The 5th Anniversary of the Founding of SPLM-DC
Public Statement
The Commemoration of The 5th anniversary of the
Sudan People’s Liberation Movement- Democratic Change (SPLM-DC)
Commemoration of important events is a moment to reflect on the past as a guide to the future and to take stock of achievements and difficulties of the preceding period. This is a similar moment. We have all been leaders of our times as we still struggle to pave way for the generation of our children to come up and replace us. This is a moment for celebration, but we could not do that at this time when the people of South Sudan are mourning their dear ones in this senseless war. Hence, we saw it fit to mark it with this humble press conference. Here we would, once more, continue to alert our masses that your party, The SPLM-DC, is remembering the day of its founding and hence let us together bring this day to our hearts.
To –day as we commemorate the 5th anniversary for launching the founding of SPLM-DC, we are remembering also the history of our struggle. This day 6th June was chosen to mark the day when Major William Nyuon Bany rebelled at Ayod following the rebellion of Kerubino Kuanyin Bol at Bor on 16th May 1983. The importance of this reference to 6th June 1983 is a recognition of the fact that the reinforcement of the forces of Kerubino by William consolidated a successful revolutionary military action on 16thMay 1983 in Bor which is now our national heroic day. And to once more put the facts of history together, we pay our respects to our fallen political heroes in the name of Akuot Atem de Mayen, Joseph Oduho, Samuel Gai Tut and Martin Majier Gai, all of who formed the first Provisional Executive Council of SPLM for which they shed their blood. We are here similarly paying our respect to our heroes and gallant SPLA commanders and men. We here mention members of the Political Military High Command in the name of Dr. John Garang de Mobior, Kerubino Kanyin Bol, William Nyuon Bany, Arok Thon Arok, Nyachugak Nyachiluk, John Kulang Puot, Yusuf Kowa Mekki, and Martin Manyiel Ayuel. May God rest the souls of all our fallen heroes in eternal peace.
Why was the SPLM-DC formed?
The SPLM-DC was formed on 6th June 2009 against the background of SPLM, the ruling party, not working as was expected by the people of south Sudan. The founding members of SPLM-DC therefore saw to it that the SPLM would never change to the positive direction of a democratic party that observes democratic norms from within.We saw the failure of SPLM government to achieve the aspirations of our people for peace, security, justice, service delivery, etc.
In fact, the so called SPLM leaders who have now turned around to shift their failures to their President were the very ones who squandered the cause of our people and betrayed their President who is their party chairman; for no President can fail if his executive succeeds and no Chairman of a political party will fail if he has honest and successful party stalwarts.
What did the SPLM-DC achieve?
Despite all the difficulties we have been experiencing in the last five years, we today as we do always, inform our people of our achievements:
1. In 2009 and immediately after the formation of the party, we played a leading role in the formation of the Alliance of all South Sudan Political Parties. It is this Alliance that worked hard for the calling of a conference of all South Sudan Political Parties conference known as South –South Dialogue in 2010. In this conference, we worked hard for the adoption of the resolutions, which if implemented at the time, we would not have been in the present crisis.
2. Your party, with all the hurdles put on its way, contested the Presidency in the elections of 2010 and we have now members in the National Legislative Assembly with the role of the Minority Leader in the parliament.
3. Your party had and is playing an effective role in the Political Parties Leadership Forum (PPLF) because it is this forum where South Sudan parties can always arrive at consensus on all national issues.
4. Your party had been making outreach to other political parties in Africa and successfully participated in most conferences involving African Parties including all youth conferences that had been attended by your party; examples of these outreach programs include the conference of all African Political parties held in Khartoum, Nairobi (Kenya), Accra (Ghana), Malawi in 2010, and youth conference in Cairo the same year, and this year in South Africa.
5. Your party has positively maintained the principle of co-operation with Government as a positive opposition and with all political parties including SPLM; it is with this spirit that we were represented in the government delegation to the Addis Peace talks and currently our party is represented as one of the main political parties in the peace talks.
6. Your party is successfully joining hands and seeking unity with other political parties as exemplified by the recent merger of SSDF-M with SPLM-DC.
The task ahead
In the coming period, the party will:-
1. Continue to send messages to you, the people of South Sudan, for the need of reforms in the institutions of your government.
2. Constitutionally, we shall still campaign for a federal parliamentary system of governance in South Sudan as enshrined in the draft constitution proposed by our party for the country.
3. Our offices which were closed in other states shall now be opened given the political space the government has accorded us.
4. We shall continue to step up activities in co-operation with the government and all political parties to achieve peace among the people of our country etc.
5. We shall continue to appeal for peaceful resolution of conflicts and fight tribalism in our country.
6. We shall continue to work hard so that the legal and constitutional reforms are effected.
7. This year, our party’s National Delegates’ Congress is due. Our cadres should therefore step up their political work so that the masses of our people participate in big numbers in the grassroots’ conferences.
In conclusion, we urge all our people to play a positive role in strengthening the party, especially now that the ground is open for the party to operate fully. We appeal to you to register your membership. We encourage the party sympathizers to continue supporting us as they have always done.
Last but not least we appeal to you, our people of South Sudan, to recognize the fact that a political party is a national organization which cannot be owned by an individual or tribe. The simplicity that some media outlets refer to SPLM-DC as a Party of Lam Akol is a political mistake that must be advised against; as in the same manner, this party does not belong to Shilluk simply because Dr. Lam, the Chairman of the Party happened to come from Shilluk tribe; instead, we need to thank the Shilluk people for giving us their son who can lead us in the right direction. Let us together fight against tribalism and maitain peacefull co-exsistence among ourselves.
Thank you all
Mark Atem Awol,
Deputy Chairman, SPLM-DC
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