SPLM-DC Condemns closure of its office in Bentiu and the detention of its members in Yei

(31/12/2009, SPLM-DC) Yesterday the SPLM Security forces ordered the office of the SPLM-DC in Bentiu, Unity State in Southern Sudan, closed and ordered all the officials of the SPLM-DC to leave the office so that it is locked up.

Today, 30th December 2009, the offices of the SPLM-DC in Bentiu remained still shut by the orders of the SPLM security organs.

Meanwhile today also in Central Equatoria security forces were used by the SPLM to storm a meeting of the SPLM-DC which was debating candidates’ nominations in Yei town in a meeting hall. The meeting was being chaired by Shallah Aggrey, the SPLM-DC state secretary for Central Equatoria. While Shallah escaped by a side door SPL M security organs detained 11 members of the SPLM-DC who had come to the meeting to agree on our candidates nominations for Yei County. Despite many calls from our offices to some GoSS officials in the state our members are still under detention tonight at the local security organs premises. Our people had been told that the SPLM security organs are accusing our members of trying to buy voters or voter registration cards, which of course are false naked lies since the SPLM-DC members have no money to offer anybody except the talk of democracy and change where people come in great numbers to hear the talks of freedom, justice and equality for all and how our party can deal a blow to corruption for good. The SPLM instead of engaging in democracy then resorts to using GoSS resources such as security forces and the SPLA to intimidate others contrary to Sudan Elections Law which prohibits having armed factions or using security forces to intimidate others. The SPLM leadership seems to be very much afraid of democracy and freedom for all political parties that they can resort to security forces to deny the right of the Southern Sudanese people to choose freely people and parties which can govern them and take them to referendum via a stable and progressive government.

The SPLM-DC Secretary General condemns such anti democratic activities practices and intimidations by the SPLM leadership. These arrests are premeditated and is being orchestrated in order to try to kill the aspiration of the people of Southern Sudan for freedom and democracy as SPLM sees everyday hundreds of masses pouring towards SPLM-DC meetings in order to embrace CHANGE which have the capacity to fight corruption and bring security, justice and equality to the people of Southern Sudan. SPLM actions undermine the Interim constitution and undermine also the CPA as the essence of the CPA was complete democratic transformation in the Sudan. The SPLM–DC Secretary General therefore calls on SPLM leadership to renounce intimidation and embrace democracy and
Respect for the fundamental right s of the Souderton Sudanese people to live in a free democratic society.

The Secretary General is further calling on SPLM leaders in Juba to behave like statesmen and hence distance themselves from dictatorship and embrace tolerance towards all the regional and national parties which wants to participate in the April 2010 Elections and presenting alternative programmes for a better institutionalized government for the people of Southern Sudan. The first step of good will by the SPLM leadership towards free and fair elections should be the opening of our closed offices and the freeing of all those detained on political grounds.

Eng. Charles B. Kisanga
Secretary General
SPLM-DC
E-mail: cbkisanga@yahoo. co.uk