Unity By Default?
By Alsir Sidahmed
Fenbruary 6, 2008 — Neither the efforts of the NCP or SPLM individually and collectively, nor their performance over the period of the past three years were creating the conducive environment to make “unity attractive,” between the North and South.
Ironically, it is yet again another external factor that is posing tough questions: the 6-week long turmoil in neighboring Kenya has forced rethinking what three months ago was unthinkable: unity between the North and South could be the first choice, by default.
Kenyan disturbances that followed the disputed presidential elections late last year have their impact felt immediately in the South, highlighting beyond doubt the vulnerability of a future landlocked country.
A record of more than four decades of stability and ability to act as the window to landlocked Uganda, Southern Sudan and Eastern Congo, have been smashed in few weeks, Ripple effects were felt immediately as prices of consumer goods doubled and trebled and a GOSS meeting around mid January decided on short, middle and long term solutions to counter the problem of food and fuel shortage and that cooperation with the North comes at the forefront of solutions rather than relying on Kenya and Uganda for the flow of essential goods, according to Luka Biong, minister of Presidential Affairs.
It is not only the disturbances that have hindered the traffic, but the quick and nasty way the struggle is developing into a tribal in-fight reaching era of ethnic cleansing as Jenday Fraser, the US official described it. Cities like Naivasha and Nakuru that have entered Sudan history as venues for landmark peace have turned to be theaters for lawlessness and worst crimes against fellow citizens.
Is the island of stability and the shining example of Africa has finally fallen into the typical disease that ushers to failed states dotted all over the continent?
It is up to the Kenyans to answer that, but for the South, the immediate result it has highlighted the precarious situation of yet to be created land-locked independent Southern Sudan. The question before Southerners: is it beneficial to opt for independence and rely on another country be it Kenya or Northern Sudan to get access to the world markets or be part of a country, where they occupy top posts in its federal government.
Both geography and geology favor the latter. It is the geological coincidence that made oil, the life line of the country pumped out of the South. And it is the geographical coincidence that enabled it to be exported through the country’s only port in the North.
Throughout its history of more than 160 years, the oil industry, so vital for the society, is mired into disputes, wars and intrigues and that is why unlike any other commodity it is called strategic. Pipelines were and still the soft belly used in a way or another as a form of pressure be it commercial or political. Cases where pipelines were used as object for pressure and maneuver read like Who’s Who in world politics.
From Syria, to Iraq, Russia’s Putin, the US trying to defy geography and convince landlocked Caspian countries to opt for a pipeline that does not cross Russia or Iran, though costly, and even the domestic turmoil in Nigeria is targeting oil industry including pipelines that last year cost the country close to 20 percent of its oil exports; in all pipelines were at the center of disputes and maneuvers.
In fact it is more than geography and geology; rather it is politics and whether Sudan has matured enough to work out how to manage its differences. The solution to the differences between the North and South is not in separating the South. That may be an easy way to do it, but it is the rational one, because the problem is still there: inability to manage difference. And if the South goes its way, there are still differences with Darfur. Will the solution be to leave it go its way as well. And will the South manage to administer its differences in a civilized way or go along the established precedent of fragmentation. By it will be easy for Equatorians to ask to go their way also because of failure to manage their differences with the Dinka.
The CPA has come along way to put solutions to the nation building in Sudan. The theoretical outline is there. It needs a powerful thrust to effect democratic transformation that makes voluntary unity a reality.
Alsir Sidahmed, a free-lance journalist, media consultant and trainer, could be reached at: [email protected]
Brooke Obe
Unity By Default?
This is very interesting! Rumours circulating in East Africa say that Museveni of Uganda and Beshir of Sudan had a rare agreement to finance the rigging of the Kenyan election. But each of the leaders had different objectives for doing this: Museveni did not want another Nilotic ruling near him (GOSS is deemed Nilotic and Raila is a Nilotic); Beshir wanted to cause economic chaos in the South as eloquently outlined in this article to make unity attractive. Southerners should now know who are its real friends!
Abraham Chol Marial
Unity By Default?
Dear Alsir Sidahmed,
It is good you have mentioned unity is by default.There is one thing that all of us should put in mine, that is to say when the south boycotted the government of National Unity last year, it was because of essential elements that were not implemented but after the break through made by both parties, the SPLM walked back to Gov’t of national unity . As you have mentioned in your article that it was not because south Sudan had got nowhere to depend on in term of food and oil but it was the commitment of SPLM to CPA implementation modilaties and the break through which has brought some of the questionable provisions of CPA seen done, that is why the SPLM went back to GONU.
To assure you once more; South Sudan is the storage of all the economical resources in Sudan at large and let it happen today for the South Sudan to seperate, north won’t get the resources anywhere and they will be depending on South to buy from or else goes to Iraq. They will not exploit the resources again according to their interest as they are practising now .You have also mentioned if the South is set apart; are they able to administer themselves?
Why is the South doesn’t do so? Southerners are people with open eyes not like past Southerners of the past who were fooled by our colleagues the Jalabas .You must know from now on that South Sudan is capable of ruling Sudan as whole, leave alone the South!
You have aslo mentioned the issue of Dinka and equatorian ,That is not the case at the movement, they are brothers and they are able to settle any problem amoung themselves if you thinked that there is a problem between them,You better stop spreading wrong news around the world. SPLM is not for tribalism it is for the right of marginalised peopl of Sudan in large!
Deng
Unity By Default?
Mr. Alsir Sidahmed, don’t be so naive. You better opt for your Arabic website. Your article is so naive. Before you talk about unity between the north and the south, answer the following questions;
1. Is Sudan an Arab country or Africa country?
2. Should sharia law be imposed on those who do not believe in it?
3.Is there a distinction between religion and government?
4. Is Khartoum the only place where Sudan resources are suppose to be used
5. Do you think unity will make Sudan a better country?
6. Why do you think unity is better?
7. How many tarmac roads did the Sudan government built in the south since independent?
9. What kind of Jihad were the Arabs of the north fighting for in the south?
10. Do Arabs believe in Humanity?
11. Why are muslims like yourself suffering in darfur and yet stupid Arabs of khartoum protested a few weeks ago demanding Isrealites to treat Palestinians fairly
12. Do Arabs of Sudan believe in treating all human equal? If yes, what on the world is happening in Darfur. None of you protested against burning of villages and uprooted local people in Darfur by the Sudan government?
13. Do you think Arabs lives are better than Africans?
You hypocrites should go to hell. You don’t fit either in the Arab world or Africans world. You are but a cross breed between Africans and Arabs. Egyptian will laugh at you if you call yourself Arabs.
You talk of easy ways of solving Sudan problems. What are those easy ways you are talking about? Is killing people like what is happening in Darfur what you call an easy way? How long has justice been hold at hostage in Sudan? Do you think Port Sudan will eventually force Southerners to vote for unity because they fear being landlocked.
Whether South is a landlock or riverlock or sealock or desertlock, we are fade up with Arabs ways of life. You hypocrites do not even know who God is? You blindly believe in something that a common sense will tell you it’s not right. Do you think those Arabs who died in darfur burning their houses and uprooting innocent people will see the gate of heavens? What kind of God do you people believe when you can’t define the term humanity? Why is the centre (Khartoum) creating a lot of problems to the periphery of the country? East, West, Far north and the South are not happy with the centre. The real solution to Sudan problems is disintegration. Far north go its way, west its way, east its way and south its way. But first, there must be two countries before the third, forth and firth emerges. South and North must be two countries. That will be the solution to most problems in Sudan. The south considers humanity as a fundamental principal of living and religion as a personal thing- between you and God. Unfortunately, the Muslim world intermingle religion and government. We are not asking Khartoum to do away with sharia law. Keep them and remain with them. We do not want to be in a situation where by people create tension among themselves because of religion. Those who killed innocent people and wishing to see heaven are just waiting at the gate of hell. Don’t think you will ever see the gates of heaven if you believe that killing non-muslims/Arabs (example is darfur)is not a crime. God created all human beings. So, what right do muslimes hold to kill those who do not believe in Islam? What on earth will God ‘s religion be spread by sword? If God don’t forgive those who do not believe in him, the like of El-Bashire, Salah Gosh, Haroun, and Minister of defense would be dead. Recently, the minister of defense pretended to be feeling human and blame people for not supporting the families of martyr who sacrificed & fought jihad against infidel in the south. He said that if those fake martyrs were to complain to God, it might not be good to them. But my question is, what of if those who were innocent killed by those you called martyr were to complain to good for being innocently killed? You hypocrites should stop cheating God in the broad daylight. Understand simple God rules- No killing of innocent people. Why were those 10,000 mujihadeen sent to the South in 1992? They just died like rats in the south and are currently waiting in the hell. Why did they blindly go to the south? They had nothing in the south and shouldn’t have gone. Southerners are four times more human as compare their northern counterparts. After the CPA, southerners released over 10, 000 prisoners of war to their northern counterparts on the other hand, northerner did not keep any prisoners of war. What kind of human being are you? We do not want to be part of the world that cheats God in a broad daylight and thinking of going to heaven.
South must go south. Whether it’s is a landlock or whatever, we are ready to go, so long we will not be part of the Arab world.
Mr. Sidahmed, take my words now. We southerner are gone, 10 years will never pass before the north see itself in another crises. Northerners pretend to be good to themselves but when the south is gone, your true colours will be seen. Northern Sudan will be part of global terrorism very soon and we don’t want to be part of that world. The only way the south and the north will live in peace is by living side by side as neighbours not as a country.