The Alliance of South Sudan Political Parties

The Alliance of South Sudan Political Parties followed with great concern the events taking place on the preparations for the referendum on self-determination for the people of South Sudan, particularly the voters registration phase, which began on the 15th of this month.

This phase was marred by disinformation, rumours and threats by some quarters that intend to hinder this process of great national importance.

We in the Alliance firmly believe that self-determination is a right acquired by the citizens of South Sudan and endorsed by all Sudanese parties and the current government, starting in Frankfurt in 1992 through the Asmara Conference in 1995 and ending with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005. Therefore, the referendum is a basic requirement of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and is a democratic process agreed upon by all the Sudanese political forces. We are therefore very concerned about what is now being fostered by some of these quarters.

The Southern Citizen - wherever he is- is the owner of the right to vote in this referendum, and has full freedom to exercise this right without threat or inducement. We have received many complaints from our Southern compatriots in the north, especially in Khartoum State that these quarters were threatening and inciting them not to register, while in return, other quarters intimidate them that if fail to register stern measures will be taken against them. This is the situation of our citizens today. They are caught between the deep blue sea and the hard rock!

And also on the other hand, some of the media became active in a disinformation campaign to mislead the public by putting words into the mouths of some leaders of this Alliance. We are fully confident that the Southern citizen is capable of distinguishing between good and evil and knows what to do. These misguided detractors will reap nothing at the end.

The Alliance has called for a long time now for the need to create a conducive atmosphere for holding a free, fair and transparent so that the referendum process is conducted in peace and tranquillity. We hope that the authorities will respond to this sincere national appeal for the interest of the process itself, the citizen and the country.

We call upon the government to ensure full protection of the citizens from the South from these threats and intimidation so that they go about their normal life and exercise their constitutional rights without interference or hindrance from any one.

We have the following advice to our citizens. Registration is the first and most essential step in the exercise of your right to self-determination, because anybody who fails to register cannot cast his vote in the referendum later. Who among you does not want to be part of this history in the making? Therefore you must insist to exercise your right in full. We call upon you to expose to the authorities all those who threaten you and intimidate you so that legal measures are taken against them by state organs.

The people of South Sudan have waited for long for this historic moment, and therefore nobody whatsoever is entitled to withdraw this right from them. Regardless of the position of each of us on the unity of Sudan or separation of the South, we must all take part in the registration and voting so that the outcome is recognized internationally as a genuine expression of the desire of the sons and daughters of South Sudan on this matter of destiny.