South Sudan to decide on Interim Constitution

<p>South Sudan’s Legislative Assembly is preparing to adopt an interim constitution ahead of independence from Sudan on 9 July. The Transitional document, which was endorsed by the South Sudanese Cabinet a week ago, strengthens the powers of the president during the transition period which is limited to four years. According to the paper, the president, the constitution grants the president the power to dissolve an elected state parliament and fire an elected state governor if situation necessitates during the transition period. He can also declare war and state of emergency without necessarily consulting with the South Sudan parliament. It also provides for inclusion of the contested oil-producing region of Abyei as part of Southern Sudan. Sudan’s President Omar Hassan al-Bashirr has threatened to withdraw his recognition of South Sudan independence if the region unilaterally annexes Abyei. Southern Sudan voted in a referendum in January 2011 to secede from the rest of Sudan under the terms of a 2005 Peace Agreement ending the Sudanese Civil War. See the <a title="South Sudan parliament convenes extraordinary sitting to discuss transitional constitution" href="http://www.sudantribune.com/South-Sudan-parliament-convenes,38816">Sudan Tribune</a> for more on this story.</p><p>
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