New York Times: "South Sudanese Vote Overwhelmingly for Secession"
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/22/world/africa/22sudan.html
After much anticipation and anxiety over southern Sudan’s referendum for independence the outcome is clear. Preliminary results from the referendum report nearly 99 percent of voters in southern Sudan have chosen independence from the north. This coupled with a turnout well above the required 60 percent of eligible voters gives a clear indication of an overwhelming preference for succession. Although the official results are not due to be published until 14 February, and any steps to actually initiate the split will not come for months, the results is an unmistakable a step towards the independence of South Sudan.
Despite the clear results, formal independence will not be granted until the peace treaty which necessitated the referendum is due to expire on July 9th this year. In the mean time the southern region “hopes to pick a national anthem and a name; leading contenders are Nile Republic and South Sudan.” There are also much more daunting tasks ahead of split, “namely how the two sides would share the south’s sizeable reserves of crude oil and what to do about the Abyei region, which straddles the north-south border and is claimed by both.” There are also questions about southern Sudanese who live and work in the north, their citizenship status and their ability to continue their lives as is in what will soon be a foreign country.
Independent of the complications from succession itself, both the northern and southern regions of Sudan will have new challenges to face as independent countries. There are fears of backlash in the North over the succession, instability, and the resulting insecure economic climate. The south has many humanitarian issues to address towards its own people, like access to food, medical care and clean water, a challenge only to become more severe as an influx of southern pour from the north back into their homeland. While fragile and potentially volatile issues remain to be resolved a peaceful referendum process bodes well for continued peace. The people have made their wishes clear and it is now up to Sudanese politicians and the international community to ensure that they are carried out in harmony and fairness.
MORE INFORMATION
An article from CNN on the results of the referendum: http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/01/26/sudan.referendum/index.html
A short video from the Kenya Television Network detailing the provisional results of the Sudanese referendum: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBV9CU2xzHI
An article on the results of the referendum from the Sudan Tribune: http://allafrica.com/stories/201101220012.html
The Southern Sudan Referendum Commission website: http://www.southernsudanocv.org/
A video from France 24 entitled “South Sudan: Challenging Times”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMTBqL9yHkI
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Are you surprised by the turnout or results of the referendum? Do you think nearly universal vote for separation will make a difference in the succession process?
2. What are the prospects for a peaceful succession for South Sudan? Do you think the referendum is the end of the conflict between the north and the south?
3. What is the international community’s role in ensuring peace for the Sudanese people? What should foreign governments or international organizations do? What should they not do?
