Unlike many I beg to differ that South Sudan has reached the Promised Land. I prefer to be called a prophet doomsday economics on this note-not a prophet of doom.
The journey has been an emotional one from the strategic plains of Abyei to Darfur, from foreign intervention to a referendum and finally independence. The reconciliating units (North and South Sudan) have done what is best for humanity.However; it is pertinent to conduct a pre-conflict x-ray. The Arab dominated north and the Christian and black animist dominated south of the largest country in Africa-Sudan had been at war over resources and northern hegemony. The centre could no longer hold, thus they had to call it quits. The result is the present independence of the south.
Today amidst the joy I hear echoes of mistrust amongst the South-Sudan people over the allocation of juicy position’s to the Dinka tribe(second largest tribe in South Sudan).This might be a spring board for conflict, not of the erstwhile dimension but the type that won’t guarantee speedy development in South Sudan. Presently the South has oil fields and the North has refineries. The Abyei region considered as strategic for security and other economic reasons is still a subject of dispute between the North and the South. For now the purpose of this text that may be irrelevant. The south can still take advantage of her oil reserves for development. A bloody revolution has occurred an economic one should follow; its unfortunate that in South Sudan a social revolution has to come first before true development can take place. The solution was never a break up citing further mistrusts among the people of the south about fears of an impending Dinka domination.
To make a case for my conclusion against a territorial break up. I would cite a peculiar to them-Nigeria. Blessed with Crude Oil and other resources the country was ruled by the military North who dominated every sphere. Here the hegemony was equally as strong or a little short of that. The people however endured the times and have evolved over time. Though the citizens still pass through economic agonies and social instability. Nigeria also still has problems with equality in distribution of resources.
Nigeria recently had elections better than other years. Much progress might not have been recorded economically and security wise but we are working it out. There is freedom of speech and Press Freedom.Recently, Boko Haram has become a sectional issue threatening the survival of the country but we are working it out!
South Sudan’s independence is a euthanasia of painful human feelings of the over 2million deaths there. Its an emotional relief; an international intervention success. It would have been a day history would volunteer to record but for the mistrust brimming subtlety among the South Sudan people. Before it was Arab domination, now it’s the fear of the Dinka tribe domination. For the benefit of doubt I hope the Dinka fear would be suppressed. If the freedom Square of Juba would be truly monumental the hearts of the people of South Sudan must be monumental enough to accommodate tribal and ethnic differences. That way true development can be given a chance. Happy Independence South Sudan, though its not Uhuru, the struggle continues!
No comments:
Post a Comment