Low-key celebrations of independence vote by Southern Sudanese in Uganda

By Philip Thon Aleu

February 7, 2011 (KAMPALA) – Southern Sudanese living in Uganda acknowledge the announcement on February 7 that South Sudan had voted for secession from the North, in a low key fashion in comparison to the jubilant scenes in South Sudan.

Southerners in Kampala followed the celebrations on television screens, the radio and over the phone. Official results from January’s self-determination poll indicate that nearly 99 percent of southerners voted to form Africa’s newest nation and the world’s 193th country.

The referendum is part of a 2005 North-South peace deal, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), that ended a bitterly fought civil war (1983—2005) that left at least two million people dead, according to the UN.

The conflict, that started in Bor town, Jonglei state, on May 16, 1983, was Sudan’s second civil war after the first, which began in 1955 before Sudan’s independence the next year.

Monday’s announcement means that South Sudan will become a nation on July 9, in accordance to CPA. Between now and July, tough negotiations will continue between northern and southern politicians over country’s debts, national assets, citizenship and border demarcation. Abyei was also supposed to carry out a simultaneous referendum to decide whether oil-producing region will join the South or remain as part of the North.

Abyei’s residents identify themselves as southern Sudanese and are expected to vote to join the South if the vote goes ahead. However, the preparations for the poll have been delayed, with the South rejecting the North’s demands that an Arab nomadic group, who enter the region with their cattle for a few months of the year, also be allowed to vote.

An independent South Sudan will face numerous challenges being one of the world poorly developed regions. Despite expectations being high some citizens in Uganda have told Sudan Tribune that the South needs to improve its democratic credentials. Last year’s elections did not meet international according to observers. However, the referendum has been almost universally endorsed.

“As southern Sudanese, we are celebrating independence [form the north],” Tuor Majok, a south Sudanese student in Kampala told the Sudan Tribune.

“We need equality and freedom of speech as tribes of southern Sudan. As we were the same people during the referendum, nobody should feel superior,” he added when asked what he expects from the government of the young nation.

With high illiteracy rates, poor roads network and insufficient social service provision to the majority of citizens, southern Sudanese leaders have many hard tasks to address.

For now, however there is a tremendous celebratory and praising atmosphere across south Sudan, Uganda and other countries where southerners took refuge during what was Africa’s longest civil war.

In Kampala, the southern Sudanese community has shrunk in recent years with many returning to the south following the 2005 peace accord. Now most South Sudanese in Uganda appear to be there to continue their education.

The reaction to announcement of the secession vote did not spark the same scenes as in the South. The response was limited to student groups listening to the radio, watching South Sudan TV (SSTV) and calling relatives to be part of celebrations.

The government of southern Sudan’s mission in Uganda, which will become the embassy of the new nation, told Sudan Tribune, that plans are underway for a “full scale” celebration of the referendum result. No date has been set for the ceremony.

(ST)