A Fragile Peace

The problems facing Sudan at present are many:

• The Government of National Unity has failed to make unity attractive to the people of Southern Sudan.

• The Government of Southern Sudan (Goss) has rejected the Census.

• The upcoming elections are already behind schedule and there are doubts whether really they will actually take place.

• There has been no referendum law passed to date, despite the provision in the interim Constitution of Southern Sudan (10 : 1) that the referendum law should be promulgated by the beginning of the third year of the Interim Period that is, by 9th January 2008

• There is still disagreement between the government in the South and in the North on the North-South border and Abyei Protocol issues.

• Without trying to minimize the humanitarian tragedy in Darfur, the international community has, in recent years, concentrated almost exclusively on Darfur whilst ignoring the problems and deaths of thousands more people in Southern Sudan. The focus must shift back to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). If the CPA fails in Sudan, there will certainly be no peace in Darfur either.

• Within Southern Sudan, militia and tribesmen are being re-armed by unknown groups in order to destabilize Southern Sudan and make it appear un-governable.