Annexation of Upper Nile to Sudan versus Presidency: Which one will President Salva Kiir forgo?
3 min readBy David Aoloch Bion
Yesterday on 27 , October 2014 , at 8pm on the BBC Focus on Africa , the two spokespersons of the warring parties in South Sudan crisis announced , they disagreed on the powers of Prime Minister . Salva Kiir spokesman Ateny Wek says ‘’we offer the non-executive Prime Minister to rebels ’’while Riek Machar spokesman James Dak says ‘’ we reject non-executive Prime Minister ‘’
Last week the rebel SPLM/A In O leadership met in Nairobi and passed two resolution 1 ,Dr Riek must be executive Prime Minister of South Sudan , if this is impossible , then 2 . Greater Upper Nile must be annexed to Sudan .
On Friday ,24 , October , 2014, Taban Deng Gai went to Khartuom to ask Sudan to help them implement the two resolutions , he was there to plan , how Sudan will aid Riek to be executive Prime Minster or how Greater Upper Nile will be annexed to Sudan . Taban mission to Sudan was an anticipation of the unintended outcome of the peace talk which actually announced yesterday by Ateny and Dak.
Sudan had responded positively to Taban by giving unspecific number of tanks, mounted vehicles to SPLM/A in Opposition . These tanks and mounted vehicles are now stationed both in Pan Akuach near Heglig and Joda near Kosti at border . They are on standby .
As it was agreed by SPLM/A O leadership in Narobi that if Salva Kiir does not give up executive powers to Riek in Addis Abba on 27 October ,2014 , the SPLM/A In Opposition with help of Sudan will liberate Greater Upper Nile and Dr Riek will establish the Government like government of Somaliland in Somalia ( in 1991 when Somalia became chaotic , the people of Somaliland region declared themselves Independent from rest of Somalia ).. this what SPLM/A O is up to now . After Riek declared himself the President of Upper Nile he will call for referendum to determine whether Greater Upper Nile will remain as the part of South Sudan or it will be annexed back to Sudan .
Indeed, yesterday, President Kiir refused to give Riek executive powers , which was the first resolution of Nairobi meeting of the rebels to resolve the conflict. Therefore it is the annexation of Greater Upper Nile to the Sudan which was the second resolution of Nairobi meeting . indeed , yesterday rebels tanks on standby moved in to Unity .
And the liberation of Greater Upper Nile started yesterday when the rebels attacked Bentiu., after the liberation of Upper Nile , referendum will be called by Dr Riek
Definitely, given the so-called Juba Massacre and the refusal of Salva Kiir to give Riek presidency, the people of Greater Upper Nile will vote to join Sudan temporarily.
Upper Nile will temporarily join Sudan until South Sudan given up claim over it. Then it will become the country of its own, it will first be annexed to Sudan for protection. And then later it will be declared a independent country of it owns.
The rebels will be aided by Sudan ,this is why the rebels recently call for the withdrawal of Ugandan troops, if Uganda troops do not withdraw, it will justify the involvement of the Sudan army alongside the rebels forces.
It is now up to President Kiir to choose between the two alternatives , losing Greater Upper Nile or losing the presidency. Hopefully , he will lose the presidency and keep the territorial integrity and sovereignty of South Sudan by declaring the two presidential term limits . He should publicly declare ‘’ I , president Kiir ,declare that the President of South Sudan will rule for two terms . I started in 2011 and am stepping down in 2020 . And all South Sudanese will defense the country from annexation forces.
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