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Söderut in english SUDAN’S VOTE BETWEEN THE 9TH and 15th of January 2011 a referendum took place in the southern part of Sudan, which settled if this region would still be a part of Sudan or become an independent state. The final result of this referendum weren’t questionable: 98.83% of population voted for independence. Strong support for an own and sovereign country among people in southern Sudan isn’t surprising if we look on the aspect, which divided Sudan in two different parts already since 1956, when the dominance of the Muslim and Arabian northern part of Sudan over the Christian and African south had become more visible. Continuous conflicts and civil war became an everyday life for people. Power was in the hands of the northern elite, which discriminated the south part of the country by letting people starve, neglecting children’s education and lack of health care. Differences bet- The hope for peace Ethnical, religious, cultural and language differences as well as the oil question divided Sudan in a north and south part long before the referendum 2011. However, this historical election did not manage to erase old conflicts, of which oil is the biggest issue and this clash can lead to other tensions. ween those big groups have also had a religious ground. Year 1978 oil deposits were discovered in the southern part of Sudan. This resource became another conflict issue in the country. The ambition of the Northern part of the country was to control all benefits from the oil. In order to do this the Khartoum regime built up, in cooperation with others actors, a pipeline and refinery in the northern part of the country. In this way they appropriated both profits and workplaces. IT IS ALSO important to emphasize that in conjunction with getting out oil, Sudan attract more and more companies, which started to throw their weight around and it was particularly negative for the local population. People, which traditionally had been living in those rich in oil areas was thrown out from their houses. Human rights violations in Sudan drew charity organisations attention. Year 1999 the UN General Assembly presented a report that in one of these exploited areas people were evicted with use of massive violence in the course of ten days. Later UN´s report from year 2002 showed that the situation given to human rights has not changed. This report underlines even that oil exploration do have an interconnection with the conflict. Human Rights Watch in turn points out that oil in Sudan instead of bringing peace, prosperity and security; it brings out conflicts, people expulsion and widespread abuses. Nevertheless the possibility that Sudan is going to be condemned as a genocidal regime by the UN Security Council is very small because the involved foreign oil companies comes from countries, which has veto in the Security Council.
PEACE NEGOTIATIONS with help of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and Sudan’s government lead to that an agreement were signed between Southern and Northern Sudan. The agreement include for instance that Southern Sudan got a six years transition, which included a broad autonomy for this region with own parliament and president. At the end of the transition was scheduled, aforementioned referendum on self-determination for Southern Sudan under international surveillance. A majority of votes lead to the independence of South Sudan, which officially became a new country on the 9th of July 2011. DESPITE THAT South Sudan got its sovereign status the conflict about the oil issue is still current. Of the oil deposit, 75 percent is located on the South Sudan side but the possibility to bring out oil and transport it by pipelines is in possession of Sudan. Both countries went through long negotiation about how much an oil barrel should cost. Because of longlasting disagreement, Sudan regarded South Sudan as defaulter and decided to confiscate the neighbor´s oil as compensation. South Sudan reacted on this by closing access to oil in January this year. The African Union’s efforts to solve this conflict didn´t help and tension between the countries had been growing. South Sudan accused Sudan for bombing their border area while Sudan accused South Sudan for their support for the rebel groups, which are active on their territory. Accusations and bitter rhetoric from both sides almost lead to a new war between the two countries in April. However during US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit to South Sudan´s capital Juba in August urged to strike a deal between the countries. NEVERTHELESS South Sudan is working towards building a pipeline trough Kenya. This project would end the country’s dependence from its neighbor but it’s doubtful if it helps to unravel all disputes on intergovernmental but also domestic level. South Sudan government has explained clearly what the most important issues in this new country are: oil revenues, national security and distribution of power between national institutions. People’s life situation, women´s rights and equality, education for children is of secondary importance. TEXT: MARIOLA STANIO
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