An interactive USSP public meeting was held in
London last Saturday, 19th Jan, with members of the South Sudanese community resident in the
UK. A number of participants travelled from various locations outside
London. USSP's leader, Clement Mbugoniwia, read a speech (
listen to short clip) followed by a panel discussion comprising a group of USSP party officials.
In his speech
, Mr Mbugoniwia reiterated the importance and need to form USSP as the only political party that is genuinely articulating the aspirations of the people of South Sudan for an independent sovereign state. (The Party was formed in 2005 in the UK by concerned South Sudanese and in 2006 was fully registered as a political party in Sudan.) He quoted the late SPLM/A leader Dr John Garang de Mabior’s statement that “the SPLM/A is fighting for the liberation of the whole Sudan. Those who want to fight for the South let them fight and when they reach Kosti [North/South border] they may stop there while the rest of you continue with me to liberate the whole Sudan.” Mr Mbugoniwia said that both USSP and the South Sudanese people have now reached that point, and have decided to organise themselves in order to fight for the independence of South Sudan in the 2011 referendum. He pointed out that USSP continues to receive overwhelming support across South Sudan from grassroots supporters and other civil society groups in the country.
Given that both parties to the CPA (the SPLM and the NCP) have agreed to make the unity of Sudan “the priority of the Parties” and have further agreed to “Design and implement the Peace Agreement so as to make the unity of the Sudan an attractive option especially to the people of South Sudan” (CPA Chapter I Part A: “Agreed Principles” Article 1.1 and Article 1.5.5), USSP believes that any call for an independent South Sudan by the SPLM will undermine its commitment to the CPA as well as its ideology of a “New Sudan”. The claim for making unity attractive as the only option, therefore, does not justify the cause of the long wars that have claimed over 2.5 million lives in more than two decades. USSP thinks that focusing on the one option of making unity attractive, without focusing on the other option of independence, will not address the aspirations of the people of South Sudan who have suffered for so long under a united Sudan. Given that Sudan has failed as a country to live in peace since its independent from Great Britain in 1956, USSP does not see how a united Sudan will bring about permanent peace. Therefore, the concept of a united Sudan is a fallacy, and a waste of time and resources. It does not bring about long-lasting peace but a cycle of violence and destruction. USSP will, therefore, recommend to all the united people of South Sudan the option of an independent state in the 2011 referendum as stipulated in the CPA. USSP’s message is that all South Sudanese people, political organisations, civil societies, groups, and individuals, must not be complacent and think that referendum equals separation or referendum will come easily on a golden plate. A lot of collective work needs to be done to achieve independence.
As a party, USSP has set the following goals:
1. The security of all citizens and residents and the rule of law are the number one priority.
2. Basic needs for all citizens such as food, clean drinking water, health and affordable housing in order to bring about tangible development.
3. Education that will reflect the needs of South Sudan in the 21st century.
4. Eradication of all forms of regionalism, tribalism, nepotism, corruption and the misuse of power through stringent legislation.
5. Involvement of more women in public affairs and development. Women in our society form the majority of our population; they are the mother of our nation. Giving women a mere 25% share in government and public office is not enough. Women must have equal rights in South Sudanese society as all other human beings.
6. Independence of South Sudan as the ultimate goal and the only alternative to stop the cycle of war and violence that have bedevilled South Sudan for decades.
7. South Sudan’s foreign policy towards its neighbouring states will be to maintain peace and harmony among nations, including North Sudan.
8. The recognition of and the paying of tribute to those generations who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of South Sudan and those whose faces and names may never be known. We owe them the duty to lead our beloved South Sudan into a new era of freedom and independence.
The following is an excerpt from among the many questions and comments raised by members of the audience:
Question: “South Sudan’s interim constitution and its role in South Sudan’s cooperation with neighbouring states, the AU, etc.” USSP reiterated its foreign policy of ensuring good neighbourliness and the approach of using peaceful means to resolve of any conflicts, within the context of the existing Interim Constitution of South Sudan.
Comment: “The SPLM/A have all along preached about good ethics and values but have clearly fallen short, and have not practised what they preached, by permitting the malpractices of tribalism, nepotism and corruption to pervade South Sudanese society. The SPLM-led government may not be in power forever, so USSP needs to put pressure on the SPLM to rid itself and South Sudan of such malpractices.” USSP maintained the position of “power belonging to the people” and reminded the participants that before the 1972 Addis Ababa Agreement South Sudanese were a united people across all parts of South Sudan. Tribalism, nepotism and corruption have only been aggravated in the recent past by successive regimes. All South Sudanese people have the power to fight the malpractices of regionalism, tribalism, nepotism and corruption, and bring about unity and progress into their lives.
