Sudan. No arrangement will work, whether autonomy or whatever name is given to it; as long as it is within a united Sudan, it will not work. That is a fact as demonstrated by the agreements we have witnessed in our life time, e.g. the Addis Ababa Peace Accord, the Khartoum Peace Agreement, the Fashoda Agreement - even the current CPA is in danger of being abrogated, and the CPA calls on the partners to make the unity of Sudan attractive! Why is it that the provisions of the CPA are not implemented in accordance with the time frame? As a party, we blame the lack of progress on the partners to the CPA (the NCP and the SPLM) as well as the international community that helped to broker this valuable agreement. Enough is enough of war, our country needs peace and that peace is in the CPA. We call upon all peace-loving nations to press for peace in Sudan; a complete implementation of the CPA is badly needed to rescue this opportunity for peace.

The surest way to bring about everlasting peace in Sudan is by having an independent South Sudan. Both the North and the South will benefit from a closer relationship of equals with mutual respect. Both will benefit from trans-national trade co-operation and other meaningful co-operations which will cement the peace achieved. The existing relationship between the North and the South is that of one-sided exploitation and suppression of the freedom of the South by the North. Denial of these fundamental facts will not benefit anybody. It will only perpetuate present problems and compound future ones. An independent South Sudan will, therefore, benefit not only the Sudan itself, but the entire world.

An independent South Sudan should never be feared as a nation that will prevent the world from enjoying its resources. An independent South Sudan will provide opportunities to all friendly countries of the world to participate in its development. So, all peace-loving nations of the world should support the independence of South Sudan without reservation.

I just arrived from Juba a few days ago and have not seen any evidence that the vital things that are needed to provide the dividend of peace to the people of South Sudan exist. This is because the CPA is not being implemented as it is. We call upon the NCP to fulfil their part by implementing the CPA fully so that the SPLM are able to resume their responsibilities. USSP has the vision, ideas, the determination and commitment needed to bring about the necessary change South Sudan needs.

USSP is the only True Alternative.

Thank you so much for listening.

Clement Juma Mbugoniwia
USSP Leader
Khartoum, Sudan
E-mail: clementjuma@tiscali.co.uk
USSP E-mail: usspmail@gmail.com
Blog: ussp-news.blogspot.com