South Sudan leader calls for independence

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2 (UPI) -- The already rocky relationship between Sudan and the semi-autonomous Southern Sudanese government is getting rockier with a call for independence, analysts say.

The South's leader, Salva Kiir, called during the weekend for the region's citizens to vote for independence in an upcoming referendum if they want to be free -- a move members of Sudanese President Hassan al-Bashir's National Congress party say undermines the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, Voice of America reported Monday.

Kiir's call for independence is the right move, Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, the head of the Government of Southern Sudan's mission to the United States, told VOA in Washington.

"The president of Southern Sudan made a very excellent statement in the eyes of the people of Southern Sudan," Gatkuoth said. "That means if you go and vote for the unity of the country you will be even more than the second-class citizen. But I would even add more by saying in Sudan, we are fourth-class citizens we are not even the second."

The official said the call doesn't undermine the peace agreement, because it actually calls for both unity and separation options, and places pressure on the National Congress to make unity more attractive.