Birth of a new state
If everything goes well, an independent new nation will emerge, today, 9th July 2011, in the African continent for which Bangladesh can take pride for her contribution in bringing a peaceful solution to the longest conflict in Africa. It is the South Sudan, which till yesterday was part of Sudan, the largest country in Africa. Bangladeshi Peacekeepers are working there to implement the UN mandate since 2005 . Heads of 30 countries including UNSG will attend the ceremony of South's independence in its capital Juba. Of late more than 120 Bangladeshi troops have been sent to the state's capital Kadugli to turn its main base there into safe haven for refugees. Historically, Sudan has been viewed as a nation divided between north and south. Northern Sudan, with a predominantly Arab population and South Sudan, and the southern part of the country, which is an autonomous region with a population of about 8 million of mainly African ethnic origin. The South has abundant untapped natural resources and is home to Christian and animist beliefs. The country has been beset by conflicts for more than decades that has cost the lives of 1.5 million people, and a continuing conflict in the western region of Darfur has driven millions from their homes. Sudan is the only country of the world where currently two UN missions are being conducted namely, United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) and United Nations African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). The ongoing fighting between North and South Sudan started in 1983 following the collapse of 1972 Addis Ababa Agreement. For more than two decades the Government and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/SPLA), the main resistance faction in the South, fought over resources, power, and the role of religion in the state and for self-determination. Over the years, there were many efforts taken by various stakeholders including the neighbouring countries, donors, international community and the parties themselves, to bring peace in the country which resulted in the signing of a Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) on 9 January 2005 in Nairobi, Kenya. The agreement provided for a high degree of autonomy for the South and an option for it to secede. While the parties recognized the unity of Sudan as a priority under the accord, they determined to set up a six and half year interim period during which interim institutions would preside over the country and international monitoring system would be established and operationalized. Accordingly, a unity Government was formed taking representation from the parties involved in the conflict. Mr. Omar Hassan al Bashir is the President of the country who heads the government while Mr Salva Kiir Mayardit has been appointed as the first vice president who is otherwise the leader of SPLM. Despite lot of hiccups and clashes between the parties during the interim period, the people of South Sudan unequivocally expressed their desire to separate from the Republic of Sudan on January this year, with almost 99 percent voting for secession. The South Sudan referendum went off smoothly and on time. It was a transparent process, and the results, officially announced in early February this year were accepted by the North. Although there is a triumphant mood amongst the people there, experts see enormous and difficult challenges ahead of both North and South Sudan. The status of Abyei and post referendum issues between North and South like citizenship, oil sharing, border demarcation, currency, debts are yet to be solved. Abeyi, an area of 10,460 square kilometers, was a major combat zone. Its status was left unresolved in the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement. There are many stakeholders involved in the current crisis. The US has a keen interest in Sudan because of its strategic location on the Red Sea immediately south of Egypt, and it borders on seven other African countries. Newly discovered resources have made Sudan a country of great interest to the US corporations. It is believed to have oil reserves rivaling Saudi Arabia. It has large deposits of natural gas. In addition, it has one of the largest deposits of high-purity uranium in the world, along with the fourth-largest deposits of copper. China, a major ally of the Sudan's government, also has an important role to play. China has sunk $10 billion into the oil sector. She has been buying huge amounts of oil from Sudan's land locked south which run through northern pipelines, linking China to both the parts of the country. In recent years, China has also supplied the government of North with large amounts of military equipment and lent it diplomatic support. In such a backdrop the US - China rivalry is a cause for concern for Sudan. Meanwhile, the US have been able to get a resolution passed by the UN Security Council on the deployment of 4200 Ethiopian peacekeepers for six months. This means there will be one more peacekeeping force in Sudan one in Abeyi, a Hybrid UN-African Union body in Darfur, UNAMIS, a force that monitors fulfillment of 2005 CPA, and a new unit soon to be deployed in the independent South Sudan. What makes the US to propose sending Ethiopian peacekeeping forces in Abeyi? US- Ethiopian relations was established in 1903 during the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt. Ethiopia enjoyed the status of most favoured nation until the Italian occupation in 1935. Currently, Ethiopia is a strategic partner of the US in the Global War on Terrorism. So far 29 countries have announced their intention to recognize South Sudan upon independence that includes 4 UNSC permanent members, China, Russia, United Kingdom and United States. On the other hand Eritrea, Iran and Libya have opposed the idea of independence. Amongst the SAARC nations only India has announced its intention to recognize South Sudan. Though Bangladesh peacekeeping forces are working in Sudan since 2005, yet her decision to recognize South Sudan has not yet been made public. Despite the fact that Bangladesh has been participating in peacekeeping for more than 20 years yet she seems never to have looked beyond peacekeeping. It is time that Bangladesh looked beyond peacekeeping and participated in the reconstruction South Sudan. South Sudan can be a destination for overseas employment under the auspices of UN/International community.
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