Inside Story - Is Sudan ready for the referendum?

Less than three months to go there is a lot of uncertainty over whether Sudan will be ready for the referendum and what will happen if it is not held. Will the referendum take place on time? And what would a delayed vote mean for Sudan?

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• aljazeera
• insidestory
• Inside Story
• sudan
• Sudan referendum
• Sudan vote
• south sudan independence
• Sudan civil war
• UN peacekeeping troops
• peace deal
• Atem Karang
• Safwat Fanos
• Edward Thomas

[JRM733]

"Afghanistan's mineral wealth is now a key factor in the debate over how and when international forces can draw down their operations."

Hmmm.....If only there was a way to place a monetary value on PEOPLE in Africa. We could look on them as a portable workforce and buy and trade them on the open markets. Perhaps transporting them thousands of miles by cargo ship and those that live could work for free... Is it just me or does this sound vaguely familiar?

[JRM733]

Waking up and finding that your country is not really the 'good guys' is heart-breaking. I think I understand why we are involved in the Sudan now, it's the same reason we will remain in Afghanistan for an "undetermined" amount of time. You're right, it's about resources.

From the Huffington Post:

"Afghanistan's extractive sector, rich in copper, lithium and gold as well as oil, gas, coal and various gemstones, also has a legacy of corruption and inefficiency."

[wabdinur]

@JRM733

It`s pretty ironic that Sudan requires foreign aid considering it could do more for itself if the sanctions that were placed on her was lifted. I think that`s what Sen. Kerry is there for-to offer a carrot to the Sudanese government if they let the south peacefully secede (take Sudan out of the state sponsored terrorists list and lift the sanctions placed on Sudan).

[wabdinur]

@JRM733

Africans only matter when we discover much coveted resources under their feet. No one cared about Sudan`s 50-year civil war between the north and the south until oil was discovered and China became its main client (that`s when we all saw the crocodile tears for Darfur). My worry is that the new south Sudanese government might follow the steps of other corrupt African states where they misappropriate their country`s oil profits. Maybe if we discovered oil in Somalia...we`d go inland.

[JRM733]

@wabdinur Again, excellent points. It's not that I am heartless, it's just the opposite. Why was Senator Kerry sent to represent the US about a voting process when 3000 miles away there are remaining piracy captives and when we have blatantly turned our backs on the rape/violence and HIV crisis of Africa for this long. While we help with another attempt at partition, Sudan tops the list of countries in need of aid with Unicef calling for $150m of need. Are any of these people safer this way?

[wabdinur]

@JRM733

The problem for the Sudanese president is that if the South separates-other regions might also follow. Darfur is another volatile region. Africa has lots of separatist movements that were harshly repressed but if South Sudan separates then you might see other separatist movements breaking out. Would Ethiopia agree to a new nation next to them while their army are fighting to suppress an ethnic Somali separatist movement in the Ogaden region? Would Nigeria (Biafra separatists)?

[StLouisSouth1]

Terrific. Now we'll have a fundamentalist Shar'ia North Sudan with persecuted Christian and animist minorities and an anarchic South Sudan. Terrific. The US State Dept always loves new countries, though. Hire more people.

[JRM733]

@wabdinur I am just learning enough about this to even have a semi-informed opinion, but you made an excellent point. And, if another military force had stepped in to protect a "neutral zone or buffer zone" during the U.S. civil war, all hell would have broken loose. It is my prayer for the Sudan that this works and it is my most sincere hope that U.S. involvement is not simply about access to oil.

[kingwaldo100]

what is a referremdem, does this story effect david camerrooon or tony blair

[southsudanvoice]

Free South Sudan.