Security assured on South Sudan Independence Day

Security assured on South Sudan Independence Day
By Rebecca Muazu, Abuja

The authorities in South Sudan say security will improve during the declaration of South Sudan independence in July.

The Official Spokesman of the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Army, SPLA, Colonel Philip Aguer, said despite the presence of militias in southern Sudan, the region would undergo its official independence peacefully. He assured citizens of Southern Sudan that the Army was in control of the security across the region.

Recently, Southern Sudan witnessed sporadic attacks by militias in Jonglei and Upper Nile state, but Colonel Aguer said the militias in Jonglei state were paralyzed by the SPLA and no longer active as usual.

Historic visit

Ahead of the event, Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir has made his first visit to Juba, since the referendum of South Sudan to discuss post-referendum talks with his counterpart, Mr. Salva Kiir.

Former South African President, Thabo Mbeki, Chief of the AU panel told newsmen in Juba, that President Bashir’s visit marked the first series of meetings the presidency pledged to hold between Juba and Khartoum to resolve the outstanding issues on time. The talks are spear-headed by the African Union High Level Implementation Panel and were agreed upon last month by the presidency.

Mr. Mbeki said the panel briefed the presidency on progress made on the security issue on post referendum negotiations that took place last week in Ethiopia.

He said that the delegation from North and South Sudan would meet again on the fifteenth of April in Washington to discuss the issue of debts.

Qasim/Ekata