South Sudan: New look of a new nation
By Isaiah Abraham
December 17, 2010 — In four weeks time, the South of the Sudan will know its long awaited political destiny. People there shall vote on January 9 2011 (22 days from today) and results are expected to be released a week later. All systems and indicators point to birth of a new nation in the horn of Africa and indeed in the Africa continent. The Sudanese authorities have invested enough time and resources to ensure the process goes ahead as planned. Congratulation to all. Southerners in the process are beaming with hope as they unmistakably look ahead for their hard won freedom. Hail the new born King and new born nation!
If that is the case (freedom around the corner) for the people of Southern Sudan, then there are number of issues the leaders in Juba should revist/restart thinking earlier as everyone look into the birth of a nation in February 2011. Of course our leaders aren’t sleeping, they had actually gone ahead of us on these issues. What some of us would want to do however is to remind them once more unless they forget. The unit assign with that duty of making amends/adjustments is called Southern Sudan Constitution Review Commission or whatever name, and there is a gentleman who often shy away from meeting the media heading it.
Let me bore you to mention a few, and hope our debate should lead somewhere. Please note that the author shall only highlight some of the issues with no much elaboration. Here we go: one of the issues is the name of the new nation; is “Southern Sudan” a name we would retain and if we need to change it, what name are you preparing to give to the ‘baby’. Anyanya One had “Azania” as a name of the Republic, a name with rich meaning, what about you? I believe in divorce, the two partners severe any grain of relationship. This is to allow for an identity creation on the side of the partners. In our case, the same is true, we ought to create our own identity; name is one topping the list!
Second, our new nation needs to adapt a different coat of arm other than the eagle one we have in our document and everywhere. Baffalo has come out strongly as a possible coat of arm for our nation. Whether animals are slow or not, baffalo has a historical ties in as far as our struggle is concerned. That is right from Anyanya One War. If you think birds are ok, then fine. Let’s go to the third issue: the currency note. Boma was suggested and if we think our nation will have menatory problems to print money or cut that root, then let’s prepare to have our own currency note name not pound. But if we feel keeping pound, then some artistical touches to change some manuscripts are required in our current notes.
How about the army and the party; will S prefix makes any further meaning when we break away? I don’t think and know you will agree here. The army is suggested to be called Azania Armed Forces (AAF) and the SPLM to take Azania People’s Party (APP), with its flag different from the current flag of the nation. Even this flag for our country can be ‘trimmed’ to look different from that of another country we neighbor.
Fifth issue is the language in our books. Arabic can’t be our national language. During the Regional Government in the 1970s (High Executive Council), Moru language was chosen as our national language due to its easy vowels and structure. Why don’t we revisit this idea or craft another one from among 29 or so beautiful languages. Some people say, our Arabic Juba could be developed, hmmm!, but if we are interested in foreign language, then Kiswahili is another language we can give it a try. Already we have a good number of people speaking it and as we intend to go East African, this could work well with us.
The other issue we said our leaders in Juba are working on it and that we just remind them in this note is the need to register or lobby for inclusion in the East African Bloc immediately after independence. This could help us economically to be specific, as the nation is planning to move the refinery activity to Lamu. Politically we need a group that identify with us in many respect.
Seven and eight issues -for our new born nation- are internal matters of prime importance. Khartoum has all along tell the wold that we can’t manage ourselves, and subsequently, the graving of a new nation will only lead to a failed state in Africa. If we are to prove them wrong, our think tanks are to invest in food security, education and infrastructure. These are key sectors, we really mean business. Some leaders in Africa in recent times have moved away their populous and countries from bread begging status to bread importers. Malawi and Nimibia are two key examples of how a brain of man can turn misfortunates to fortunes. We have enough arid land and hard working people, why not till the land.
A policy is needed from the top and money pour there. In few years, we can see the fruits of our plans. Road construction (weather road) is the best infrastructure a country can employ to stay on the path of development. Mr. Anthony Makana (the road man) borrow money for that purpose; we will pay it!
Our institutions are to be detribalized and positions given to any qualified Southerners on the basis of meritocracy. We have said this many times and we must not be quiet when nothing changes. Some ministries are becoming monopolies of certain ethnic group and this phenomenon must stop! Army hasn’t been spare either, pockets of appointments and transfers are questionable. Some institutions have turned these offices to private centers, where everyone speaks vernacular during office hours.
Another issue before we go is the life span of the current government. Are we prepare to go for another election and if yes, where is the money and time to go another gruesome exercise. It is suggested the April tenur of five years should go they way it is, and thereafter the country can go for another election in December 2015. Healing and reconciliations are matters on the table now.
You can go and on, but the bottom line is this: we have to be free and free from everything that relates us again to Khartoum. Our social institutions are to change, especially the one with Arabic culture. Our government shouldn’t just jump to foreign culture leaving behind our beautiful cutlures. Even now we are hearing our government going parliament way by scrapping religion from institutional system. Pariament rush to secularism catch before taking in to account what constitutes our social behaviors. Its unfortunate that our law makers don’t open their sessions these days with words of prayers, what a disaster waiting that House. The Government should have avoided such blunder. Happy Nativity to all!
Isaiah Abraham is from Juba; he’s on [email protected]
Gatwech
South Sudan: New look of a new nation
Dear Professor Isaiah Abraham,
I enjoyed reading your thoughtful article.
Yes, buffallo for sure will surface after independence to replace eagle (which is being used by many nations and lost its uniqueness)in military, etc.
Of course even our flag shall have buffalo in place of star. The star has lost its meaning and uniqueness. Some are using it as a symbol of oneness or one nation as in Israel while others are using it to mean many nations united like in the United States of America. The star is every where in the world flags.
Bufallo will be a unique symbol for us and its represents the spirit of resistence. We should have it in our flags.
Of course the names of the army, party of SPLM, etc, will be readjusted to go with the new name of the Southern Sudan. The rest will also be tackled such as the languages, etc.
Excellent reminding article!
James Okuk Solomon
South Sudan: New look of a new nation
Dear Prof Isaiah Abraham,
Your article fits as a good starter when we are done with the first things first. It is good to prospect but let’s see to it that it is over only after it is over with our secession vote and then declaration of independence of the new country in Africa we shall name it by whatever name we will choose by meaning.
Remember the news report that the Libyan life president Muammar Al-Gadhafi and his neighboring Egyptian life President Husni Mubarak are rushing to the Sudan next week to push for the “Confederation” as the end-result of the separation vote of Southern Sudanese people instead of full “Independence”.
We still don’t know also what the SSRC in Khartoum is planning with the charges leveled against it, and which have been accepted by the Constitutional Court, unless politics gets over the law because the objections against the timing of the voting on 9th January is so valid in relation to what has been spelt out in the Southern Sudan Referendum Act (2009).
But even if this court rule that the 9th January 2011 date be changed to get accommodated into the law, let’s try to be patient as we know that nothing will take away our inevitable separation determination for the independence. A limited postponement of the polling date to April 9t, 2011 will not be harmful if we do it intelligently and confidently within the law.
Viva for the Independent South Sudan Republic.
Dr James Okuk
Bol Deng
South Sudan: New look of a new nation
One thing at a time. The naming of a country and the many other things are not point of discussion now. SPLM/A oyeee, South Sudan oyeee( new sudan oyeee). SPLM for live!
Oduck Bol
South Sudan: New look of a new nation
Dear Mr Isaiah.
It is very good to express your opinion.But,Iam quiet have doubt on some of names you mentioned here.For instance,Azania,Baffilo, and Arab Juba. First,name (South Sudan) to be replaced by Azania as you point out that it has rech meaning,That is Okay,but we don’t need the name of one tribe or sound to be a name of a tribe in south to be the name of our country.
Second,Baffilo to replace eagle. Baffilo is known on the world as the wild beast which will reflect negative to the nation of South. Easy to stick in small mud,eat by hyaena easlly and other animalls too. Baffilo is a coward animall.
Juba’s Arabic . Southern should eliminate the Arabic or any thing that related to “Jahad” which will creat Arab ideology again in future.
There are many things that need carefullness So that other people will not feel that you have used tribleism system.
Tribe
South Sudan: New look of a new nation
My brother Isaiah, your articles are always well received, however, I will agree and as well disagree with you today in many aspects base on what you have ushered into our readership space called “Sudan tribune”. Going into what you have just elaborate about changing our national identity after the birth our unborn nation, I will object, saying Sir, this is not the right way to go as the name and the language are concern thought I do concur with you about the money, the flag, and the army. My dear, I will assert that these tendencies of quick fix and seeing victory before attaining it are what got us into all these mess of suffering at the first places.There are many examples of these but late me give you my prime example. The quick fix of democracy was what led my most respected leader to rebel from his mother party which eventfully unfolded to be one of the worst human suffering in the history. In addition, same thing happened in 1997 when he the most respected Vice-President went and forged the peace agreement with his foes or friend whatever you call it, while he did not have muscles to coerce his partner to term up with what they were agreeing to.
Moreover, one has to look at the countries that had walked the same path which we are about to walk to draw the proper name we should name our country. The right examples are the KOREA,VIETNAM, and ERITREA. These nations did not fetch far to create another hurdle. They started right away using the south or north coupled with name the already had such as Korea or Vietnam, simple as that. Eritrea used the name it was called when it was one of Ethiopia’s province and this goes with the language. Though we do not like Arab and how Arabic came to instituted itself as our national identity as far as language is concerned, then we should do the same to English if we are to. They do have the same problem if you view it at a broader perspective. Both were brought to our land by imperial powers of ARAB and ENGLISH people. Therefore, to end my argument, I would say it is not the name of our nation or the Arabic that polarize us. We do have our ingrained differences which we are all well aware and the best way to tackle them is not to craft more that will ignite differences. Choosing one tribe language like the example of MORU you mentioned is a problematic itself. I would not choose DINKA or NUER though they are well spoken by majority in Southern Sudan. How long are you going to teach the masses plus yourself to start using the language? Where would you get those abundant resources to execute in the expense of that? These are mediocre questioning but I bet you will not answer them. We do not need to let our frustration of Arabic plus our personal desires incapacitated or dwarf our rationality.In post-refendum period, the new country will be call SOUTH SUDAN and the national language will be ENGLISH first followed by ARABIC. If anyone is disagreeing, i would urge you to cross your fingers and wait to attest what i said and see to it who is the best predictor.
Tribe
South Sudan: New look of a new nation
Rueben,
i can’t disagree more to you. we southerners have came long way and it is a time to scrutinize things critical to avert anything that seemed to plunge us back to square one. like you said,it is not about Moru or any tribe’s language we would use as our national language, but the time and resources it would require to attain that far-fetch opinion.
furthermore,having no opinion is not good at all and at the same time having opinion that draw us far from what as already been built and working as well is big no no. it has to be shut off before it reach the arena in a respectful way in order to not discourage the initiator.