Sudan: National unity for 6yrs

2005-07-06 09:18

Khartoum - Sudan will begin implementing on Saturday a peace deal between the government and former southern rebels that provides for a national unity government for six years, after which the south will vote on whether to remain part of the country or become independent.

During the four first years of the interim period and until general elections are held, the ruling National Congress Party will have 52% of executive posts and legislative seats and the SPLM 28%.

Fourteen out of the remaining 20% will go to northern opposition parties, with the remaining 6% to be split among other southern groups.

President remains, national parliament dissolved

John Garang's of Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) will take up his new vice-presidential post at a ceremony on Saturday and Omar al-Beshir will stay on as president. They will then form a national unity government.

The national parliament will be dissolved and a new interim legislature appointed on the basis of the agreed quotas.

Separately, a local government, parliament and judiciary will be set up in the south with 70% allotted to the SPLM, 15% to the NCP and the balance to other political forces.

Sharia, or Islamic law, will only apply to the Arab-Muslim north as southern Sudan is mainly Christian and animist. The south will have its own separate constitution, though the national interim charter will take precedence.

Power will also be shared in the executive, legislative and judiciary branches at the local level in Sudan's nine states.

Several southern militia commanders still have to sign on to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and will not be represented in the interim institutions.

Such strategic fields as national defence, foreign policy and national economic policy will be the responsibility of the joint government.

In addition, a joint oil commission will be the sole authority to award concessions. Most oil fields lie in the south.

Army to withdraw troops

The SPLM's armed branch - the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) - has between six and 15 months left to withdraw its forces from northern Sudan. The national army has another 24 months to redeploy from southern Sudan.

Joint Integrated Units will be formed from the army and SPLA and deployed in areas of former north-south conflict, in addition to Khartoum.

The JIUs will form the nucleus of the future Sudanese army should the 2011 referendum confirm unity of the country.

Economic and social development of southern Sudan will be the shared responsibility of the national government and the government of southern Sudan.

Monetary policy will be unified and the Bank of Southern Sudan will function as a branch of the Central Bank of Sudan.

Southern Sudan needs billions of dollars to rebuild its infrastructure after 21 years of war and has to grapple with the return of tens of thousands of refugees, poor harvests and the looming threat of famine.

- AFP