Voting for secession or unity for Southern Sudan was officially over yesterday and now begins the task of journeying ahead with the outcome decided upon. President Kiir has called for forgiveness and peace. I am hoping that Sudan can follow in South African footsteps and find a way to peacefully work together to find a solution that brings both sides forward without more blaming and violence. Preliminary results are leaning heavily towards secession even though the process of counting and verifying is to take a month.
The Sudanese seem to have have been inspired by South Africa in other ways. In this video after a South Sudanese man voted, he proceeded to blow on a vuvuzela to celebrate! More importantly Mohammed Ibrahim Khalil, Chairman Southern Sudan Referendum Commission, says that at the referendum vote was "the most peaceful, the most orderly, and the quietest [Sudan has seen.]...It is really a great achievement." I am glad that positives are being drawn out of the situation already. Positive energy leads to positive results I say.
South Sudan brings hope that peace can rise from years of war to give hope and freedom to those who felt deprived of. These changes come at times when apparent peace and order has been shattered in Tunisia, Côte d'Ivoire, etc. My half a day stop in South Sudan was a memorable journey...
ReplyDeleteI would really like to be able to visit one day and see for myself what has been going on there. I have just posted about Tunisia as I have been meaning to post but got consumed by the positivity of Sudan. My year started so well that I have being following the tragedy that is Côte d'Ivoire and watching despairingly at the violence in Tunisia and not dwelling so as not to spiral into a rage. I am hoping that Tunisia has reached a turning point and will forge ahead peacefully and can only hope that we will soon find a solution for the Ivorians as well. The Sudanese are an inspiration and I hope these countries can learn from them.
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