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July 29, 2013 (JUBA) - South Sudan president Salva Kiir Mayardit on Monday accused the government of neigbouring Sudan of attempting to instigate collapse of his administration through Khartoum’s threats to block the landlocked country’s oil exports to international markets.

“They are threatening to block flow of the oil through their territory. It has become a weapon and a strategy they think would instigate collapse. They are doing it deliberately thinking we will collapse. We will not collapse. How long have we been running this government without oil revenues and we are still surviving”, Kiir asked.

South Sudan stopped exporting its crude through Sudan, its only available route in January last year over a transit fee dispute. Production only resumed again in April this year, meaning that Kiir’s government has had to implement severe austerity measures after loosing 98% of its income.

President Kiir was speaking at the Red Army Foundation, an organisation formed by minors who joined the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM). The former rebels fought the government of Sudan from 1983 until 2005 when its leadership signed the landmark Comprehensive Peace Agreement to end decades of conflict.

The speech was Kiir’s first official function since he dismissed his long time deputy, Riek Machar and dissolved his entire cabinet last week. The president said that his new cabinet will be based on the people’s will as this would be the only way his party could reward the public for their support during struggle for independence.

“I want to assure you that the new cabinet will reflect the will of our people. We want to reward them with provision of services. We want to build schools, hospitals, roads, clean water and all the other basic necessities”, Kiir said.

Kiir, a former rebel commander turned politician, became the Republic of South Sudan’s first president when the region seceded from Sudan in 2011. Over the last two years the two sides have been unable to address a host of controversial post-secession issues and almost returned to all out conflict in April last year in fighting over a key contested oil-rich area.

Khartoum had set a deadline on August 7 for Juba to prove it was not backing its civil war colleagues from the northern Sudanese border states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile. Having been warned that the time frame was too short by oil companies operating the pipelines the deadline was recently extended to August 22.

"I have told our people time and again that I will never return them to war whatsoever. This stance has not changed and will never change. We will always seek dialogue to resolve differences with Sudan. This is the message I want to spread to those who think we will fight", Kiir said.

GIRLS EDUCATION

Now adults, most of the members of the Red Army trekked from different parts of the South to the borders with neigbouring, where rebels had opened military training for new recruits. Many were below 18-years-old when they engaged in combat.

The foundation, formed in 2011, seeks to trace and bring together those who were resettled in western countries in the 1990s and the years leading to the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005.

Kiir said the purpose for which the groups were put in the camps instead of allowing them engage in combat was for them to be future leaders and to further the national agenda.

“The idea was to allow you grow so that you become adult and become future leaders now so that you carry on with the national agenda. Now I want you to support the girl child education campaign. I cannot do it alone. It needs all of us to put our acts together and change the mindset that looks at girls as resources and put them in the houses instead of school”, said president Kiir.

Many girls in South Sudan do not complete their education as they are married off at an early age by their families in order to receive cows, money and other gifts which are traditionally exchanged.

Kiir, who is the chairman of the ruling SPLM, called on the foundation and the youth group to help spread the message of the importance education for girls.

“I want you to help me. Go out there and spread the message. This is the only way we can reward our people. We want to reward them with provision of education for all”, he said.

KIIR FIRES FINANCE OFFICIAL

President Kiir fired the government’s director general for administration and Finance, Peter Gol Mayen, according to an order read on South Sudan TV on Monday. There was no reason given for dismissal, although there rumours had it that it is linked to corruption.