Southern Sudan

By Ranjit Bhaskar in Africa on January 10th, 2011
Many security personnel were seen voting in Juba on Monday after being deployed to protect dignitaries the day before [AFP]

After Sunday's large crowds at polling centres in Juba and other towns of Southern Sudan, things were much quieter on Monday, the second day of voting in the week-long referendum process.

More security personnel could be seen voting after Sunday’s heavy deployment of forces to secure the town for dignitaries visiting to observe the beginning of the historic process.

"As many people could not vote yesterday in Juba centres, there is a proposal to extend the polling by an hour till 6pm," said Abuk Nikanora Manyok, the public outreach director at the South Sudan Referendum Bureau.

She said the decision whether or not to extend polling hours will be taken by the South Sudan Referendum Commission in Khartoum by Monday evening.

"Women are now going from house to house to mobilise those who have not voted to go out and vote," Manyok said.

She said voting is slowly picking up in remote areas as people have to walk long distances to reach polling centr

By Ranjit Bhaskar in Africa on January 8th, 2011
Photo by Ranjit Bhaskar

Juba, the main town in southern Sudan, was its normal, languid self on Saturday.

It was as if the townspeople were taking a break from the hectic pace of the day before which saw rallies, public meetings and an all-night music concert.

Those who were busy were the organisers of the week-long referendum beginning on Sunday along with journalists and poll observers from all over the world here to witness and record the historic event.

While the observers busied themselves by consulting senior government of Southern Sudan and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement [the ruling party] officials, journalists had a string of press briefings lined up for them.

It began with a joint briefing by Chan Reec Madut, who heads the Southern Sudan Referendum Bureau, and Barnaba Marial Benjamin, the minister for information.

As the nascent ministry’s conference room was small, the briefing was held under a mango tree.

"It is good not to have a five-star hot

By Haru Mutasa in Africa on January 7th, 2011
picture from AFP

 The name Garang is a big deal in southern Sudan. The late John Garang seems to be loved by so many people here. I visited is gravesite recently and there was woman praying.

It turned out her husband was one of Garang's body guards. She said she would vote on January 9 - otherwise Garang would have died in vain.

I wasn't expecting such love. It took me by surprise. I've met people who've said the man had his faults but credit him with getting the south to where it is today.

For many he is a leader - even in death - and they will never forget him.
 
So imagine how I felt when I heard I had been granted an interview with his widow Rebecca Garang. 
 
The Garang's are like royalty here - I couldn't believe it.
 
What was I supposed to say to her? Would she dismiss me as another random journalist out for a story?
 
I was running late because I was filing another story.

By Haru Mutasa in Africa on January 7th, 2011
Photo by AFP

I arrived in Juba in September last year when the sentiment from observers was Southern Sudan may not be ready for the referendum.

The registration of voters hadn't begun yet - in fact it was seriously delayed. The international community was concerned of an outbreak of conflict should officials in Southern Sudan fail to hold the referendum on time.

To be frank given the poverty and challenges the South faced at the time - and still does - I was sceptical too. I had flown in from Johannesburg, South Africa - and stupidly that was my comparison
 
There was some development in the capital Juba - roads were being constructed, some buildings were going up, and there seemed to be a concerted effort to try and rebuild Juba.

But I could see the damage done during the civil wars and I understood why some were concerned about the referendum.

I've travelled to Yei, Bentui, Yambio, Malakal and Aweil.

By Anita McNaught in Africa on November 27th, 2010
Photo by Anita McNaught

The Sudanese authorities are "careful" with foreign press. And – returning the favour – we are fastidiously careful back.

Visas to enter, a permit to be there, a third to practise the job. A licence for camera equipment and a Ministry of Information "meeter-&-greeter" at the airport to expedite its thorough inspection.

Then you apply for another permit to fly south to the areas controlled by the GOSS – Government of Southern Sudan – and, after a day or two, the Khartoum government office usually says: "Yes". 

And you get a generous glass of sweet tea while the paperwork passes from desk to desk.

It wasn't always like this.

Filming or writing about the fighting in the south could get you blacklisted by Khartoum. But these days the southern struggle is internationally legitimised, and the country poised on the brink of a messy and very public divorce.

Khartoum seems to be resigned to the world's curiosity.

By Hoda Abdel-Hamid in Africa on April 11th, 2010
AFP photo

So it was a bad first day of polling in the south. Or, as one senior official of Salva Kiir, the president of Southern Sudan, said, a wasted day.

Well, he has a point.

Polling stations were still being set up after the official opening hour. Those that did open, did so with at least four hours' delay.

But that was only the first hurdle. Many voters could not find their names on the lists.

Other voting centres did not even get the chance to welcome voters because they were missing ballots, or security personnel or ink.

In this poor region, polling stations consist of tables set up in the shade of giant and magnificent trees.

Waiting idly

It was supposed to be a day of high spirits, instead we found polling staff sitting idly, trying to entertain themselves while waiting endlessly for the ballots or the official closing hour to arrive, whichever came first.

By Hoda Abdel-Hamid in Africa on April 9th, 2010
Photo by AFP

Travelling on the campaign trail with Salva Kiir, the president of Southern Sudan, is one of the most exhausting exercises I have ever been through.

Six flights - by both plane and helicopter - in less than 36 hours, and hundred of kilometers by car on bumpy road tracks, and under Sudan's blistering sun.

The president has been doing this for the past few weeks.

He is running a campaign in the bush, travelling to the most remote areas with a simple message: Vote for me and I will provide you with water, electricity, schools and hospitals.

People have been complaining that since the peace agreement was signed five years ago, little has been done to improve their lives. There has been growing resentment in the wake of what many see as a lack of proper governance. The government and the southern army - the SPLA - have been accused of corruption.

By Hoda Abdel-Hamid in Africa on April 6th, 2010
Reuters photo

Less than a week to go and, in most places parties would be busy campaigning and incoming governments would be busy courting their people to keep them in office.

But here in southern Sudan, the government is busy teaching people how to vote.

By Hoda Abdel-Hamid in Africa on January 20th, 2010
AFP photo

In the far-flung town of Nzara, here in the Western Equatoria region of Southern Sudan, young boys between 16 and 20 deploy in thick forests at night.

They are called by the local community the Arrow Boys because they carry arrows and bows to fight the Lords' Resistance Army, a militia that comes from across the border in Democratic Republic of Congo or Central African Republic and, according to people, kill, rape and abduct innocent people.

It is the latest war going on in this region.

The Arrow Boys make their own weapons out of metal pipes. Carved wooden bullets are purchased on the market for two dollars each.

They are full of metal shrapnel.
 
We saw them disappear into the thick forest at night.

We city dwellers were scared of snakes, bugs and all the kinds of animals that we had always read about but never seen.

The arrow boys giggled. 
 
 

By Mohamed Vall in Africa on January 15th, 2010
AFP photo

It is now official: Salva Kiir, Sudan's first vice-president, will run for president of south Sudan in April's elections, leaving the post of national presidency to be contested by Yassir Arman, a lower-ranking northern member of his party.

The decision means the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) is both adamant about and sure of secession to result from next year's referendum on the future of Southern Sudan.

So the southern leaders don't want to remain entanged with the North one second after the referendum results are out. They will retreat to their new capital Juba in the south, create their state and leave their northern comrades (including Arman) to rule the north where he belongs.

This also means they will try to keep the north under their wing if their candidate wins the race! But he won't!

He is popular neither in the south nor in the north!

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