S. Sudan parliament summons 3 ministers over oil row with Sudan
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June 10, 2013(JUBA) - South Sudan parliament on Monday summoned three
cabinet ministers over the oil dispute with the government of
neighbouring Sudan, following an order issued by its president Omer
al-Bashir to halt the flow of crude oil through its territory to the
international markets.
JPEG - 31.5 kb
South Sudanese members of parliament take the oath in the capital Juba
on August 6, 2011 (Getty)
Bashir’s announcement came amid accusations the new nation is
supporting rebels from the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) fighting
to topple the government in Khartoum.
In a heated parliamentary debate, some critical legislators and senior
members of the governing Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM)
demanded the government to recall its ambassador to Sudan and expel
the Sudanese ambassador from the country, describing Khartoum as an
aggressive country determined to undermine independence at all costs.
“We are not independent if [we] continue to rely on the oil exports
through Sudan which is the pipeline as a tool to impose economic war
on us. We must leave Sudan if it does not recognise the need to
promote bilateral relations between the two countries”, said Charles
Majak, a member of parliament from Twic county in Warrap state.
Majak said it was high time the country diversify the economy by
focusing on mobilising its resources and energies on agricultural
projects and building roads instead of relying solely on oil.
The government’s chief whip, Atem Garang de Kuek, said Sudan should
have shown more gratitude to the new nation for providing financial
assistance to the already established country.
“Sudan should have been the country which should be showing
seriousness not just in promoting better relations with us and in the
implementation of the cooperation [agreement] because it is the one of
the countries which enjoys immense economic benefits from the oil
proceeds but that we are the first African country to provide a huge
financial assistance to close their budgetary deficit. We have done
what no country in African can do. We are proving three billion
dollars assistance to Sudan yet it is still not seeing us as good
neighbour. I do not know what they want”, Garang said.
Peter Bashir Gbandi, a former controller of the house and a senior
member of the SPLM, has also called on the country to pay attention to
diversifying its economy and developing the agriculture sector.
“We should forget completely about oil revenues. We should diversity
our economy. Our government should look for the alternative source of
revenue instead of relying on the oil which Khartoum uses as
pressuring tool”, he said.
The minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation, Nhial
Deng Nhial, minister of cabinet affairs Deng Alor Kuol and the
minister in the office of the president, Emmanuel Lomoro Lowila, were
all called to appear before the house on Tuesday.
The Sudanese government on Sunday qualified comments by Bashir
ordering the suspension of oil flows from South Sudan, saying that the
latter can rectify the situation and avert the shutdown by withdrawing
its alleged support to the rebel alliance, Sudan Revolutionary Front
(SRF), within the next 60 days.
(ST)
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