Sudanese Secession

By Diana Pitcher

While Egypt and its neighbors have taken the spotlight in regards to independence movements in the Middle East, other countries’ actions have been put on the back burner for the time being. The most recent events in the African nation of Sudan echo a move toward assertion of the people’s voices, as the results of a late January referendum call for a secession of the south region of Sudan from its northern counterpart.

Sudan has been plagued by bouts of religious and tribe-based violence for years, as the modern-day boundaries created by colonial powers do not reflect those of the tribes living within them, which is the case of many African countries. Sudan has almost 600 ethnic groups that speak around 400 different languages, which have been categorized into two main ethnic groups: the Northern faction comprising the mainly Muslim population, and the South made up of the Christian population. In addition to ethnic and religious disputes, the North is more developed and relatively resource-less, while the South is greatly underdeveloped and possesses oil reserves.

The issue now, as in any case, is where this latest political decision will lead the country next. The fact that this move toward independence from the North was voted upon by 98 percent of the 4 million registered voters demonstrates an action that is not the most common of political events in Africa. Political turns of events usually occur following an assassination, rebel army attacks, or warring ethnic groups. This development came with relatively little violence, indicating that the decision was relatively unanimous. However, this period of non-violence was broken this past week when over 100 people were killed in a clash between the southern Sudanese military and rebel fighters.

The question lies in which outcome this decision of secession will take: violence or relative stability. This past week’s violent attacks don’t give us a whole lot of faith in the stability path, but for others, this break of the cease-fire came as “a surprise move,” according to Philip Aguer, a spokesperson for the southern Sudanese army. This attack is not the first of its kind following the referendum, which would grant full independence to the southern region on July 9^th, 2011. So what do we/the southern Sudanese people have to believe in?

Sudan has long been one of the most troubled countries in Africa, and its stability could be a step in the right direction and set a positive example for the region as a whole. That being said, it needs outside help to achieve this. I’m not suggesting that the United States step in, because honestly I’m not into the idea of playing the world police role, but if the nation is left to its own devices, I don’t think we can expect a positive change any time soon. To anyone who knows more about this topic than I do, or has a suggestion for the future of this country, don’t hesitate to share.

Current article: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/12/world/africa/12sudan.html?ref=africa

Recent background article: http://www.npr.org/2011/01/27/133241659/north-south-sudans-would-face-high-hurdles