South Sudan in state-building process as the region heads to 2011

By James Gatdet Dak

March 5, 2010 (JUBA) – Creating a prosperous independent state, which would be at peace with itself and with its neighbors, has become a challenging undertaking for the semi-autonomous regional government of Southern Sudan, as it matches towards January 2011 referendum in which its people are expected to overwhelmingly vote for independence.

With only nine months left as the clock ticks to the referendum, the region has been struggling to secure its territory by putting to an end the wide spread deadly inter and intra tribal violence, uprooting foreign rebel groups such as the Ugandan’s Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and maintaining peace and security with the North through successful implementation of the 2005 peace deal.

Insecurity, coupled with the resistant corruption, has hampered developmental initiatives for the last five years in the war ravaged south, resulting to continued poverty that has retarded the majority of population and encouraged lawlessness in many parts of the region.

Officials in Southern Sudan are worried that the region’s independence might be unfortunately founded on shaky ground unless the impediments are dealt with.

In a consultation meeting organized recently in Juba by the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) with participation of relevant institutions from all the ten states, the bottlenecks in the state-building process were critically addressed with the hope to overcome them.

In his opening and closing remarks during the two-day seminar, Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny, who officiated the meeting and also presented a lecture on the concept of peace-building and state-building, urged the nearly a hundred delegates present to seriously be attentive to the identifiable mounting challenges that are trying to hold back the region and thrive to overcome them.

A number of other national and international experts also made presentations on the issue.

Officials have noted that peace-building and state-building are inextricably intertwined in Southern Sudan and observed the need to successfully maintain peace and stability in the next 12 months.

They explained peace-building as a process which involves a range of measures targeted to reduce the risk of lapsing or relapsing into conflict by strengthening national capacities at all levels for conflict management and to lay the foundation for sustainable peace and development.

Among others they also explained that a state-building involves a process that enhances the capacity, institutions and legitimacy of the state driven by state-society relations; a reciprocal relations between a state that delivers services for its people and social and political groups who constructively engage with their state.

During the dialogue by the officials to identify issues that would promote state-building process in Southern Sudan, containing insecurity tops the priority.

In their presentations, building a new South Sudan based upon democratic, pluralistic principles and humanistic values was identified.

They stressed the importance of creating institutions that protect human rights, ensure religious tolerance, promote the rule of law, promote gender equality, create an enabling environment for a free and open market economy, commit to reduction of poverty, serve the needs of disadvantaged and vulnerable groups.

Construction of major infrastructure, especially roads to help improve security, reduce costs for business and promote economic growth, as well as develop public administration including an honest tax system and management of public finance with accountability that citizens can trust, also featured in the dialogue.

The meeting also stressed the need to develop disciplined, efficient and effective security forces respected by the citizens.

Achieving and maintaining reconciliation with the northern neighbors and ensuring mutually shared interest was also highlighted.

Following the consultation seminar the Government of Southern Sudan is expected to produce an envisioned roadmap for the creation of the state, or state-building.

In accordance with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed in 2005 to end the 21 years of North-South civil war, the people of Southern Sudan shall conduct a referendum in January 2011 to choose between confirming the current unity of Sudan and creating their own independent country.

(ST)