THE MODERN SOUTHERN FRONT (MSF)

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

                                                           Date: 26/2/2007

The Masses of the Sudanese People,

We salute you as the country enjoys the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) which brought the war to an end and transformed the country into a new era of political and social stability.

The masses of our people,

You may have read today in "El-Sudani" newspaper that our organization, the MSF, belongs to Dr Lam Akol and that it had obstructed the activities of the SPLM in Upper Nile State. We would here like to clarify the following:

First, the MSF is an independent student organization active in the universities and institutes of higher learning. It was founded in El-Nilein University on 17/2/2001 on the basis of a political programme that addresses the Southern Sudanese students to impress on them the importance of the struggle by peaceful means in order to advance the cause of the South especially the exercise of the Southerners of their right to self-determination under international supervision and monitoring so as to make a choice between unity or separation. Therefore, the MSF is a students' organization and not a political party as some would like to suggest. There is a clear difference between a party and a students' organization, for a party seeks to assume power in contradistinction to a students' organization which does not have membership beyond the campuses.

Second, MSF has no relation to Dr Lam Akol, the Minister of Foreign Affairs because the Minister of Foreign Affairs is a member of the SPLM (a unionist organization) whereas the MSF is an independent students' organization whose leadership comes from students within Universities and calls for the separation of Southern Sudan through the exercise of the right of self-determination as per the CPA. In other words, the SPLM and the MSF are different schools of thought (unity vs. separation).

Third, the MSF supports its activities through members' subscriptions and fees. It is not supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as some claimed.

Fourth, as to the allegation that the MSF has obstructed the activities of the SPLM in Upper Nile State , such a claim has no relation to reality. It is inconceivable that a students' organization in the campus which is not part of the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) nor that of the State can obstruct the work of a big political party such as the SPLM. As we all know, the SPLM forms a sizeable part of the Government of National Unity and the biggest in GOSS. The MSF is not opposed to the SPLM. On the contrary, it considers the strength of the SPLM as the strength of the MSF. In other words, if the SPLM successfully implements the CPA, the interim period will ultimately lead to the ballot boxes, which is the objective of the MSF and the Southerners at large. We call upon the SPLM to solve its own problems and should not drag the good name of the MSF into its internal squabbles.

Fifth, the MSF welcomes dialogue with the SPLM to acquaint the latter with the organization, its activities, constitution, political programme, sources of finance, etc.

Finally, the MSF appeals to the two partners to implement the remaining aspects of the CPA, especially the Abyei and Security Arrangement protocols, and drawing the North-South boundary.

The Central Committee of the MSF.