An Open letter to: President Barack Obama

President Barack Obama

The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW ,

Washington DC , 20500

USA

29^th May 2009

Dear Mr President,

Re: Egyptian interference in the internal affairs of the Sudan

United South Sudan Party (USSP) is a South Sudanese political party formed after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005, between the Government of Sudan (GOS) and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), which marked the end of a long civil war in which millions of people lost their lives.

Considering the importance of peace and stability in the Sudan , we in USSP are writing to you to express our deepest concern about what we see as a gross interference by Egypt in the internal affairs of the Sudan .  We are aware that you are soon going to Egypt to talk about the relationship between the United States of America and the Western World on one hand, the Muslim and Arab World on the other.  In this regard, we would like to draw your attention to the fact that the people   of South Sudan who are indigenous black Africans and not Arabs. Nevertheless, the successive Khartoum-based Arab governments have always and wrongly portrayed the whole Sudan as an Arab country.

By coincidence, your visit to Egypt has come at a crucial time when momentous changes are taking place in the Sudan .  For example, the CPA which has brought peace to the country is in danger of unravelling because its key provisions have not been implemented as they should have been. In this connection, the demarcation of the border between North and South Sudan , which should have been implemented within three months of the signing of the CPA, has not been implemented. Also, census has not been conducted honestly. In consequence, the results of the census have not been accepted by South Sudan . Besides, elections which should have taken place this year have been postponed twice and there is no possibility of them ever taking place. Even the Abyei Protocol and Road Map have not been honoured. Mr President, all the above will affect the possibility of carrying out the referendum in the year 2011, in accordance with the timescale as stipulated by the CPA.

The ordinary populace of South Sudan believe strongly that such delays in implementing the CPA are a deliberate plan by those elements who are opposed to the self determination to South Sudan and are determined to frustrate the efforts for peace and stability in Sudan .  Furthermore, insecurity has escalated to unprecedented levels which, we also believe, is part of the deliberate design and sabotage by the opponents of the interests of South Sudan . These enemies of South Sudan independence want to use the insecurity they themselves create to claim that, South Sudan is not ready to govern itself. This already bad and dangerous situation is compounded by foreign interference such as Egypt 's. Sudan Tribune of 24^th May 09, quotes Egyptian Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Mr. Hossan Zaki, issuing out a strong statement in Cairo saying, the Egyptian government would "Stand firmly against views calling for the partition of Sudan ".

That Egyptian position has totally disregarded the CPA, an agreement between Sudanese themselves to solve their long-standing problems in a democratic way.  This agreement was supported by, among others, the United States of America and the international community. By going against this Sudanese agreement, Egypt is undermining the sovereignty of the Sudan .  This attitude and consequent action from Egypt will undoubtedly destabilise the Sudan further instead of consolidating peace.

To prevent the situation in South Sudan from reverting to war, we in USSP make the following recommendations:

1. We request the United States of America , the United Kingdom and Norway (TROIKA), the sponsors of the CPA, to urge Egypt not to interfere in the internal affairs of the Sudan , and to stop Egypt from trying to destabilise the Sudan .
2. We also request the TROIKA to honour their commitment to the CPA by ensuring that nobody derails the CPA.
3. The Government of Sudan needs to be taken to task to honour its responsibility and commitment to the CPA by ensuring that there is absolute security in the Sudan , especially South Sudan which is currently experiencing increasing levels of insecurity and violence.
4. The Government of Sudan and the SPLM need to be reminded about their obligation to ensure that the democratic transformation stipulated in the CPA come to fruition within the timescale agreed.

In conclusion, Mr President, it is worth mentioning that we understand Egypt 's concerns about the Nile, but Egypt can rest assured that it has nothing to fear from an independent sovereign South Sudan . This is because South Sudan will seek relationship with Egypt based on mutual respect for one another instead of the current continuous treatment of South Sudanese as slaves. The Sudan is no longer a ‘province' of Egypt . Therefore, Egypt has no justifiable reason whatsoever to undermine the CPA, and the aspirations of the people of South Sudan .

Thank you Mr President.

Yours sincerely

Clement J Mbugoniwia

Leader

United South Sudan Party(USSP)

Copy to:

• Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State, Washington DC , USA
• His Excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit, First Vice President of the Republic of Sudan and President of the Government of South Sudan, Juba .