Appeal to inhabitants of
Southern Sudan
from a European:
Renaming of
Southern Sudan
into Nilotia or Nilotland is a prerequisite for the real independence, liberty, successful development, and prosperity of your country!
BY: Alex Dobrovolsky,
UKRAINE
First of all, the inhabitants of
Southern Sudan
should break any spiritual liaison with Arabic Sudan and with all Arabic World and separate from Arabic Sudan and from all Arabic World psychologically. And for this it is necessary to get rid of the word “
Sudan
” in the name of their country.
The Holy Bible gives several examples when people began the new life and changed their names.
God established the covenant with Abram and renamed him into Abraham (Genesis, 17: 1—10).
God renamed Jacob into
Israel
(Genesis, 32: 24—32).
Jesus Christ called Simon to the ministry as one of the twelve apostles and renamed him into Peter and Cephas (Luke,
6: 12
—16 and John,
1: 35
—42). The words “Peter” and “Cephas” mean “a rock”.
In the history of humanity there were many cases of renaming the nations and the states. Between 1950 and 1990 there were at least 14 cases of renaming the states! Of these 12 took place in
Africa
, one in
Central America
and one in the remote islands of
Oceania
. In most cases the state received the new name at the moment when it attained independence.
Two the most successful renaming in
Africa
are renaming of
Northern Rhodesia
into
Zambia
and renaming of
South-West Africa
into
Namibia
.
Between 1889 and 1905 the lands of present
Zambia
and
Zimbabwe
went under the rule of the British South Africa Company (BSAC). In 1911 the administration of the BSAC divided the mentioned territory into two administrative units:
Northern Rhodesia
to the north from river
Zambezi
and
Southern Rhodesia
to the south from
Zambezi
. In 1964
Northern Rhodesia
became an independent state and received the new name
Zambia
in accordance with the name of river
Zambezi
. The causes for renaming were as following.
Firstly, people in all the world at large used to confuse
Northern Rhodesia
and
Southern Rhodesia
.
Secondly, the name “
Northern Rhodesia
” is not convenient to use in conversation and in the printed text. Think, how awkwardly the next phrase sounds: “in northern part of
Northern Rhodesia
” compared with “in northern
Zambia
”.
It is quite obvious that people in all the world at large often used to confuse
Southern Sudan
with
Northern Sudan
. And it is quite obvious that the name “
Southern Sudan
” is not convenient for usage in talks and in the printed text.
Let us agree that phrase “in the city Raga in the western part of
Southern Sudan
” is heard verbose. And how short and clear is the phrase “in the city Raga in western Nilotia”.
Between 1883 and 1890
South-West Africa
went under the power of
Germany
. Later on, in 1914—1915 (juridically in 1920)
South-West Africa
went under the power of
South Africa
. Between 1960 and 1970
South-West Africa
received the name
Namibia
as the second name in accordance with the name of desert Namib in the littoral part of the country. In 1990
South-West Africa
became an independent state with new name
Namibia
. The causes for renaming were as following.
In the first place, the inhabitants of
South-West Africa
wished to emphasized that their country has incredible beautiful desert Namib with red-colored sands, where unusual plants are growing and where a lot of species of animals and birds are dwelling.
In the second place, the name “
South-West Africa
” is inconvenient to use in talks and in the printed text (as well as the names “
Northern Rhodesia
” and “
Southern Sudan
”).
In
Africa
:
desert Namib gave the name to
Namibia
state;
mountain-volcano
Cameroon
gave the name to
Cameroon
state;
mountain
Kenya
gave the name to
Kenya
state;
lake Chad gave the name to state
Chad
;
river
Zambezi
gave the name to
Zambia
state;
river
Senegal
gave the name to
Senegal
state;
river
Gambia
gave the name to
Gambia
state;
river
Niger
gave the names to states
Niger
and
Nigeria
;
river
Congo
gave the names to states Congo-Brazzaville and Congo-Kinshasa (former
Zaire
).
In
Latin America
:
river
Paraguay
gave the name to
Paraguay
state;
river
Uruguay
gave the name to state
Uruguay
;
lake Nicaragua gave the name to
Nicaragua
state.
About half of the population of
Southern Sudan
lives on the banks of river
Nile
, the capital
Juba
is situated on the bank of
Nile
, and all the rivers of
Southern Sudan
flow into
Nile
. Hence, it is quite natural to rename
Southern Sudan
into Nilotia or Nilotland in accordance with the name of the river
Nile
. In addition, in
Southern Sudan
and in other countries of
Africa
grows the tree Acacia nilotia.
In scientific ethnographic literature
Southern Sudan
is often named as Nilotic Sudan (in French — Soudan Nilotique).
Other 10 cases of renaming of the states which took place in African continent.
In 1957 two British protectorates Gold Coast and
British Togoland
Trust
Territory
united into the integrated independent state
Ghana
.
In 1960 French protectorate Ubangi-Shari (Oubangui-Chari in French) became an independent state with new name
Central African Republic
or shortly Centroafricana (in French — République Centrafricaine, or Centrafricaine).
In the same 1960 French Sudan (in French — Soudan Française) became an independent state with new name
Mali
.
In 1964 British protectorate
Nyasaland
became an independent state with new name
Malawi
.
In 1966 British protectorate
Basutoland
became an independent state with new name Lesoto.
In same 1966 British protectorate
Bechuanaland
became an independent state with new name
Botswana
.
In 1968 Spanish Guinea (in Spanish — Guinea Español) became an independent state with new name
Equatorial Guinea
(in Spanish — Guinea Ecuatorial).
In 1960 French protectorate
Dahomey
became an independent state. In 1975 the inhabitants of
Dahomey
renamed their state into
Benin
, in French — Bénin.
In 1965
Southern Rhodesia
became an independent state. In 1980 the inhabitants of
Southern Rhodesia
renamed their state into
Zimbabwe
.
In 1960 French protectorate
Upper Volta
(Haute-Volta in French) became an independent state. In 1984 the inhabitants of
Upper Volta
renamed their state into
Burkina Faso
.
Very successful renaming of a country was done in
Central America
in order to avoid confusion. For a long time people in all the world confused
Honduras
(former Spanish Honduras) with neighboring
British Honduras
. In 1981
British Honduras
became an independent state, and this very year inhabitants of new state renamed their country into
Belize
(in Spanish — Belice).
Also very successful renaming of a country was done in
Oceania
. Between 1887 and 1980 islands
New Hebrides
(in French — Nouvelles Hébrides) in
Pacific Ocean
were under the common rule of
Great Britain
and
France
. In 1980
New Hebrides
became an independent state with new name
Vanuatu
.
Many people in Europe, Northern America, Latin America and in other continents erroneously take Southern Sudan and Northern Sudan for single Arabic Nation as one and indivisible ethnic community. People interpret the wars in Southern Sudan (1955—1972, 1983—2005) as the civil wars inside the single Arabic Sudanese Nation like civil wars in Lebanon inside single Arabic Lebanese Nation. The name “
Southern Sudan
” mistake the most people in the planet.
Many inhabitants of
Southern Sudan
speak about so: We are proud that our skin is the most black in the planet. In Arabic language the word “
Sudan
” means “land of blacks”. And “black is beautiful”. And we wish to conserve the name “
Southern Sudan
”.
But such an argument may be refuted.
Firstly, people outside Northern Africa and Middle East do not know Arabic language, and thus do not know that word “Sudan” means “country of the blacks”.
Secondly, Arabs called with the word “
Sudan
” lands of conquered black tribes, which were under their power. Up to 1823 no Arabic authorities existed and there were no Arabic settlements on the lands of Nilotian tribes from Renk to the South. Therefore, up to 1823 the name “
Sudan
” had not any relation to contemporary
Southern Sudan
.
In 2000 AC (4010 years ago):
1) Nilotian tribes (descendants of Cush in the Bible) lived in valleys of rivers Nile, Atbara, Blue Nile, and White Nile from Egyptian border in the North up to rivers El-Gazal and Sobat in South and to the Ethiopian border in East;
2) Ancient Egyptians (descendants of Mizraim in the Bible) lived in valley of river
Nile
from Sudanese border up to
Mediterranean Sea
;
3) tribes Blemmyes-beja lived between river Nile and Red Sea in
Sudan
and
Egypt
.
The most numerous Nilotian tribes were Nubians. Nubians lived mostly in valleys of the rivers Nile (between
Khartoum
and Egyptian border), Atbara and
Blue Nile
.
Other Nilotians lived over the territory from
Khartoum
up to Malakal, and also together or side by side with Nubians in the savannah and desert near river
Nile
.
Gradually, during 3000 years, from 2000 AC up to 1000 AD Nubians mixed genetically with the tribes Blemmyes-beja and with ancient Egyptians. Languages of these two nations had an influence upon the language of Nubians. By 1000 AD the Coptic (Egyptian) Church gained a foothold in all
Nubia
, and two principal literature languages of
Nubia
became Nubian and Coptic.
Thereby, in year 1000 (1010 years ago) Nubians separated finally from Nilotians and became a separate people. Nilotians preserved their genetic and linguistic purity.
In 1000 in
Northern Sudan
the following communities lived:
1) Arabs and Blemmyes-beja between river Nile and
Red Sea
;
2) tribe Darfur in the mountains
Darfur
;
3) Nubians in valleys of the rivers Nile (up to
Khartoum
), Atbara and
Blue Nile
;
4) Mountain Nubians and Kordofanian tribes in the mountains Dar-Nuba and Kordofan.
Nilotians in the very year 1000 lived already in all lands of
Southern Sudan
, as well as on the strip of land 50 kilometres in width to the North from the river El-Arab (including the region Abyei!)
Different ethnic groups of Northern Sudan and Nilotian tribes of
Southern Sudan
by year 1000 were entirely and finally separated by the invisible wall in relation to genetics, languages and customs.
And now about the most significant. Between 1000 and 1823 (during 823 years!) Nilotians of Southern Sudan had nearly no contacts with the tribes of
Northern Sudan
. HISTORY is a weighty argument for renaming of
Southern Sudan
.
Between years 700 and 900 Arabs conquered the tribes blemmyes-beja between river Nile and
Red Sea
.
Between 1172 and 1500 (during 328 years) Arabs conquered
Nubia
(and also renamed
Nubia
into
Sudan
!).
Then between 1500 and 1750 Arabs conquered regions Dar-Nuba and Kordofan.
In 1820—1822 Egyptians conquered all Northern Sudan (except of Darfur) and established
Khartoum
, and from 1823 Egyptian-Sudanese troops began conquer Nilotian lands in contemporary
Southern Sudan
.
Up to 1875 Arabs from
Egypt
and Northern Sudan had created a network of the footholds in all the
territory
of
Nilotia
(
Southern Sudan
). Between 1870 and 1875
Egypt
conquered
Darfur
.
Between 1850 and 1870 the British began to penetrate into Southern Sudan, and then between 1882 and 1905 Northern and Southern Sudan passed under the rule of
Great Britain
. But clashes between Arabs and Nilotians continued. Then
Great Britain
separated Southern (Nilotic)
Sudan
from Northern (Arabic)
Sudan
territorially and administratively in 1920—1923, the Arabic merchants and officials being expelled from
Southern Sudan
.
Between 1923 and 1946 (during more than 22 years) Northern (Arabic) Sudan and Nilotia (Southern Sudan) actually existed as two separate parts of British Empire, and these two parts had different administrations, different laws and different systems of education.
Between 1923 and 1946 there were no Arabs in Southern Sudan, and on the border between the both parts of
Sudan
the British guard stood.
But beginning from 1946 the British authorities in spite of ethnic differences commenced to lead a policy of the artificial unification of Northern and Southern Sudan, and in 1953—1956 the North and South were unified into the integral state Sudan despite of Nilotian’s wishes and despite of a History.
Nilotians during the last thousand years had and have strong relationships with peoples of Equatorial Africa.
Between 1000 and 1750 Nilotians settled down on the western and northern lands of
Kenya
, on the northern lands of
Uganda
, and on the north-eastern part of
Zaire
(Congo-Kinshasa).
Between 1750 and 1850 the tribes Adamawa (Azande-Mündü-Ndogo) arrived from the West into Nilotia.
Probably in 1000 existed a single Nilotic language with multiple dialects. Little by little between 1000 and 1950 (during 950 years) the dialects of a single Nilotic language developed into the separate languages of Uganda, Zaire, Kenya, and into 12 separate languages of 12 main ethnic communities of Nilotia: Dinka, Bari, Lotuko, Nuer, Shilluk, Murle, Moru, Madi, Luo, Anuak, Acholi, Toposa. These 12 Nilotian tribes should remember their common origin from one root, and together with tribes Adamawa (Azande, Mündü, Ndogo) should initiate building the prospering Nilotia state.
Remember about millions of people, who perished for independent state Nilotia in wars 1823—1923, 1955—1972, and 1983—2005.
Of all the nations of
Africa
just Nilotia has the most heroic history.
Renaissance of Equatorial Africa will begin in 2011 from independence and from renaming of
Southern Sudan
into Nilotia or Nilotland.
It is necessary to introduce the words “Nilotic” and “Nilotian” everywhere: Nilotic Nation, Nilotian people, Nilotians, Nilotic University of Juba, Nilotic Petroleum Corporation, Nilotian Electricity Corporation, Nilotian Gas Company, Nilotic Central Bank.
Change the name of your country as quickly as possible, and separate from Arabic Sudan! Tomorrow it may be too late! Today the door of salvation is open!
Sincerely,
Alex Dobrovolsky (
Ukraine
)
22 of December, 2009
E-mail: [email protected]
NB: Dear Mr. Editor-in-Chief of electronic magazine “South Sudan Nation”,
I am Alex Dobrovolsky, born in 1974, a citizen and inhabitant of
Ukraine
. I am a geographer. It’s me who has suggested naming
Southern Sudan
as Nilotia or Nilotland.
On the 7th of July 2009, I received your letter with an attachment written by Rengo Gyyw Rengo- “No renaming Southern
Sudan
if it chooses to break away”.
I surprised that not all the inhabitants of
Southern Sudan
want to rename their country. Therefore I write once again a new message in the form of an appeal to inhabitants of Southern Sudan, where I explained in details, why it is necessary to rename
Southern Sudan
without fail.
I beg you to place my message as a page on the site “South Sudan Nation”. Here is my message.