South Sudanese people should not vote for separation

By Garang Ayang Kuoi

April 7, 2007 — In our daily lives as South Sudanese people, from time to time, our suffering and the struggle for peace, justice, equality, and all sorts of freedom are notable, by us, and by our friends around the world. We are best known for good fights and good causes, from the time of British colonialism in Africa to our own problems within the belove home of Sudan. For generations, we have fought many enemies to defend the mother land Sudan, the biggest country in Africa, and the Kushite land ( Kush ‘s land).

Our history of racial, religious hatred within Sudan goes back to 1956, the time in which we earned our freedom and independent from English, when the English left, instead we come to gather as brave men and women of our nation, and enjoy the fruits of our hard work, we bluntly started discriminating one other based on religions and color of skin. By then, the government of Sudan was immediately dominated by those who called themselves Arabs and Muslims, isolating the Africans for they are black and the vast majority of them are none muslims, that was how the first war began, and went on for seventeen years, then started the other one in 1983, and lasted for more than two decades, which is the longest running civil war on the continent of Africa. During those wars, millions of lives have been lost, millions of people have been displaced, and million of Sudanese children have been left with no education.

When the second war came to an end on January 9th 2005 in Nairobi Kenya, the agreement between the warring parties of the SPLM and the NIF was that the South is granted to self determination after six years, and if willing, it will vote for the Unity of the nation.

This kind of agreement’ however, persuaded the Southerners to bring the war to an end, for they have been hopping that the separation of the South from the North is the only way to bring the elit perpetual leadership to its knees in Khartoum, there by the leadership of the SPLM/SPLA, under late Dr. John Garang de Mabior agreed and inked the agreement with Northern Sudan and its NIF, nevertheless, the vision of the Sudan people liberation movement has been what we called ” new Sudan” which means the Sudan of prosperity and justice for all Sudanese, a new Sudan with new changes that are necessary for all citizens of different religions, cultural, economic and nationality background or status, a new Sudan in which the Arabs and Africans children can hold one another ‘s hand and go school to gather, singing their national anthem on their way to all type institution as national citizens of their country, fledge their allegiance to their national flag with all due respect for to their country of birth and nationality.

This has been the objective of the so called Anya- Anya two, nonetheless, this vision seems to be dominated by the choice in which we were given during Nairobi agreement in 2005, which is not a bad idea for it is crucial as our first choice as people who are both capable of governing ourselves and even the entire nation of Sudan if given a chance.

However, we can chose to either devoice the regime in the North and established our own nation in South Sudan, or vote for the unity of the whole country without being told by anyone what the consequences might be, because the choice is ours, but the potential problem that I and may be other ordinary citizens of the South are seeing is that the Sudan does not belong to anyone, it belong to all of us, Arabs, Africans, Muslims, Christians or even the none God believers. So why should we separate, when there is a political wing within the Sudan such as the SPLM with the vision of unity but a unity with changes to be made and the conditions that are alluded by the comprehensive peace agreement that obliged the North to abide by them so that the beauty of unity could emerge?

Secondly, did the so called South went to war for thirty eight years for the sake of its ten States, or did the South went to war in order to liberate the entire country and make it a home for its people? Do the math, during the second war, how many states in the South, East, North and West were captured and control by the Sudan people liberation Army ( SPLA)? Count them one by one and divide the number of those years into the number of those States, and you will see that the number of the states is bigger then the number of years in which we South Sudanese people have fought in an attempt to liberate our nation.

Thirdly, if we split from the North, where are other brothers and sisters from the north, East, and West who are peace and justice lovers but suffered severe sectarianism and dictatorship in Khartoum will go? Should we turn our back to those who are suffering and let them face genocides such as the one taking place right now in Western region of our country ( Darfur)? And are we giving our land a way simply because we are tired of the enemy? The SPLM is a national movement for all Sudanese, and the SPLA is a national Army for all Sudanese, there by I personally disagree with separation, I am for the United Sudan but only if the regime in the North has a sign of agreeing with the CPA elements of New Sudan, if not, then I think we as the people of Sudan must explore other options so that the struggle continue till all are free. Note, I am not saying that we should unite before the out standing issues such as the North South borders are solves, the Khartoum must make an urgent conclusion on issues like this so that we save time for it is running out, or at the end of the day there will be no separation or unity to talk about.

Our movement which is the SPLM and the Government of South Sudan must make sure that all eyes are on us, for our objective has been a clear message to the world and to Sudanese people. Sudan has been always one country and should remain one country with peace and justice for her people, and if the peace and justice are denied by small group of people in Khartoum, the people themselves must speak out against injustice, and this could be done through the SPLM for it is a party of the people. We have them both, the political vision, military power, and the power of those who want to be free. The regime is supposed to be looking for unity, because the people are running away from it for they are tired of mistreatment and being always second class citizens in their own country. Those people who have been suffering in the hand of Khartoum are the one who have power, not the Khartoum, and because they have the power, all the Sudanese political forces should join the SPLM and work for to gather to attain the unity of the people, because if the people are united, the regime will have no one to use against another to rape or torture.

Lastly, this is a personal opinion directed to the government of South Sudan, its leaders, and you the ordinary citizens who have the same concerned in the West, East, North and in the South. Let the regime know that whether it is with people an enemy to the people, the people themselves are ready to stand tall to inform the regime that enough is enough, and that it is our turn as Sudanese people to unite and share the love of our nation. No one is ever free when others are oppress, and that is why we South Sudanese people should not vote for separation in 2011 because the other brothers who will not be able to go any where will still face the injustice, and I think their suffering will make us guilty of our action. Everyone in Sudan must be free either by peaceful means or by any necessary means. we must lead our nation toward freedom, and this freedom must be accomplish so that we have one united secular Sudan.

* The author is based in the USA. He can be reached at [email protected]