Letter to Vice President of GOSS

(24/07/2009, SPLM-DC)

H.E. Dr Riek Machar Teny
Vice President,
The Government of Southern Sudan.

Subject: Freedom of Political Activity in Southern Sudan

Reference to your letter No GOSS/VPO/J/OVP dated 29/4/2009 addressed to all the Governors in Southern Sudan instructing them to respect the freedom of political activities for all the political parties in Southern Sudan as provided for in The Interim Constitution of the Republic of the Sudan 2005, The Interim Constitution of Southern Sudan 2005 and the Political Parties Act 2007.

Attached is a copy of a Provisional Certificate in the name of the SPLM-DC issued by the Chairman of the Political Parties Affairs Council to all concerned for it to operate freely in preparation for holding the National Delegates Congress which is a requirement for issuing the final registration certificate. Some Governors, such as the Acting Governor of Upper Nile State, are defying this Provisional Certificate and are denying the SPLM-DC party the freedom to operate in their States. The claim they make is that they have to get directives from the Government of Southern Sudan and not directly from Khartoum!

This behaviour is clearly an obvious violation of article 40 of The Interim Constitution of the Republic of the Sudan 2005, article 29 of The Interim Constitution of Southern Sudan 2005 and articles 10(1)(a) and 12(1) of the Political Parties Act 2007, and in contravention of your Excellency’s directives referred to above. In view of these facts, we would like your Excellency to direct the Governors to respect the freedom of the SPLM-DC to operate as a political party in preparation for its National Delegates Congress in accordance with the Certificate issued by the Chairman of the Political Parties Affairs Council.

Please, accept the assurances of my highest consideration.

Charles Kisanga,
Deputy Chairman,
SPLM-DC.

Attachment: Provisional Certificate of Registration.