U.S. Calls on President Kiir to Release the Detained SPLM Leaders

Good People,

Good News....................!!!

The Message has come in timely and it is refreshing. This shall now open opportunity for dialogue to save an ugly situation in South Sudan.

I am satisfied and I am not worried any more about IGAD when USA has taken a stand to support the interest of the People of South Sudan. I now know that the world is watching and if IGAD (business interest) shall not negotiate to safeguard peoples interest, and if it fails to do what the people want, it stands to be challenged. That is what USA foreign policy stands for……..protecting and preserving Human Rights for people to live a Respectful, Honorable, Dignified, Valuables giving prominence to Virtue for life.

This is just the beginning of good things to come. People of South Sudan and the whole of Africa will put their faith in USA and from now onwards, USA shall not retract from what it stands for People’s Government. That the power of governing is in the people, and the people decides how it wishes to be Governed; that the voices of the majority people is final and the Constitution which is fundamentally formulated, are based on people's needs and interest and that, the Public Mandate, is the foundation of a strong house that shall have been built on a rock that must weather rain and storms with challenges of all forms of social, economic and political standing. That disagreement must follow the pattern of agreement stipulated in the Constitution which as a public mandate statement of facts. The Constitution is the guiding principles that lays firm foundation of how the people must be governed. It is from here the people must put their brains and energy to build the trust of people moving forward.

I am proud of my Country, and I know it will never let my people down. It is the foundation for which it was build. Standing with the disadvantaged poor of Africa, those the world had abandoned to be exterminated and decay is an honour; I am humbled and I obliged.

God is good all the times..........I give thanks to God for the refreshing message that has come at the right time.

Cheers everybody...........!!!

Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com/

U.S. Calls on President Kiir to Release the Detained SPLM Leaders

US Department of State spokesperson Jen Psaki [state.gov]

Washington, DC, January 7, 2014 (SSNA) -- The United States has urged the South Sudanese President Salva kiir Mayardiit to release all detained SPLM senior members.

Kiir accuses the imprisoned officials of an “attempted coup”, a claim widely interpreted in South Sudan as an ‘inside job’ intended to eliminate anyone who defies Kiir’s leadership.

“We do believe that to be meaningful and productive, senior SPLM members currently detained in Juba need to be present for discussions on political issues which are happening in Addis,” State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said.

“To help move these talks forward, we urge the government of South Sudan to uphold its commitments and release political detainees immediately”, she added.

The U.S. sees the apprehended SPLM leaders as “political detainees” not “coup plotters” and wants them to be part of peace talks in Ethiopia. In another development, the European Union (EU) has on Tuesday joined the U.S. and urged Kiir to let go all SPLM officials who are in custody.

Last month, United States Called for “immediate mediated political talks” in South Sudan and urged the warring factions to come to a negotiating table.

Meanwhile, South Sudanese Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth said releasing the arrested officials will send a bad signal.

“There is no way we can be asked to release people who are arrested and charged”, Michael Makuei told reporters.

“Freeing the detainees would set a bad precedent”, he asserted.

Political differences between senior officials of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) party went unresolved in the December 14 meeting of the National Liberation Council (NLC).

In that meeting, the senior leaders of the SPLM who do not agree with Kiir's leadership pulled out of the meeting, labeled the process as "undemocratic", and accused the party Chairman (Kiir) of “dictatorial tendencies”.

Fighting erupted on the 15th of December 2013, in Juba when one unit of the presidential guards was being suspected of an incursion by another group.

The next day (December 16), President Kiir, dressed in full military uniform, declared in a news conference that his political rivals attempted a “coup” and that the plan has been crashed.

At least 1,000 people have been killed and many more are still missing. The United Nations (UN) estimated that more than 200,000 people have been displaced.