23 December 2008
Fellow South Sudanese,
On behalf of United South Sudan Party (USSP), it gives me pleasure to wish you a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous and peaceful New Year. This is the fourth Christmas of peace time after almost 22 years of brutal direct and indirect violence—violence that has claimed more than 2.5 million lives of our fellow citizens. These fallen brothers and sisters died in the name of the struggle for freedom, justice and opportunity for all.
Yet, four years into the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), most of our people have still not experienced peace or its dividend. Violence has continued to rule in some areas due to the availability of lawless armed groups that operate . . . (download PDF for more . . .)
The Party for INDEPENDENCE · FREEDOM · JUSTICE · EQUALITY for the citizens of South Sudan
Wednesday, 24 December 2008
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
BBC Interview 26-Nov-2008: USSP Leader Highlights Major Obstacles to Elections
BBC’s Network Africa held an interview with USSP’s Leader Clement Mbugoniwia in their London studios which was aired Wednesday morning, 26 November 2008. The demarcation of the North-South border and the release of census results featured as key elements for the success of the proposed elections in 2009. Asked if he was optimistic if elections would still take place, Mr Mbugoniwia highlighted a number of key issues to consider before the elections:
Listen to a clip of the interview 26-Nov-2008... © BBC Network Africa.
- Census. There's no specific population number for South Sudan. Khartoum claims that the South has 3 million people, whereas before the war the South’s population was 8 million. Malthus's Theory of Population even posits that any population happens to almost double every couple of decades or so, suggesting that South Sudan’s population should by now be ca. 16 million, even despite the ravages of war, given that human reproduction does not cease. The sheer inaccessibility of most areas of the South, coupled with the lack of facilities and logistics, has led to about 70% of the population not being counted.
- Insecurity is another major obstacle to conducting the elections. There is so much arms in the hands of lawless bandits such as the LRA and the Janjaweed, who masquerade in the guise of the so-called "Ambororo" frequently terrorising citizens, especially women and children, in areas such as Western Equatoria State.
- There are delays with regard to the formation of the Electoral Commission and the enactment of the Electoral Laws.
- Much of the South is inaccessible due to lack of proper roads. Mr Mbugoniwia cited an example where he spent five days to cover a distance of only 59 miles in Tambura County in Western Equatoria State.
(Photo: Mr Mbugoniwia in blue t-shirt with shovel)
Listen to a clip of the interview 26-Nov-2008... © BBC Network Africa.
Download USSP Leader's speech...
19 November 2008
Greetings and thank you all for your time and warm reception!
By way of introduction, my name is Clement Juma Mbugoniwia. I hail from Tambura County in Western Equatoria State. Like many South Sudanese, I am one of the victims of the last twenty two years of civil war that has claimed the lives of more than 3 million fellow citizens in South Sudan. As a result of the war, I took refuge in exile where I have continued with other fellow South Sudanese to play our part in the liberation struggle for the freedom of our nation. I am a lawyer by profession.
I wish to take this opportunity to thank every one of you here for having come to participate in this political rally on the eve of my first visit to Malakal. It is a pleasure for me to be here with you this evening. I am aware of the fact that the people of Greater Malakal are politically conscious. They rejected and resisted the invasion of foreign aggression more than a century ago in the form of the Nuer uprising for freedom, the Shilluk resistance and the role of the Mac which is equally acknowledged. Therefore, I am not here to propose anything new but to assert the importance and necessity of continuing with the struggle for an independent sovereign state as the only viable alternative to sustainable peace, prosperity and the maintenance of our national identity as a people. I am here to confirm that freedom requires sacrifice. The sacrifice that is demanded of us all is not greater or less than the sacrifice that millions of our fellow brothers and sisters have made throughout generations, sometimes with their own blood, land and resources, and I thank each one of those men and women for that.
United South Sudan Party was formed in 2005 out of the need to work for the vision of an independent South Sudan — a South Sudan that is based on true democratic principles, the rule of law and respect for human rights and civil liberties; a South Sudan where tribalism, nepotism and favouritism have no place; a South Sudan that provides opportunities for all regardless of their background; a South Sudan that does not tolerate corruption and the abuse of power; a South Sudan that is inclusive of its diversity; and a South Sudan where discrimination on the basis of tribe is made a criminal offence punishable by law.
As a party, we in USSP believe that the aspiration of the people of South Sudan for an independent homeland comes first before any other vision or policy. The fact that Sudan has been at war with itself for several decades justifies that Sudan has never been one nor will it afford to be one at any given time. Even the British who ruled Sudan before the 1956 independence acknowledged that South Sudan was a different nation and, thus, they introduced what was then known as the ‘Closed District Act’ to administer the South separately. Historically, the Sudan was not an Arab country, as claimed by the minority Arab rulers in Khartoum, but a land of the blacks who inhabited the Sudan. The fact that Sudan has now become referred to as an Arab country without the consent of the majority black Africans justifies the reasons for the protracted wars and the destruction. Now, whether we like it or not, we are technically Arabs as Sudan is officially an Arab country. Unless the South accepts the status quo as third class citizens, war will continue to haunt the people of South Sudan. It is a war that is imposed on the South because of its identity and land. In other words, the North is committed to its policy of Arabisation and Islamisation of Africa, and South Sudan is a gateway. It is for this reason that Khartoum has never honoured any agreement that seems to give the South some recognition as an entity, nor will it respect the CPA which even calls for making unity attractive.
Brothers and sisters, we have been at war even before the creation of “Sudanisation” and have wasted many lives. So, why do we insist on something that does not work and has caused us millions of lives and suffering? How long do we want to suffer? USSP believes that there is an opportunity to get out of the bondage of domination, and so I urge the people of Malakal to support the vision of an independent South Sudan as the only viable option for permanent peace. South Sudan cannot afford another civil war. So, I argue that if there is another war imposed on the South from Khartoum, let it be a war between two nation states.
We have no doubt that the CPA is an important contribution made since 1956 in an attempt to solve the problems facing Sudan to help build what is called the “New Sudan”, a New Sudan that is indeed a united Sudan. The question is why is Khartoum not implementing some key provisions of the CPA?
As you already know, the CPA represents a vision of self-determination which in itself is neither separation nor unity, but what is clear is that the CPA presents a vision of continued unity and, thus, it places emphasis on making unity attractive. It does not resolve the crucial issue of identity and so, technically, we are all Arabs. To me our main problem is not power sharing or wealth sharing. The main problem is our national identity that is being assimilated and the gradual occupation of our land. Power sharing and wealth sharing is secondary and so we must not misrepresent our case. We are not fighting just for power sharing and wealth but we are fighting to maintain our very existence as a nation. That is why USSP stands for the total independence of South Sudan. The delays in the demarcation of borders, the issue of census and the important question of ethnicity and religion were deliberately omitted to justify the claim that Sudan is an Arab country. If South Sudan chooses to ignore the history of how Sudan has become an Arab country, then the South has reason to be surprised as to why all the successive peace agreements between the South and the North have been abrogated and that the CPA may also follow suit.
The CPA creates institutions to accommodate more South Sudanese. As far as the northern elites are concerned, the problem of South Sudan is relegated to power and money. Do we really need all those huge institutions with so many constitutional post holders? No wonder the annual budget of South Sudan consumes 80% for wages and salaries. How many constitutional post holders do we need at this early stage? We are spending too much money to pay for wages and for people who are not doing the jobs that they are being paid to do. It is not only the question of over-employment of unclassified staff but we need to reconsider the number of constitutional post holders we have in South Sudan under the CPA. How much does it cost the average South Sudanese?
USSP believes that a small but efficient government is what is needed at this time so that government is able to save more money for frontline basic services such as health, schools, roads and bridges, clean drinking water, sanitation, food security, security of the person, etc. The Government of Southern Sudan must develop measures that ensure good governance, transparency and accountability so that the little money we get is spent for the public good. These are priorities USSP would like to see being taken care of by our GOSS.
There are also other important issues such as census, demarcation of borders and preparations for the forthcoming elections. Security is a major threat as we have foreign fighters operating in our territories with impunity. The government has full responsibility for the predatory attacks on our people and therefore the security of people living under its control must be taken seriously. We urge the full implementation of the CPA in order to sustain peace and stability before the elections. Brothers and sisters, we all have a duty towards our country to ensure that we get what we want in the forthcoming elections and the referendum in 2011.
Thank you very much for listening.
Clement Juma Mbugoniwia
Leader, United South Sudan Party
Speech by USSP Leader, Clement Juma Mbugoniwia
at a Political Rally in Malakal, the State Capital of Upper Nile State, During an Official Visit to the State
at a Political Rally in Malakal, the State Capital of Upper Nile State, During an Official Visit to the State
Greetings and thank you all for your time and warm reception!
By way of introduction, my name is Clement Juma Mbugoniwia. I hail from Tambura County in Western Equatoria State. Like many South Sudanese, I am one of the victims of the last twenty two years of civil war that has claimed the lives of more than 3 million fellow citizens in South Sudan. As a result of the war, I took refuge in exile where I have continued with other fellow South Sudanese to play our part in the liberation struggle for the freedom of our nation. I am a lawyer by profession.
I wish to take this opportunity to thank every one of you here for having come to participate in this political rally on the eve of my first visit to Malakal. It is a pleasure for me to be here with you this evening. I am aware of the fact that the people of Greater Malakal are politically conscious. They rejected and resisted the invasion of foreign aggression more than a century ago in the form of the Nuer uprising for freedom, the Shilluk resistance and the role of the Mac which is equally acknowledged. Therefore, I am not here to propose anything new but to assert the importance and necessity of continuing with the struggle for an independent sovereign state as the only viable alternative to sustainable peace, prosperity and the maintenance of our national identity as a people. I am here to confirm that freedom requires sacrifice. The sacrifice that is demanded of us all is not greater or less than the sacrifice that millions of our fellow brothers and sisters have made throughout generations, sometimes with their own blood, land and resources, and I thank each one of those men and women for that.
United South Sudan Party was formed in 2005 out of the need to work for the vision of an independent South Sudan — a South Sudan that is based on true democratic principles, the rule of law and respect for human rights and civil liberties; a South Sudan where tribalism, nepotism and favouritism have no place; a South Sudan that provides opportunities for all regardless of their background; a South Sudan that does not tolerate corruption and the abuse of power; a South Sudan that is inclusive of its diversity; and a South Sudan where discrimination on the basis of tribe is made a criminal offence punishable by law.
As a party, we in USSP believe that the aspiration of the people of South Sudan for an independent homeland comes first before any other vision or policy. The fact that Sudan has been at war with itself for several decades justifies that Sudan has never been one nor will it afford to be one at any given time. Even the British who ruled Sudan before the 1956 independence acknowledged that South Sudan was a different nation and, thus, they introduced what was then known as the ‘Closed District Act’ to administer the South separately. Historically, the Sudan was not an Arab country, as claimed by the minority Arab rulers in Khartoum, but a land of the blacks who inhabited the Sudan. The fact that Sudan has now become referred to as an Arab country without the consent of the majority black Africans justifies the reasons for the protracted wars and the destruction. Now, whether we like it or not, we are technically Arabs as Sudan is officially an Arab country. Unless the South accepts the status quo as third class citizens, war will continue to haunt the people of South Sudan. It is a war that is imposed on the South because of its identity and land. In other words, the North is committed to its policy of Arabisation and Islamisation of Africa, and South Sudan is a gateway. It is for this reason that Khartoum has never honoured any agreement that seems to give the South some recognition as an entity, nor will it respect the CPA which even calls for making unity attractive.
Brothers and sisters, we have been at war even before the creation of “Sudanisation” and have wasted many lives. So, why do we insist on something that does not work and has caused us millions of lives and suffering? How long do we want to suffer? USSP believes that there is an opportunity to get out of the bondage of domination, and so I urge the people of Malakal to support the vision of an independent South Sudan as the only viable option for permanent peace. South Sudan cannot afford another civil war. So, I argue that if there is another war imposed on the South from Khartoum, let it be a war between two nation states.
We have no doubt that the CPA is an important contribution made since 1956 in an attempt to solve the problems facing Sudan to help build what is called the “New Sudan”, a New Sudan that is indeed a united Sudan. The question is why is Khartoum not implementing some key provisions of the CPA?
As you already know, the CPA represents a vision of self-determination which in itself is neither separation nor unity, but what is clear is that the CPA presents a vision of continued unity and, thus, it places emphasis on making unity attractive. It does not resolve the crucial issue of identity and so, technically, we are all Arabs. To me our main problem is not power sharing or wealth sharing. The main problem is our national identity that is being assimilated and the gradual occupation of our land. Power sharing and wealth sharing is secondary and so we must not misrepresent our case. We are not fighting just for power sharing and wealth but we are fighting to maintain our very existence as a nation. That is why USSP stands for the total independence of South Sudan. The delays in the demarcation of borders, the issue of census and the important question of ethnicity and religion were deliberately omitted to justify the claim that Sudan is an Arab country. If South Sudan chooses to ignore the history of how Sudan has become an Arab country, then the South has reason to be surprised as to why all the successive peace agreements between the South and the North have been abrogated and that the CPA may also follow suit.
The CPA creates institutions to accommodate more South Sudanese. As far as the northern elites are concerned, the problem of South Sudan is relegated to power and money. Do we really need all those huge institutions with so many constitutional post holders? No wonder the annual budget of South Sudan consumes 80% for wages and salaries. How many constitutional post holders do we need at this early stage? We are spending too much money to pay for wages and for people who are not doing the jobs that they are being paid to do. It is not only the question of over-employment of unclassified staff but we need to reconsider the number of constitutional post holders we have in South Sudan under the CPA. How much does it cost the average South Sudanese?
USSP believes that a small but efficient government is what is needed at this time so that government is able to save more money for frontline basic services such as health, schools, roads and bridges, clean drinking water, sanitation, food security, security of the person, etc. The Government of Southern Sudan must develop measures that ensure good governance, transparency and accountability so that the little money we get is spent for the public good. These are priorities USSP would like to see being taken care of by our GOSS.
There are also other important issues such as census, demarcation of borders and preparations for the forthcoming elections. Security is a major threat as we have foreign fighters operating in our territories with impunity. The government has full responsibility for the predatory attacks on our people and therefore the security of people living under its control must be taken seriously. We urge the full implementation of the CPA in order to sustain peace and stability before the elections. Brothers and sisters, we all have a duty towards our country to ensure that we get what we want in the forthcoming elections and the referendum in 2011.
Thank you very much for listening.
Clement Juma Mbugoniwia
Leader, United South Sudan Party
Saturday, 6 December 2008
USSP Position on the South-South Dialogue Held in Juba 8—13 November 2008
Download position paper...
24 November 2008
The formation of the so-called “Leadership Forum” in South Sudan is a death warrant to the opposition parties.
The South-South Dialogue between the SPLM and the Alliance of Southern Sudanese Political Parties was held in November in Juba, the capital of the semi-autonomous South Sudan, where many problems were highlighted and proposed solutions put forward by the participants. While some of the resolutions of the Dialogue may be acceptable, it must be stressed that not all the resolutions can be swallowed without questioning their bitter taste—not least the resolution to form the so-called “Leadership Forum”, to be chaired by SPLM with the membership of all the other South Sudanese political parties.
USSP believe that any inter-party co-operation should not be at the expense of maintaining a strong opposition for the sake of fostering and exercising democracy in the South's new-born government. There is no doubt that it is healthy for all the political parties operating in South Sudan to come together from time to time—as an entity—to discuss major challenges to the national interests of South Sudan, and, indeed, more South-South dialogues are needed to consolidate a common stand on common issues. Given the importance of South Sudanese political formations coming together to discuss matters of common concern, it is important to note that future South-South dialogues should not be confined to political parties alone but should also include other stakeholders such as chiefs, religious leaders and those directly or indirectly affected by the acts of war in South Sudan. This will help to solidify the unity of the South Sudanese people towards common goals. With the latest political developments which have resulted from the South-South Dialogue, we are all left in a lot of political concern as all the South Sudanese political parties are now opting to join the SPLM directly or indirectly by joining the SPLM-led Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS), mostly for personal and financial gains, thus compromising their supposed opposition role.
The idea of a “Leadership Forum” consisting of all South Sudanese political parties aimed to follow up the resolutions of the South-South Dialogue is not in itself a bad idea, provided that the chairmanship of the Forum rotates among all the other political parties so as to ensure good intent and transparency. The fact that the SPLM as a ruling party in South Sudan will now chair the “Leadership Forum” to the exclusion of other political parties indicates that the SPLM has issued a death warrant to the opposition parties and is thereby intent to drag South Sudan into a totalitarian system of governance where opposition does not exist. USSP believe that such a move is not healthy for a speedy democratic transformation in South Sudan. Politics in a democratic setting is an exercise of competition, just like the sport of football or basketball or any other sport where there is competition between two or more teams, even though all of the participants may strongly believe in the overall maintenance and promotion of the sport itself. This is indeed true of politics where political parties compete based on their programmes and still believe in maintaining good political practices, the provision of quality services to the citizens, as well as observing their national interests and welfare. You cannot promote sports if you have only one team. Whatsoever activities the team may get engaged in will only amount to no more than routine training, and without any real outside tournaments, this team will remain unchallenged and will become carried away with a false sense of perfection, only to be realised when the spectators and the fans start boycotting the team and the sport because of boredom and lack of creativity.
The current policies of the NCP and the SPLM to swallow within their ranks all the other political parties are really unhealthy. This can be considered typical of African politics where multi-party systems are usually not tolerated by those in power. African leaders easily become little gods, because we the masses allow them to become such little gods. Sadly, we also breed the most opportunistic opposition leaders in the world who are easily wavered by the ruling parties in return for posts, money, or other personal favours. The present government of South Sudan headed by President Salva Kiir Mayardit has time and time again come under attack from the other political parties and the South Sudanese citizens for its poor performance, but now as these political parties have joined hands with the SPLM and the GOSS, then obviously their role as active opposition has been compromised if not completely eroded. At this juncture, it would be perfectly understandable to rule out any opposition to the many malpractices of the GOSS and the South Sudanese citizens would have been let down by the Alliance of South Sudanese Political Parties (ASSPP) once their leaderships join the proposed “Leadership Forum” to be chaired by SPLM.
Clement Juma Mbugoniwia
Leader, United South Sudan Party
The formation of the so-called “Leadership Forum” in South Sudan is a death warrant to the opposition parties.
The South-South Dialogue between the SPLM and the Alliance of Southern Sudanese Political Parties was held in November in Juba, the capital of the semi-autonomous South Sudan, where many problems were highlighted and proposed solutions put forward by the participants. While some of the resolutions of the Dialogue may be acceptable, it must be stressed that not all the resolutions can be swallowed without questioning their bitter taste—not least the resolution to form the so-called “Leadership Forum”, to be chaired by SPLM with the membership of all the other South Sudanese political parties.
USSP believe that any inter-party co-operation should not be at the expense of maintaining a strong opposition for the sake of fostering and exercising democracy in the South's new-born government. There is no doubt that it is healthy for all the political parties operating in South Sudan to come together from time to time—as an entity—to discuss major challenges to the national interests of South Sudan, and, indeed, more South-South dialogues are needed to consolidate a common stand on common issues. Given the importance of South Sudanese political formations coming together to discuss matters of common concern, it is important to note that future South-South dialogues should not be confined to political parties alone but should also include other stakeholders such as chiefs, religious leaders and those directly or indirectly affected by the acts of war in South Sudan. This will help to solidify the unity of the South Sudanese people towards common goals. With the latest political developments which have resulted from the South-South Dialogue, we are all left in a lot of political concern as all the South Sudanese political parties are now opting to join the SPLM directly or indirectly by joining the SPLM-led Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS), mostly for personal and financial gains, thus compromising their supposed opposition role.
The idea of a “Leadership Forum” consisting of all South Sudanese political parties aimed to follow up the resolutions of the South-South Dialogue is not in itself a bad idea, provided that the chairmanship of the Forum rotates among all the other political parties so as to ensure good intent and transparency. The fact that the SPLM as a ruling party in South Sudan will now chair the “Leadership Forum” to the exclusion of other political parties indicates that the SPLM has issued a death warrant to the opposition parties and is thereby intent to drag South Sudan into a totalitarian system of governance where opposition does not exist. USSP believe that such a move is not healthy for a speedy democratic transformation in South Sudan. Politics in a democratic setting is an exercise of competition, just like the sport of football or basketball or any other sport where there is competition between two or more teams, even though all of the participants may strongly believe in the overall maintenance and promotion of the sport itself. This is indeed true of politics where political parties compete based on their programmes and still believe in maintaining good political practices, the provision of quality services to the citizens, as well as observing their national interests and welfare. You cannot promote sports if you have only one team. Whatsoever activities the team may get engaged in will only amount to no more than routine training, and without any real outside tournaments, this team will remain unchallenged and will become carried away with a false sense of perfection, only to be realised when the spectators and the fans start boycotting the team and the sport because of boredom and lack of creativity.
The current policies of the NCP and the SPLM to swallow within their ranks all the other political parties are really unhealthy. This can be considered typical of African politics where multi-party systems are usually not tolerated by those in power. African leaders easily become little gods, because we the masses allow them to become such little gods. Sadly, we also breed the most opportunistic opposition leaders in the world who are easily wavered by the ruling parties in return for posts, money, or other personal favours. The present government of South Sudan headed by President Salva Kiir Mayardit has time and time again come under attack from the other political parties and the South Sudanese citizens for its poor performance, but now as these political parties have joined hands with the SPLM and the GOSS, then obviously their role as active opposition has been compromised if not completely eroded. At this juncture, it would be perfectly understandable to rule out any opposition to the many malpractices of the GOSS and the South Sudanese citizens would have been let down by the Alliance of South Sudanese Political Parties (ASSPP) once their leaderships join the proposed “Leadership Forum” to be chaired by SPLM.
Clement Juma Mbugoniwia
Leader, United South Sudan Party
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