Speech of Uncle James Ogilo

SPEECH DELIVERED IN ST. PUAL; IN MINNESOTA ON THE OCCASION OF THE CELEBRATION OF THE 25^TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 16 TH MAY 1983 REVOLT BY THE SOUTHERN SUDAN MILITARY GARRISON NO.105 AT BOR

BY: James Ogilo Agor

Please allow me to first of all salute the fallen gallant SPLA soldiers who lost their precious lives during the 22 years war of liberation of our motherland, in particular our beloved leader Dr. John Garang DeMabior. May I also congratulate all the Sudanese people on saying farewell to arms and hence signing the CPA in 2005. It is my pleasure on this occasion to give my unreserved opinion on what the future of South Sudan should look like in 2011 during and after the referendum.

THE 2011 REFERENDUM IN SOUTH SUDNA

Ladies and Gentleman

The post independence successive Northern Sudanese controlled government of the Republic of Sudan , have always asked the question, "What do Southern people want?" In an attempt to find the true aspirations of the Southern people, the Transitional Government of Prime Minister, Sir El Khatim EL Khalifa, which came into office after the fall of the military regime of General Ibrahim Aboud in October 21^st Revolution 1964, convened a round Table Conference in Khartoum March 1965. Both the North and the South were each represented by 18 delegates. The South was represented by two political parties, Sudan African National Union (SANU) and Southern Front, each with nine delegates. The position of the Southern Front Party as presented by the leader of the delegation, Late Gordon Matout, was self-determination for the South in a referendum to be held in South Sudan . SANU delegation got divided. The President of the party, Late Aggrey Jadin, presented to the conference a paper calling for separation of the South from north Sudan . The Secretary General of the SANU Party, Late William Deng Nihial, presented a paper calling for Federation for South Sudan . Those were the three positions of the Southern political parties in 1965.

I do not need to trace the history of the political development thereafter until the signing of the CPA in 2005. Now that the CPA has guaranteed Self-determination for the South in a referendum to be held in South Sudan in 2011, the question still comes back, "What do the Southern people want?"

Mr. Chairman

Ladies and Gentlemen:

In order to answer this question in 2011, we must first find out whether or not South Sudan can stand on it's on own feet as a sovereign independent state. For me, the answer is yes. In terms of human resources, the South is well prepared compared to other African countries which gained their independence from the European colonial powers in the 1960s. We have well qualified professionals, experienced and skill labor personnel scattered around the globe. The GoSS will be well advised to promptly launch a program of resettling the Southern people, instead of leaving them each to choose for himself/herself. Late Dr. John Garang De Mabior was on record, saying the SPLM government would take towns to the people and not the other way around.

In the economic field, the picture is quite bright. In a book entitled, "The Sudan Geography," a British author asked the question, how rich is the South Sudan ?" He concluded that the South was the poorest region in the Sudan which could only survive through dependence on North Sudan . The facts on the ground today have proved the author wrong. The oil, agriculture, forestry, fish, the so called gum Arabic, wildlife, cattle, gold, cement, white wash and so no and so on, are products to be proud of. The institutions of a viable state are well developed in South Sudan . We have parliament's executives and judiciaries in the Southern Region capital Juba and in the ten states of the South.

Regarding security, the South has a strong army of its own, the SPLA and the criminal justice and law enforcement agencies, the police, prisons, wildlife and fire brigade forces. They only need traning in order to transform them from war lord tendencies to a disciplined and professional army and criminal justice and law and order enforcement agencies.

In the field of political development, the South has well organized political parties capable to undertake the socio-economic and cultural development of our motherland. Since there are no ideological differences among the Southern political parties, I do not see ant reason why they cannot merge together at this crucial time in our history. It is disappointing that up to now no single political party has come out to openly propagate independence for the South.

Mr. Chairman

Ladies and Gentlemen:

However, despite this bright picture of a possible complete sovereign independent country called South Sudan , there are a lot of hurdles and impediments to be cleared before 2011. It is abundantly clear from the writings, conversations and speeches from a large number of Southerners and others that the GoSS and the governments of the ten states of the South are not faring well. There are accusations of corruption, mismanagement and misuse of funds and government property; lack of transparency and accountability etc. There are also talks of government inability to curb land disputes, tribal and clan fighting's cattle raiding and so on.

Further more, in the field of government activities such as education, health, sanitation, food security, housing and infrastructure; it seems clear that little is being done. Schools and hospital remain in bad shape. Well to do individuals send their children to schools in East Africa . Mortality rate from infectious diseases remain high, contaminated drinking water is also reported. Food is being imported from East Africa at high prices. Government salaries are higher compared to salaries of the Central government in the North. Oil money is wasted in medical treatment abroad.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

By high lighting this gloomy state of affairs in South Sudan, I do not mean to deter you to the point of thinking that if left alone, the South would experience chaos and anarchy or become another Congo or Somalia in the region. No, not at all. It is better to live anarchy than to remain in subservient in one's own country. If the government of the day is incapable of lifting the yoke from our shoulders, the World will not come to an end.

Governments come and go, but the land and the people remain until such time a strong and capable group comes to rescue the situation. Who knows, a complete sovereign independent prosperous and well developed democratic South Sudan may be just around the corner.

Mr. Chairman,

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Under these circumstances, it is highly hoped that the SPLM political party, which now seems to be the defacto political party of the South, should come out with a clear and well studies program for rehabilitation and resettlement of the Southern Internal Displaced Persons (IDPS) and those like us who have taken refuge outside the Sudan . As mentioned else where above, Late Dr. John Garang De Mabior was on record saying that the SPLM government would send towns to the people and not people to the towns. This brilliant policy must be adopted at once if the SPLM mean to serve the people and not themselves. It is erroneous to assume that the Southern people will each know how to vote according to their aspirations in the referendum in 2011. It is the job of the politicians to inform and educate the Southern masses the way to vote in 2011. Alternatively, if the SPLM remains keeping aloof or is thinking of ruling a united Sudan , as it seems to be now, another southern political party must of necessity immediately emerge to elbow them out and prepare the ground for an independent South Sudan . In this connection and preparation for the coming general elections, the Southern people should look to the party that clearly spells out independence of the South in its program of action. There should not be a hesitation, the South has "burnt its boats" and must say farewell to one united Sudan .

Long live the free Southern People

Long live the Independent South Sudan

Forward ever-backward never

Thank you

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Comments (1)

• 24-05-2009 17:41:18 |Unregistered| AKOLDIT AYOMMADINGTHUN WEKDIT

  Iam so grateful indeed,to see our land being liberated from islamist(NIF)in which they may never get chance again,even what's happened.iam proud to see the black man AS the first vice president for the first time in the history of Sudan,and also to the government of southern Sudan in which we are ruling ourself alone even if some people don't like it but its happen either the like or not,,,while Southern Sudan is going to be an independence state alone.also i would like to thank our late chairman and commander in chief of the army Dr.John Garang and all our hero with out them we could not achieve the CPA..my advice is to all SPLM/A members and commanders to keep united and to foreget about division of groups and clan because we are still facing alots of difficauties even if some politician were been playing NCP policy than let them do what they like,,,they will never succeed we will just tell them that we are struggling for our motherland,the blessed land
  long live SPLA/M LONG LIVE THE STRUGGLE OF SOUTHERN SUDAN

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