Panel #7B

"Southern Sudan: Peace & Development"


The State of the Public Sector: Southern Sudan in the Post War Period

Aggripa Wajo
Independent Scholar
Canada

Since Sudan became independent in 1956, there had been no stable government in the Southern Sudan due to continued civil wars. Firs the 17-year civil war (1955-1972) which ended with the Addis Ababa agreement, and the (1983-2004) civil war which ended with the signing of the Naivasha Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Since 1972, the people of Southern Sudan did not invest enough in human resources; as a result, no competitive public sector was established. This situation, coupled with the eruption of the second civil war has let to increased mismanagement and misappropriation of public funds. Such a situation has further resulted in: absence of accountability in the public sector, lack of motivation at work place, and lack of proper communication strategies between employees and executives.

This paper examines the root causes of systemic problems that had faced and continue to face the public sector in Southern Sudan. The paper first traces the historical causes of these problems and how it has affected the economic and social development over the last 4 decades of southern Sudan history. In addition, it addresses how to approach these issues in the post war Southern Sudan to achieve a sustainable peace and development, by focusing on the changing global economic system, business operations, government institutions and the challenges facing employers and employees in the face of such changes. The paper will conclude with the discussion of the importance of alternative training for better capacity building in the Southern Sudan. It will particularly concentrate on best practices in the areas of work place behavior and soft skills development and the use of the method of In-House training for a positive change, and how these practices and methods could effectively apply in the post war Southern Sudan.

The Role of Women in Peace Building

Sitona Osman
Independent Scholar
Canada

The dynamic creation of women and their role at home and in the society has a major influence on women as peace builders, in almost all African cultures. Peace is associated with harmony in their daily life. Absence of harmony is seen as the sign of conflict. In Southern Sudanese community, culture has been assigned to women. The role of family education, upbringing, socialization and peace building at home and community is allocated to them. Such education starts from childhood and was put into effect by all means in a variety of activities. Women play a dominant role in the transmission, dissemination and consolidation of the values that include patience, honesty, and respect, flexibility, compassion and open mindedness as critical values that generate peace and harmony in the society. However, during civil wars and ethnic conflicts, women, men, and children all face different challenges and suffering. Women particularly suffered in very unusual ways, and with little or no protection they are subjected to the most degrading treatments including sexual violence as a weapon of war. Women also risk their lives trying to seek food to feed their family.

This paper presents the historical background of women’s role as peace builders traditionally, it gives insights into women’s role in preserving the culture and their efforts to stop war and maintain peace. It reflects the impact of war and different ethnic conflicts on women who have suffered loss of their husbands and family members, finding themselves with a burden of family responsibilities without essentially having the experience or resource. It discusses the role of individuals and civil society organizations in peace effort and it highlights the importance of creating a culture of peace through different peace programs and involvement of women in peace building and conflict resolution.  The paper focuses specifically on the active role of women in South Sudan, in advocating for a culture of peace rather than the culture of war. Here the paper draws on the activities of the Sudanese Women Voice for Peace (SWVP), an organization formed in 1993 by women from different backgrounds and cultures. This organization works in coalition with other organizations whose main objective is also to advocate peace and reconciliation among people. The paper concludes with the need to acknowledge and document the efforts undertaken by women and women’s organizations in the area of peace, and how to promote women’s role in post conflict peace building and maintenance.

War, Displacement, and Peace: The Despicable Tragedy in Southern Sudan

David Edward Lado
Independent Scholar
Canada

In this paper, I will examine the horrific situation of war and displacement in Southern Sudan. The region has been and continues to be subjected to war and displacement since 1820 up to date. The paper will also discuss the numerous attempts over the years to restore peace and stability in this region. My main argument is that, this vicious cycle of war, displacement was and continue to be perpetuated by other regional and global factors, instead of the obvious reasons such as, cultural and religious difference, ethnicity, power struggle to name but a few. These unpalatable effects are what I call the symptoms of the war. My argument is that, unless the people understand and tackle these regional and global factors, the tireless attempts to settle and stabilize the situation in Southern Sudan may not be successful.

Southern Sudan is the region in the Republic of Sudan that falls between 4 and 12 degrees parallel. It comprises of Bahr al Gazal, Equatoria and Upper Nile states. The war and displacement in Southern Sudan, has caused disproportionate deaths, destruction, political and tribal divisions, lost of properties and dignity. The paper will first discuss the unpleasant effects of war on the Southern Sudanese communities as was previously mentioned. Secondly, the paper will examine the roles and initiatives these communities are undertaking in order to make life meaningful to its members, despite the overwhelming odds of war and displacement. Finally the paper will analyze the attempts made by these communities, nation states, other NGO’s, regional, and the international organizations in order to resolve the conflict in Southern Sudan. The information used in this paper is based on interviews with refugees/displaced Southern Sudanese in Winnipeg, Canada. Some of these people experience the life of displacement more than once. The study was conducted between March1999 to August 2003.

The Need for a Free Press in the Post-War Reconstruction Process in South Sudan

Brian Adeba
Independent Scholar
Canada

The history of the media in South Sudan as a tool for reconstruction is one of missed opportunities. Introduced by the British colonials in the fifties, the first newspaper available to South Sudanese was a public relations tool designed to sell the concept of a united Sudan to Southerners. South Sudanese did not participate in creating their own media because the colonials were wary of other views that were not in line with their plans for Sudan.

After the Addis Ababa Agreement of 1972, the media that came into existence was one controlled by the then autonomous government of the South. To a very large extent then, the media was a government tool and freedom of expression was limited.

But with the blowing of the so called “wind of change” that ushered in the advent of multi-party democracy in Africa in the late 80s and early 90s, (and with it, the introduction of media freedoms), South Sudanese today are more conscious of the need for a free press than they were 30 years ago. Coupled with this is the fact that there is a large South Sudanese Diaspora in the West who are increasingly playing a vocal behind-the-scenes role on how the South should be run.

Post-war reconstruction is increasingly becoming a broad definition that includes the need for a free and viable press. Such a press would enlighten the people of the South on a broad spectrum of issues including the need to make and decide political choices.

A free press is therefore essential in fostering good governance, accountability and democracy in the emerging South Sudan and should therefore be encouraged in the post-war reconstruction process.