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SPLM Accused of Lacking Transparency in Oil Wealth Accounting

   Peter Clottey 27 December 2010
   Sudan President Omar al-Bashir

   IN SEARCH OF A VENUE When the International Criminal Court asked Kenya
   to  arrest Sudanâs President Omar al-Bashir as he arrived for a summit
   meeting  of  the  seven  East African nations of the Intergovernmental
   Authority  on  Development  in Nairobi, summit organizers talked about
   moving  meeting  to discuss a political solution for troubled Sudan to
   Addis  Ababa, Ethiopia, which is not an ICC signatory. Instead, the AU
   opted for postponement of the meeting. AP photo.

   A senior member of Sudanâs governing National Congress Party (NCP) has
   accused  the  Sudan  Peopleâs Liberation Movement (SPLM) of failing to
   transparently  account  for  its share of funds from the countryâs oil
   wealth, as called for in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement CPA).

   Rabie  Abdelati  Obeid  told VOA the government of the semi-autonomous
   south  Sudan  has  violated  the  provisions of the CPA by refusing to
   account  for  its share of the oil wealth, despite repeated appeals by
   President Omar Hassan al-Bashirâs government to do so.

   âAccording  to  the  protocol  of  distribution  of (oil) revenue, the
   government  (in  Khartoum) already fulfilled the provision and granted
   the  share  to  the  government  of  the  south.  But,  (there was) no
   accountability  and there is not even auditing, and nobody knows where
   the amount of oil (money) went,â said Obeid.

   âThere  is no infrastructure (in the south), no services, and there is
   nothing  made  from  the  revenue  the SPLM got from the government in
   Khartoum,  and  this  is  actually  against  what  the  SPLM committed
   themselves to in the CPA.â

   During  Sudanâs  general  election, opponents of the SPLM in the south
   accused  the semi-autonomous government of failing to use its share of
   the  oil  wealth  to  build  infrastructure,  as well as provide basic
   amenities for the people.

   They  also  accused  the SPLM of graft and failure to properly account
   for  monies  received from President Bashirâs government as stipulated
   in  the  CPA.  Supporters  of  the  SPLM  dismissed the accusations as
   baseless and without merit.

   Obeid   said   his  ruling  party  is  still  committed  to  the  full
   implementation  of  the  CPA,  despite the NCPâs assertions which come
   weeks  before  the  south Sudan referendum on unity with, or secession
   from, Khartoum.

   âThe  SPLM  undermined  and  jeopardized  the  CPA by opening external
   offices and granting visas to foreigners coming to Sudan through Juba.
   And  this is against what is committed by the SPLM in the CPA, as this
   is  not  an activity to be performed by the southern government,â said
   Obeid.

   âBut,  the  NCP  is still committed to all provisions and items of the
   CPA,  and  we  will  actually  respect  the  results of the referendum
   whether  it is unity or secession; but, the SPLM didnât do that. It is
   as  if they only signed the CPA not to respect it, but only to take it
   as only a document or agreement for secession.â

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