South SUDAN- Challenges of Independence

Plan for special Newspaper Supplement on the Independence of South Sudan

Summary

On July 9th 2011, South Sudan becomes independent. This will result in the creation of two countries from what is today known as the Sudan, Republic of South Sudan as the new state and the North Sudan. This is after 20 years of protracted civil war resulting in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that had the provisions for a plebiscite for Southern Sudan to vote in a referendum on self determination after an interim five year period. The referendum took place in January 2011 with an overwhelming Southern verdict for independence.

On July 2011, South Sudan becomes the newest independent state on the African continent an event loaded with both promise and challenges. A number of these challenges have already started to manifest in the inability for the two parties to implement a referendum in a contested territory- Abyei- that straddles the borders of the North and South Sudan and rich in resources, oil, arable land and pastures. Is the Abyei imbroglio an indication of the future ODF the sub region in terms of the emerging states or is it part of the teething problems and challenges of adjustments both for the North and the South to the new status? What are the regional and international implications of the momentous occasion of the South Independence on the sub region? What is the viability of the Southern State as an effective entity? How prepared is the South to transform and confront the challenges of multiple ....to her independence and sovereignty? How would the South with huge resource endowment of natural resources work to transform the lives of her people and avoid the resource curse that has befallen other resource rich countries like Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nigeriaś Niger Delta?

Proposal

It is on the above questions that the East African School of Human Rights decided to approach Kenyan main stream newspapers for a souvenir edition devoted to South Sudan independence and the challenges of establishing a viable statehood.

It is planned that the edition will cover among other the following subjects:

South Sudan: capturing the vision of South Sudanese struggle for independence- prospects for democratic transformation and establishing an inclusive state that captures the vision of the twenty year war of independence. What was the Southern war of independence all about?

Managing ethnicity and competing ethnic posturing

Dynamics of the Divorce-
SPLM and the challenges of a liberation movement in power

Constitutional Reform and Accommodation- guerilla movements, militias and armed groups

4. Transitional Areas: Nuba Mountains, Blue Nile and Abyei- implications of Southern independence on the status of these areas

Natural Resources management- water, land oil and minerals-

Marginalization and violence- managing insurgency and creating an inclusive state

Regional Dynamics and implications of Southern Independence- relations with the North, Regional security implications, regional diplomacy, dealing with external border issues- Ilemi Triangle etc.

International Dynamics- Sub regional Arms race and another war? Arms supplies to the North and South, Egypt and other sub regional powers and neighbours.

Northern Sudan- challenges of managing post secession blues, managing internal political developments, managing peripheral areas in long low intensity conflict-Darfur, eastern Sudan etc. the implications of the south independence on the person of President Al Bashir the National Congress party and the warrants of arrest on Bashir. What are the possibilities of the Spread of the Arab revolution? Internal dissent/ coup?

10. Private sector-roles of a) sub regional private sector and international business in the future of the Sudan.

b) Other transnational actors like IGAD and the African Union.

11. Human Rights and Humanitarian Issues- Civilian protection in conflict situations, rights and welfare of returnees,

The Supplement will also address the challenges of internal organization and reform to create a viable state capable of taking up her rightful position in the comity of nations including the support and disposition of sub regional and international actors to this end.

Length

Articles Must be less than one thousand words