A new nation: New nationalism and freedom with empowering peace

July 8th 2011

We congratulate the President of the Republic and Chairman of the National Congress Party (NCP), Field Marshall Omer Hassan El Beshir for his decision to honour, accept the results of the Referendum and to recognize the Independence of South Sudan. We also congratulate, First Vice-President of the Republic, President of the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) and Chairman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), General Salva Kiir Mayardit for guiding and accepting the will of the people of South Sudan. We congratulate the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission and the South Sudan Referendum Bureau for their dedication to the task of organizing a peaceful, fair and credible referendum that has led to this historic event. We congratulate the people of South Sudan for exercising a peaceful, orderly and successful referendum leading to the birth of the New Nation.

We would like to thank our partners throughout the world for their prayer and support as well as the international community for their concern over the plight of the people of South Sudan. We pay tribute to the late Dr John Garang de Mabior, and the fallen heroes and heroines he led, for their contribution leading to the Independence of South Sudan.

As we recall the long and heroic struggle for justice, freedom, equality and dignity, we also contemplate what lies ahead post-independence in terms of peace, development and security which amounts to an enormous task. The 50 years of civil war left over two million people dead and more than three million displaced. Negotiations led to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005, which included provision for a referendum on independence for the Southerners. The referendum was held in January 9th 2011, in which the people of southern Sudan established to the world through a peaceful, fair, free and transparent process that they have opted to secede from the north. This was demonstrated through a landslide victory of 99.57% for an independent South Sudan.

We commend the efforts of the every citizen of this nation, its friends, international community and civil society networks, that made great contributions in advocating for a peaceful transition to independence. These great works are a pointer to the fact that the South Sudanese are determined to be the leaders in the change they believe in. As we continue to advocate for a genuine national healing process and the building of trust and confidence in our society through all inclusive participation, we are constantly determined to be part of the process of laying the foundation for a united, peaceful and prosperous society based on justice, equality, respect for human rights and the rule of law.

We would like to use this opportunity to reinstate our support to government in establishing a decentralized democratic multi-party system of governance in which power shall be peacefully transferred and values of human dignity and equal rights upheld.

We fully appreciate the complexity of South Sudan in ethnic, religious, linguistic, cultural, regional, socio-economical, gender, lifestyle and physical terms. We therefore do not pretend that there is a single South Sudan that would meet the expectation and aspiration of every South Sudanese. We are proud of our own vision for the nation and at the same time respect those of others.

We see the differences in preferences and opinion of how this country should move forward as both inevitable and desirable – inevitable because we are free to choose; and desirable because we have plenty alternatives to consider. Diversity and dissent in public opinion are beautiful signs of real independence.

Political violence which dominated the last two decades in Sudan refers to actions that aim to achieve certain political goals by causing harm to others or subduing them with violence. This must not be confused with legitimate exercise of freedom of speech, assembly and association where violence is not preached, threatened and executed.

More than violation of peace, political violence is exploitation of the marginalized and outnumbered. It deprives the victims of political violence their right to participate in public affairs.

In this regard, peace associated with fear that inhibits us from full participation in public affairs is but pseudo peace. True peace must be empowering and inclusive to allow all South Sudanese to contribute to and enjoy life in the new nation. True peace requires rule of law and protection of human rights.

A range of challenges present themselves within this new nation. Aside from the issues of governance and poor service delivery, the most serious is the seemingly unending internal conflicts. Hence, we call upon every South Sudanese citizen and organization, especially the politicians and political parties, to sign up to the following principles:

1. ZERO TOLERANCE FOR VIOLENCE AS A POLITICAL MEANS AND TO ENSURE THAT ELECTED GOVERNMENTS ARE UPHELD.

We call on all citizens of the Republic of South Sudan to exhibit Zero tolerance for violence as a political means and that elected Governments are upheld. We further urge the new government to use consultation and dialogue as a means of resolving conflicts. Civilized life requires restrain and self-control. Conflicts should be solved through dialogues, deliberation, debates or litigation. There must be zero tolerance for the use, threat or incitement of violence as a political means, regardless of circumstances or subject matters. The threat of political violence is greatest when political elites resort to means other than elections to attain power. Democracy is the only guarantee for political stability and peace. Politicians and political parties must therefore do their best to win elections honestly, not usurping power after elections. Otherwise, democratic breakdown may lead to coups or revolutions.

2. ZERO TOLERANCE TO TRIBALISM, NEPOTISM AND CORRUPTION
We call on South Sudanese people to reject tribalism, nepotism and corruption. The
government and its citizens should put in place policies and laws that discourage their
use.

Tribalism exists in every society and can only be effectively eliminated by reason, not law. Corruption and nepotism are affected by tribalism. Corruption is more than bribery or embezzlement of funds; it includes abuse of power or authority for private gain. The appointment of people to positions based on family or clan or other ties is also corruption; appointments to all positions should be based on merit.

3. PROTECT FREE EXPRESSION AND ASSOCIATION AND PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY

We call on the Republic of South Sudan and all her citizens to demonstrate its commitment to civil and political rights and freedoms. The new government should make a bold step and publicly affirm the government’s commitment to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, including membership in any political party The state which monopolizes the legitimate use of violence should exist only to protect citizens from private violence, not to inflict violence. The state’s coercive power therefore must never be used against peaceful political activities. Instead, the state has the duty to protect political participation. The new nation should also end the arbitrary arrests and detention of journalists, activists, and political opponents to the ruling SPLM. Release detainees or charge them with a recognizable criminal offense. Republic of South Sudan should enact media laws that guarantee freedom of expression and media freedom in accordance with internationally accepted standards. Enact a law that establishes the state controlled media as an independent public broadcast authority.

4. TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND INCLUSIVITY

We call upon the all citizens and the Republic of South Sudan to make a collective responsibility in ensuring that public resources, Revenues from Natural Resources, Aid money. Donations and grants are effectively managed to the benefit of all citizens. We further urge the new government to involve its citizens in all decision it’s making processes.

One of the biggest challenges that faced GOSS in the CPA era was the management of public resources and revenues from natural resources. GoSS was faced with criticism on public expenditure and corruption that led to loss of millions of dollars that would have been used to improve or provide basic services. Further more natural resource-related issues have been significant drivers of conflict and instability in Sudan. Unequal access to the country’s natural resource wealth has frequently been central to the marginalization of Sudan’s peripheral regions. This means that the Republic of South Sudan should put in place robust measures/means to ensure transparency, accountability and an all inclusive process in decision making processes. We call on the Republic of South Sudan to effectively manage foreign Aid monies,donations,grants and revenues accruing from its vast natural resources especially Oil and gas to extend a sustained reliable basic services to its citizens.

5. PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN AND GIRLS

The new government should declare zero tolerance for sexual and gender based
violence and develop a national strategy to address the problem.

We call on the Republic of South Sudan to demonstrate commitment to promoting and protecting the rights of women and girls by publicly declaring zero tolerance for early and forced marriage and develop a national strategy to address the problem. Republic of South Sudan should straight away ratify the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol), and use them as guidance in drafting the new Constitution and other laws to promote gender equality.

The new nation must accelerate programs to educate men, women and children as well as traditional authorities about the legal rights of women and girls under Sudanese and international laws applicable in South Sudan. The Ministry of Gender and Social Affairs should have adequate resources for such promotion and protection activities.

6. VIOLENCE IN ABYEI AND SOUTH KORDOFAN

We ask the parties to the CPA to respect and protect human rights in the two regions. We particularly ask the government of Khartoum to stop the killings, rape and dropping of bombs to the civilian communities in Kordofan. We call on the two parties to stick to the Addis Ababa Accord.

We call upon the two peace partners, the NCP and SPLM, and other parties to expeditiously work on the pending issues notably the issue of Abyei, the North-South border, and to bring the popular consultations in Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan States to their logical conclusions. But even while we await the process, the citizens in these two regions have a right to life and access to all necessary basic services that both parties must guarantee.

Other pending issues that need to be agreed upon include the issue of citizenship, Sudan’s foreign debt, and oil.

Thank you and we wish all citizens a happy and Peaceful Independence Day.

Signed On Date; _____________8th July 2011_________________

Sudan Democratic Election and Monitoring Program
Institute for Promotion of Civil Society
South Sudan Law Society
South Sudan Human Rights Society for Advocacy
Equatoria Relief and Development Association
National NGO Forum
Skills for South Sudan
Agency for Independent Media
Sudan Catholic Bishops Conference
Bakhita Radio
Southern Sudan Action Network on Small Arms
Sudanese Network for Democratic Elections (SUNDE)
Episcopal Church of Sudan
South Sudan Action Network on Small Arms
New Sudanese Indigenous Organization-Network