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Sudan Tribune

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Why Sudan unity is vital for peaceful living in South Sudan

By Ibrahim Abdalla

May 26, 2008 — A couple of months ago there was a deadly clashes between what are described as Arabic
tribes (Misyria) and the SPLA/M (mostly of southern descends) soldiers in the disputed
city of Abyi. The tension from these clashes continue and a couple of days ago, a more
deadly clashes took place, this time with the Sudan arm forces involved – and the tension
goes on while the city of Abyi is already transformed into a ghost city.

The main reasons for these clashes is obvious to every body and deeply rooted in the com-
prehensive peace agreement (CPA) sign by the late Garang and the single ruling party in the
north. The CPA includes the fact that in 2011 the south my succeed through a referendum
although when the CPA was signed there was strong belief that Garang will lead to the unity
of Sudan rather than dividing it. However, the fate of God decided that Garang should not
continue leading the SPLM after signing the CPA and the situation becomes very chaotic
for both southern and northern partners after his death. The successor of Garang (Silva Kir)
doesn’t have the vision nor the experience of the late Garang and this raised the suspicion
and panic among the northern partners that signed the CPATo the ruling party in the north,
the conception was that it is a matter of time only before Southern Sudan decide to succeed
and from here the struggle of the disputed Abyi and the suffering of its people started and
most likely will never end without a good will from the leaders. Misyria tribes supported
by the northern partners insist that Abyi belongs to the north while SPLA strongly claim
that Abyi is part from the south. The efforts of an international committee brought to con-
tribute in solving the problem went with the wind and the future remain gloomy.

From the above introductory, the question of whether Sudan unity carry any real impor-
tance, especially with respect to the people in the south living close to the newly proposed
north/south borders around Abyi and its surroundings emerges. The recent clashes mainly
involved Misyria tribes which are considered to be of Arabic background. The fact that
Misyria (or any other tribe/clan) in Sudan are of pure Arabic blood is debatable and the
concept of “Arabs” should be revised and carefully understood, especially within the con-
ception of those tribes which descends from pure African roots such as the Nilotic tribes
dominating southern Sudan. History does indicates that most of what are referred to as
Arabs in Sudan does include Nubian blood within them, but this is not the point the writer
of this article would like to indulge in discussing it, instead, just to raise the attention of
those how uses this as a pretext for war and inciting hatred within the Sudanese varying
tribal spectrum.

It became apparent post the aftermath of the deadly clashes around Abyi that, the core rea-
sons for the above clashes is the natural resources which exist in the rich southern part of
Sudan and not really ethnically motivated. As a person who grew and still live in Kordo-
fan Province, I know that it is not only Misyia tribes (who basically live around the area
of Abyi) are accessing the green pastures deep in Southern Sudan, but many other tribes
such as nomadic Shanablah (a major tribe that includes tens of clans and sub-clans) also
do the same. During the rainy season in Kordofan province, Shanblah tribes takes their
sheeps far in the desert region – named Al-Baja (towards the Libyan desert), however, their
camels herds goes deep into southern Sudan in search for better green pastures. Close to the
harvesting season in Kordofan province they again come back to make use of the harvest
season left-over.

In case southern Sudan succeed in the proposed 2011 referendum, the real question that
will emerge as a result of the succession will be: how to convince such tribes such as
Misyria and others who enjoyed freedom of movement around those areas for hundreds of
years that, this freedom is over and that the green pastures they used to access without any
restriction (before the assumed succession) is no longer available to them. To such kind of
tribes, their camels and sheeps is their life and it is just too difficult for them to compromise
it for the sake of the North or South Sudanese administration in the case of southern Sudan
succession. Taking into consideration the almost the very low level of educations of the
individual of such tribes, and worst of all, their tribal bravery which they are proud of, it
becomes even more awkward to get the idea of succession to their brain core. Also considering the fact that southern Sudan administration (or government after succession) has the
right to exercise their border control, the conclusion is obvious: a very volatile situation
around long borders- probably forever. The minimum implication of such circumstances is
the loss of more human lives as well as hampering the development especially of southern
Sudan

Of course the problem could be solved if the northern government committed much of re-
sources in development schemes for the affected tribes that may (but may not) convince
them to settle and live a modern life style while keeping their old life style. But this seems
to be a dream that most likely will not be realised. In such situation, the tension will remain
in those areas and the sun of peace and prosperity may never shine on those areas and in the
south as general since they will be committing most of their resources to fight a useless and
unwinnable war of mouse and cat. The problem may also get complicated by hidden agendas associated with the fact that a good percentage of the population in the north including
many generals from the northern Sudan army believe that the CPA has given southern Sudanese people more than they deserve. This is because there was another CPA that was
almost signed before the ongoing (Ingaz) government came to power in late eighties. In
that treaty (engineered by Almurgani and the former Garang), at least the proposal of dividing Sudan was not mentioned with or without referendum. Based on this historical fact,
many of the northern Sudanese army personnel believe that the CPA should not go ahead
and even if it is implemented, should be based on one Sudan rather than dividing it. Such
complication can only prolong the misery of all Sudan population.

When the referendum is exercised, the southerners are absolutely having the right to vote to
their choice. However, let us sight a decision of a man whom I do consider as a great leader
-that is Ronald Regan, the former US president during the eighties who led America during
the toughest times of the cold war and the threat of nuclear confrontation with the Communist ideologists the very strong at that time Russian federation (USSR). The army generals
of Ronald Regan have convinced him that the nuclear war against the USSR is winnable,
but, when they exposed all the scenarios to him including the loss of tens of millions of
American and the total destructions of most of the American cities, Regan concluded that
there is no winner of a nuclear war erupts. He then led the negotiation of destruction of such
useless weaponry. Hence, let us hope that the management of both northern and southern
Sudan is wise enough to avoid any more bloodshed in the Sudan and lead to the one great
Sudan.

Dr Ibrahim Abdalla is a Senior Lecturer, School of computing and Engineering, DeMontfort University, Leicester, UK. He can be reached at [email protected]

8 Comments

  • Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy
    Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy

    Why Sudan unity is vital for peaceful living in South Sudan
    Ibrahim Abdalla

    We are not making any hatred on this site the fact is that,Southern leaders are working for personal interest and this is particular as part of triblism imagine the election of Second National Convention memebers,without the decision of Riek and Pagan Amum to propose for truth some triblism people are almost to lost their position infact everyone was trie.When we are talking about triblism it’s a way of finding out what is wrong right from the bottom and this is how a wise son can identify the mistake of his father,don’t be arrogant challenge your parents and alert them in what they have done.If your positive in logic please make use of it rather than spending your time on drinking and vomitting in the public and this is how some people are doing on Sudantribune site.

    In the case of Abeyi,i beleive that those Misyria tribes who are taking interest of fighting against SPLA on their own ground must be aware that Abeyi is 100% part of South,we knew that some people are taking part in Arabs beliefs this includes African indigenous and this comes as the result of their religion beliefs,because right now if you go to khartoum and meet some African Sudanese who are already Islamic,it’s a maricle infact some may intend to act like an arab to their fellow African Sudanese.And this are the kind of people who are selling their properties including their brothers,sisters to arabs according the history of Arabs in Sudan.However this is not the case for arabs to claim every part of Sudan as what they have own from African Sudanese.We knew that during the long struggled of SPLA in South,there was a wide opportunity of those Arabs removing our resource and many more minerials to build with their Sahahra in North,but i warn that right now on ward it’s our power over our own properties and none of arabs should come and claim any single items in South right from Abyi,Uganda,Kenya,Ethiopia,Central African and DRC border.

    We lose Garang with unspecfic evidences about how he got crashed,but the vision that Garang has plan to Southern people and their ground will never come to an end,although we are facing alot of problems at the moment due to our unexperience drive yet in the promise hearts of Southern people,our vision will be achieved in any mean and this is will never bring a Southern And an arabs to share a single plate nor a table just like we are hoping during the referendum.

    Hope everyone is motivating in this

    Reply
  • Gatwech
    Gatwech

    Why Sudan unity is vital for peaceful living in South Sudan
    Dr. Ibrahim,

    What sounds like a big concern to you that the Messiriya tribe around Abyei could be a threat to South Sudan nation should its people vote for separation in 2011 is not a big concern to 99% of South Sudanese. I can asure you that! Our big concern at the moment is how to reach to creation of a nationhood in the South. When we are an independent sovereign nation with all the necessary killing machines, a tribe like Messeiriha tribe will only pray for its survival around that location and not for it to attempt to cause insecurity along the borderline. We cannot compromise our right to self-determination that may lead to the separation we long for since time immemorial because of a tribe called Messeriha, etc! That does not justify the need for unity either, Dr. or lecturer. I also believe that the very northern remaining government one day will willfully take upon itself to control the Messeriha tribe in order not to provoke the South to invade Khartoum. Dr. Ibrahim, I can tell you that by the time Sudan separates into complete independent North and South, military powers may begin to tilt unpredictably. North may turn out to be the victim, not South. Can you think about that?

    Gatwech

    Reply
  • Mr Point
    Mr Point

    Why Sudan unity is vital for peaceful living in NORTH Sudan
    Let us hope that there is no more bloodshed.

    The North NCP government has many problems.

    It agreed and signed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. It agreed and signed the Abyei protocol – then it dumped the report that the Commission produced by the agreed process. Let peace come, but the North has not honoured any past agreement on Abyei. It will need to prove that it won’’t break any future peace agreement it make.

    Instead of building unity the North has followed scorch earth policy to terrorise civilians. The scorch earth policy make it more likely that the south will leave. This will anger the northern generals and the militias which the northern government has paid and armed.

    And then the generals will take the power in Khartoum just like they did in 1989.

    Sudan unity is vital for peaceful living in NORTH Sudan

    Reply
  • James Okuk Solomon
    James Okuk Solomon

    Why Sudan unity is vital for peaceful living in South Sudan
    Some people regard Mr. Big_Logic_Boy as illogical in his comments but I find some of what he writes to be truthful and logical. I agree with his reply to Dr. Ibrahim and also with the reply from brother Gatwech. I just want to add these points to support them:

    1. The title of Ibrahim’s article should have been “Why Sudan Unity is fatal for peaceful living in South Sudan” and not “Why Sudan Unity is vital for peaceful living in South Sudan” if the author is honest about the reality on the ground.

    2. The author concludes his article with a deceptive and irrelevant case of USA vs USSR during the cold war, just to try to confirm (uselessly) that Southerners will lose if they separate from the North. Wake up from your slumbers, Dr. Ibrahim, and liberate yourself from 6th century’s appeals to Southerners like Big_Logic_Boy, Gatwech, myself and others whose eyes have been wide opened by their long struggle for liberation of the South from the North. Keep crying over the spilled milk, but we will continue to move with no brake towards achieving our dream of independent African State of South Sudan. Blame yourself and other Jellaba of the Sudan for having handled the milk jar carelessly, right from the independence of the Sudan from British colonialist. The Shamalin (Northerners) have dropped the milk jar into a sandy ground and nothing remains in it to be desired. Junubin (Southerners) are not going to tolerate any longer to continue doing all the nasty servitude labour for Jellaba’s houses and factories in order to enable them enjoy the privileges and prestige of lecturing in universities and living in luxury while the servants suffer from poverty. Forget it! Hell No! We are just a step forward to our destiny and nobody will deceive us again to deviate our nearly finishing long journey to freedom. We will never return backward to endorse the unattractive unified Sudan whether it is renamed as a New Sudan or whatever Sudan. Goodbye to slave masters! We have broken many chains and are just doing the last ‘warming up’ exercise to break the last chain of slavery! Just prepare your congratulatory message, Dr. Ibrahim, as we will soon say “Welcome to the new born South Sudan!”

    1. The Arab nomads who have occupied Abyei and envy the greenness and oil-lucrativity of the South should get it well into their heads that they do not belong there without the consent of the owners. Let them blame God for having put them in the sandy hot desert (call it hell of the North) of the North, or let them ask Him for a new creation if they wish. If they want to use our green land, they should bow down to us and beg for South Sudan Nationality (but not by birth). We will screen their applications and see whether to grant them or deny them access to the ‘greeny’ and ‘wety’ paradise of South Sudan. James Okuk, PhD student, University of Nirobi.

    Reply
  • Jonglei Kuereng

    Why Sudan unity is vital for peaceful living in South Sudan
    To Ibrahim Abdalla & the rest

    Your View — Muslims are turning to Christianity
    Monday, 19 May 2008 05:55 Jim Tessien, Mankato

    If you remember, one of the big stories at Easter was the pope baptizing a well known Egyptian who gave up Islam to be a Roman Catholic. This is just one story of many as it turns out. You will not see this on TV or read it in the papers of the mainstream outlets, but many thousands of Muslims are turning to Christianity. They are making this decision amid widespread persecution and death threats.

    In recorded history, more Muslims have turned to Jesus Christ in just the last 30 years.
    According to New York Times best-selling author Joel Rosenberg, there were only 17 Christians in Afghanistan before Al-Qaeda attacked America. Today that number is way over 10,000 and the number is growing. If you look back to 1979, there were only a few Christians in Iraq. Today there are well over 70,000, including former Islamic Jhadist terrorists.

    In Egypt there have been over a million converted to Jesus in the last decade. In the year 2005, 750,000 copies of the Bible on tape in Arabic were sold, plus a half million copies of the Arabic New Testament. In Iran, so much in the news today, there were only 500 Christians back in 1979. Currently Iranian pastors report well over one million Shia converts. In the Sudan, there were over one million converts to Jesus since 2001. Sheiikh Ahmad Al Qataani, a leading Saudi cleric, appeared live on Aljazeera TV to confirm that indeed Muslims were turning to Jesus Christ in alarming numbers. He reported that every hour there are 667 converts and 16,000 a day, and six million a year. He said a tragedy has happened.

    Life is certainly not easy for any of these new Christians. They face ostracism from family, getting fired from jobs, torture and death. But they have come to believe that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. Let all Christians rejoice in these new believers, and pray for their faith and safety.

    Reply
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