The Independence Chronicles- South Sudan
- Leah Winn
- Jul 17, 2020
- 2 min read
Updated: Nov 1, 2022
Imagine going to bed one night and waking up the next day to find that after many years of civil unrest, your nation is now free. South Sudan gained its independence on 9 July 2011. The streets were filled with the music of the joyous cries and laughter of the new nation's citizens.
Aerial of Juba, the capital city of South Sudan, and the River Nile
Before Independence
Before the celebration could begin, Sudan had lost nearly two million people to wars and other tragedies that plagued the land for twenty-two years. The central Sudanese government fought against the Sudan People's Liberation Army in what is referred to as the second Sudanese War (1983-2005). The first war ended in 1972. The civil war was considered one of the longest-running civil wars in history. When the second war came to an end, the north and south held a referendum to see if they should remain united as one Sudan or if the South should leave and make their own nation.
The Flag of the Republic of South Sudan
Aftermath
Now a free nation, South Sudan had a lot of work to do. Salva Kiir Mayardit was elected as the nation's first president, he also served as the commander-in-chief for the Sudan People's Liberation army. His vice president was Riek Machar. The pair's relationship soon grew sour when Kiir accused Machar of corruption. This scandal trickled down into the neighborhoods of the citizens, and many tribal wars took place due to confusing laws regarding land reserved for rival tribes. These events ultimately led to a new civil war, this time with South Sudan turning against itself. As a result of the fighting over farming/grazing land and the overall political drama, certain parts of the country experienced famine among a host of other devastating issues. The country itself is said to be rich in oil yet still is considered one of the poorest countries in the world.
Today
The country continues to face issues with its government due to the fighting that began in 2013. Since then, however, South Sudan has created at least ten states and has been trying to work on how to structure its forms of government accordingly. After the second wave of fighting in the most recent civil war and the mass flooding that occurred, this nation is trying yet again to pick itself up by the bootstraps and unify for a greater cause. (Humanity) An updated peace treaty has been in the works. Can South Sudanese leaders pull it off? Only time will tell.
Map of South Sudan and its capitol
Thank you for joining me on the FIRST-EVER Independence Chronicles journey. I would love to know how I can improve and how I can continue to build a strong community of knowledgeable voyagers. For the country of South Sudan and its beautiful people, I hope that there will one day be a unified South Sudan and I wish this nation all the best on its journey.
P.S. Remember that I am going to be posting these EVERY OTHER FRIDAY. Til the next one, have a safe weekend!
Sources:
Comments