Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


SPLMās Presidential Candidate Says Confident of Election Victory

   The  presidential  candidate of the Sudan Peopleās Liberation Movement
   (SPLM)  in  this  yearās  general  election  said  he  is confident of
   defeating incumbent President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir.

   Peter Clottey | Washington, DC 17 January 2010
   A  Sudanese opposition supporter shouts slogans as protesters wave the
   flag   of   Sudan   People's   Liberation  Movement  (SPLM)  during  a
   demonstration against the government in Khartoum, 07 Dec 2009

Photo: AFP

   A  Sudanese opposition supporter shouts slogans as protesters wave the
   flag   of   Sudan   People's   Liberation  Movement  (SPLM)  during  a
   demonstration against the government in Khartoum, 07 Dec 2009

   The  presidential  candidate of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement
   (SPLM)  in  this  year's  general  election  said  he  is confident of
   defeating incumbent President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir.

   Yassir  Arman  said he is seeking more democratic reforms and a public
   acknowledgement that Darfuris have genuine complaints.

   "We  are  looking  to  put  forward  a  program  that will give a just
   position  to  Darfur. People of Darfur have a just case and we need to
   make a paradigm shift from the old politics of Sudan that destabilizes
   the region and the international community. And to go straight forward
   with  the  policy  that  can  put Sudan in harmony with itself and the
   region and the international community," he said.

   Arman,  who  is  also the head of the SPLM bloc in Sudan's parliament,
   was recently arrested alongside other partisans after participating in
   a protest to demand more democratic reforms.

   He  said  the  election  will be credible despite speculations of vote
   rigging.

   "We  are  hoping for the election to be free and fair and the only way
   to  do  it is to make a massive campaign that depends on people and to
   involve  our  peoples  in  the  urban  (and) rural areas. We should be
   struggling  for  transformation  and democratization. Democracy do not
   come by itself; it needs us to struggle for it," Arman said.

   The  SPLM  said  its  leader, Salva Kiir, would stand for the separate
   position of president of southern Sudan, where the population has been
   promised a referendum on a possible independence or remain part of the
   country.

   Arman said he is advocating for a united Sudan.

   "The only way to bring unity to the country is voluntary unity through
   the  right  of self-determination. We have to make a paradigm shift in
   the policies of Sudan and then that will appeal to the people of South
   Sudan," Arman said.

   He  also  said the full implementation of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace
   Agreement  (CPA)  signed  between  the  North  and  South Sudan to end
   decades of civil war will be his priority.

.