Salva Kiir Calls for Referendum Bill

The First Vice President of the Republic of Sudan and President of the Government of Southern Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit has urged both Southern Sudan and national lawmakers to expedite the passing of the Southern Sudan Referendum Act.

He made the remarks during the opening of a joint meeting yesterday between the Khartoum-based Council of States, which membership comprises two members from each of the Sudan's 25 states, and the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly in Juba.

The two-day meeting is the first of its kind since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) during which the lawmakers are expected to discuss working relations between the two Houses in the context of implementing the CPA.

Unlike the National Assembly, the Council of States is uniquely mandated by the Interim National Constitution to meet at any time, or in any place in Sudan that it may choose.

Mr Kiir, who is also the SPLM Chairperson, told the lawmakers that the issue of referendum "is extremely important for the people of Southern Sudan and Abyei. As much as we may aspire to make the unity of Sudan an attractive option to the people of Southern Sudan, it is also a constitutional obligation that the referendum is held by January 2011 as per the provisions of the INC and the CPA," he stressed. On the forthcoming general election in the country, the SPLM Chairperson said the elections must be free, fair and transparent.

"We must have good elections, rather than bad elections that will produce nothing but hatred, divisions and loss of innocent lives as recently witnessed in the region," Mr Kiir warned.

Mr Kiir said building a national consensus on the expected census results is one of the most pressing issues in the implementation of the CPA.

"Despite the fact that Southern Sudan has raised genuine concerns over the conduct of the population census, we need to ensure that the awaited results of the population census have adequately reflected these concerns so that such results are accepted by all," he stated. (Suna)