South Sudan holdout rebel leader advocates options over number of states

[Elisabeth Janaina]

South Sudan holdout rebel leader advocates options over number of states

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October 14, 2016 (JUBA) - A leader of an armed factions who did not
join the 2015 peace agreement, is advocating two solutions to end
disputes resulting from a unilateral presidential decree expanding the
number of administrative units to 28 states from the constitutionally
recognised 10 states .

JPEG - 12.5 kb
Gabriel Changson Chang (ST)

South Sudan’s former Youth and Sports Minister Gabriel Changson Chang,
now a Chairman and Commander in Chief of the Federal Democratic Party,
proposed two options to resolving land disputes between communities
resulting from the contested presidential order.

President Salva Kiir, on 2 October 2015, issued presidential order
dissolving state government and legislatures and expanded the number
of states from a previously constitutionally recognised 10 state to 28
states in violation of the peace agreement which recognises 10 states.

"This presidential order created land disputes between communities and
made it impossible to enshrine the agreement into the current
transitional constitution”, said Changson, according to a proposal
extended to Sudan Tribune.

The proposal, which is dated on 16 September, advocates freezing the
presidential order creating 28 states and revert to 10 states as the
first option or creating 36 states as the last option to address land
disputes. The proposal, however, fell short of how it would address
concerns that the presidential decree itself divided some communities
and annexed their lands to others.

It also did not address economic and political issues as many are
concerned with how a large local government structure could
economically be sustainable and socially cohesive amid declining
resources.

The proposal divides the Upper Nile State into five states and leave
Malakal town with a municipality status. It does not mention under
which state it would fall if given municipality status. It further
divides the Unity State into four separate states and leave Abiemnom
with the status of municipality, without clarifying under which state
it would fall.

Jonglei state, according to the proposal, should be divided into six
separate states. It spilt Eastern Equatoria into two states and gives
Raja County the status of a state separate from Wau and counties in
Aweil to which it has been annexed, according to the presidential
order. The proposal, however, did not split Tonj, Western and Eastern
Lakes, Gok, Terekeka, Gbudue, Yei, Jubek, Aweil and Aweil East states
into new more states.

All the opposition groups have rejected the creation of 28 states but
agree on the need to review the 10 states. In the peace agreement it
was agreed to discuss the matter and to reach a consensus to be
endorsed in the new constitution.

(ST)

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Kind regards,

The Sudan Tribune editorial team.

14 October 23:39, by Naath

Changeson Chang,

You are totally foolish and visionless person. You are so hopeless
I can see now you are calling your movement party. If it is party,
then go to Juba and stay there. A party cannot stay exile.