Juba Declaration on Dialogue and National Consensus

Juba Declaration on Dialogue and National Consensus
Juba, September 30, 2009
The SPLM, under the leadership of Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit, invited
all Sudanese political parties, civil society organizations, national
personalities and media to national dialogue in Juba on September 26 –
30. The SPLM also invited representatives from the diplomatic corps in
Juba and Khartoum as well as international organizations that are
concerned about the situation as observers. Most political parties
positively responded to the SPLM call and converged in Juba, except
few.
The All Political Party Conference (APPC) set up Leadership Committee
comprising the leaders of political parties and general assembly
encompassing all delegates. The APPC constituted Sudanese people’s
parliament where delegated conducted free, open dialogue in a
transparent democratic environment. The Leadership Committee met on
September 26 to adopt the APPC’s agenda and draw up the rules
governing its proceedings. The general assembly met the following day
and discussed the views of 28 political parties and 5 civil society
organizations, in addition to an address delivered by the delegation
of the Peoples’ Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ) of Eritrea. On
the third day, the APPC set up 5 working committees to discuss key
national issues, namely implementation of all peace agreements,
democratic transformation, economic situation, national reconciliation
and healing in addition to foreign policy. Inspired by spirit of
nationalism, the meeting exhaustively deliberated on the agenda and
resolved as follows:
1- DIALOGUE AND NATIONAL CONSENSUS
The process of forging of national consensus requires open dialogue
without conditions or exclusion of any party. The APPC in Juba is the
first such process since the signing of all peace agreements,
particularly the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). There is a need
to continue this free democratic dialogue among all national forces,
civil society and women organizations. Hence, the conference renews
invitation to the National Congress Party (NCP) and all those who did
not participate in this national endeavor, especially at a time when
our country is in dire need of such dialogue under the current
national crisis.
2- NATIONAL RECONCILIATION
The APPC recognizes the historic grievances of individuals and groups
across the Sudan, particularly in southern Sudan and Darfur since
independence. Hence, it is important to document these injustices,
recognize them and apologize for them as a prelude to true national
reconciliation. The conference recommends that the presidency of the
republic forms a Truth and Reconciliation Committee to investigate all
violations and atrocities against the rights of groups and individuals
since independence; and take appropriate measures in response to these
grievances and rights either by legal proceedings or material and
moral compensation to bring about forgiveness and reconciliation and
healing of wounds. Achieving this objective demands implementation of
all the provisions of the CPA, which have not yet been implemented,
especially those related to democratic transformation. The national
reconciliation also requires giving marginalized areas throughout
Sudan priority in allocation of development projects. The institution
of the presidency shall in this area benefit from other experiences,
especially in Africa.
3 – PEACE AGREEMENTS
1) Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA)
1. Stress the full implementation of CPA as central to sustainable
peace and confidence building between the North and South Sudan. In
this regard, the APPC resolves to:
i. Exercise of referendum on self-determination as stipulated in the
CPA and Interim National Constitution (INC);
ii. Enactment of Referendum Bill during the prorogation of the current
National Assembly, with simple majority vote (%50) as the basis for
maintaining unity or opting for separation and providing for all
Southern Sudanese to take part in the process; and
iii. Demarcation of the North-South borders before the holding of the
general elections.
2. Bringing all laws in consonance with the INC, 2005
3. Holding Popular Consultation in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile
States after the conduct of credible population census to ensure the
elected Legislatures truly expresses the will of their people in the
two States.
4. Adherence to the award of Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) on
Abyei boundary demarcation and call for its implementation in such as
manner as to guarantee
2) Darfur conflict
1. Ensure that negotiation is the best and just mechanism for the
resolution of the Darfur conflict and appeal to all protagonists to
desist from military escalation of the conflict.
2. Affirmation of the legitimate rights of the people of Darfur, particularly:
a) Share of the region in power and civil service at the national
level according to its demographic size.
b) Share of the region in the national wealth in accordance to
objective criteria, particularly population ration, principle of
compensatory positive discrimination.
c) Individual and group compensation for material and moral damages.
d) One region.
e) Affirm the traditional tribal land ownership (hawaqir) and
restitution of land grabbed during war to the rightful owners and
ensure proper utilization of land for the benefit of all the people in
the region.
3. Affirm zero tolerance to impunity from prosecution and ensure that
those who have committed war crimes are brought to book before
independent judiciary.
4. Immediate cease-fire to create to create conducive atmosphere for
delivery of humanitarian assistance and return of internally displaced
persons and refugees to their villages.
5. Call upon t he international community to properly the UNAMID to
carry out its mandate of protecting civilians.
6. Resolution of Darfur conflict before the upcoming general elections
to allow for the participation of the people of Darfur in the
elections.
7. Disarmament of the Janjaweed and tribal militias.
8. Full implementation of all the provisions of the Abuja Peace Agreement.
9. Holding of the Darfur-Darfur dialogue conference with the
participation of all stakeholders and to sort out internal Darfur
relations and repair the social fabric destroyed by the civil war. The
conference shall be held under agreed Declaration of Principles (DOPs)
, resulting in a comprehensive agreement that shall be nationally
endorsed by an all-party conference.
3) Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement
i. Commitment to the full implementation of the Agreement and lifting
of state of emergency.
ii. To fill in and compliment the shortcomings of the Agreement to
ensure that grievances of the Eastern Sudan people are addressed.
iii. Resolution of Halayb and Fashqa with the concerned neighboring
countries to protect the interest and territorial integrity of the
Sudan.
4) Cairo Peace Agreement
Expedite the implementation of all provisions of Cairo peace agreement
particularly those linked to the democratic transformation, economic
reforms and redress of the unfairly dismissed employees on political
grounds.
4- DEMOCRATIC TRANSFORMATION
i. Upholding of basic freedoms as stipulated in the Basic Human Rights
Charter which has been incorporated in INC.
ii. Amendment of all laws related to freedoms and democratic
transformation and bringing them in consonance with the INC, namely
the National Security Law, Criminal Procedures Law, Trade Unions Law,
Immunities Law, Personal Status Law, Press and Publications Law,
Public Order Laws.
iii. Amendment of the above laws within a period not exceeding
November 30, 2009 as conditional to the participation of all the
political parties participating at the APPC in the upcoming general
elections.
iv. The 5thPopulation Census results are contested and until there is
agreement on the same, the power-sharing percentages in the CPA shall
be adopted.
v. Conduct of free and fair elections under the right conditions, notably:
a) Bringing of laws restricting freedoms in consonance with the INC as
stated above.
b) Resolution of t he Darfur conflict.
c) Demarcation of North-South border.
d) Agreement on an acceptable formula for addressing the flaws and
irregularities of population census results.
e) Fair access to state media by all under the supervision of the NEC
to ensure equal opportunities for all parties.
5- ECONMIC AND SOCIAL SITUATION
After decades of totalitarian rule and inconsistent economic
liberalization policies and structural weaknesses in the economy since
independence, the Sudanese economy is currently undergoing deep crises
as reflected in the deterioration of the agricultural, pastoral and
industrial production. The situation was further worsened by the full
dependency on oil that has seen a sharp decline in prices on
international market plunging the country in economic deficit and dire
living conditions. This has taken a toll on the most disadvantaged
class of the society in particular, making the shift to a new
direction in the economic all the more imperative. This aims to
address the root causes of the economic crisis and the cutting of
public expenditure, especially in areas of security, defense,
taxation, particularly that relating to agriculture and animal
production. There is also need to reinstate those arbitrarily
dismissed employees and civil servants as stipulated in the INC , in
addition to the implementation of the constitutional provisions
protecting civil servants against arbitrary dismissals. There is also
a need to down size the institutions of government at all levels and
to undertake development initiatives with the consent of the people
and to their interest, particularly in relation to the construction of
dams. The APPC calls for the immediate implementation of a project to
connect the North and South through means of transportation, notably
river and land transport and railways to strengthen relations and
promote interests of the people throughout the country. The APPC
further calls for the holding of a national economic conference to
address the root causes of the economic crisis.
6- FOREIGN POLICY
Adherence to foreign policy directives as stipulated in the CPA and
INC and pursuit of foreign policy predicated on serving mutual
interests and respect for good neighborliness to further national
interest, inter alia: i) Respect for international conventions.
ii) Diffuse of tentions with neighboring countries to promote regional security.
iii) Moblize international support for the reconstruction of
war-affected areas, especially southern Sudan, the Three Areas, Darfur
and the East.
iv) Promote national economic interest through attracting investments
and ensure that Sudan is eligible to benefit from international and
regional Funds and writing off of its debts.
Constructive partnership with the international community to address
the problems facing our country in a way that would not subject the
national interest to foreign designs.