Articles and Analysies
Is South Sudan Development a Far Reaching Dream? By:Deng Mulwal
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Aug 2, 2009 - 6:10:26 AM

Is South Sudan Development a Far Reaching Dream?

By:Deng Mulwal

Several southern Sudan leaders and politicians are still voicing flaming statements in the frame of political plots which is their same mentality before the signature of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
It seems that those politicians are enjoying the gunpowder smell and relish the risks of war.

Four years after the CPA signature which stopped the bloodshed between north and south and brought the Government of National Unity with the wealth and power sharing in a state called The Sudan with its south, north, east and west borders.

Naivasha concentrated, among other things, on establishing development edifices in the south to pick up the southern citizens from poverty, ignorance and illness to other horizons enabling them enjoy services and participate in developing their areas besides promoting their traditions and inherited cultures to cope with the modernization.
According to official statements, Southern Sudan is given its entire wealth share from the oil revenues which are supposed to go to development and establishing projects in the region.

The reality says the development in the south is still stumbling and the people are suffering so much due to lack of basic services.
Most of Southern Sudan cadres spread in the north found no demographic encouragement to move southwards and this is the responsibility of south Sudan leaderships and politicians which should urge such cadres to move towards the south to activate the development process and steer up the change cycle.
As for those southern Sudanese leaders who are wasting their time and effort fishing in troubled waters to widen rifts between the NCP and the SPLM to make unity unattractive, they should ask themselves that if the south Sudan becomes an independent state after the referendum what will be the situation in the new born state in dealing with neighbouring countries? Have they forgotten that the neighbouring countries have its own agendas and are looking for resources such as oil?
It is known that the neighbouring states to the southern part of the country did not enjoy the oil and are lacking agricultural resources also and they will find in the new born state their goal.
Historically it is known that the main reason for wars is the conflict over the resources and capabilities, so did those politicians should put this fact in their consideration.

However, we hope that the south enjoys stability and security with its citizens transforming their lives into modern system with all the services and welfare which they missed for decades.
But the question to the politicians who deal with policies from their own ambitions is, who is the strategic enemy of the South? Is it the north or other parties which will find it a golden opportunity to seize the wealth of the region?

In case of the new born state in the south goes to war with one of the neighbouring countries who will be the protector? Will it be the north or other parties?

Another question, with whom and against who will the GoSS use the weapons it imported recently? Wasn't it better for the GoSS to spend the funds it paid for purchasing the tanks in establishing development projects in the south for the benefit of the southern Sudan citizens?
It seems that the development of southern Sudan with the existing scenarios is still a far reaching dream.