Unity Vs Separation Debate In Nairobi

28 July 2010 - (Nairobi) – A pro-unity organization calling itself the Popular Organization for Unity Support says the secession of southern Sudan will disadvantage minority ethnic groups.

One of the group members, Michael Ruot Mayian, told a gathering of Sudanese in Nairobi on Tuesday that if the south secedes in 2011, there is high likelihood that the bigger ethnic communities will dominate political power by marginalizing minorities.

[Michael Ruot Mayian]: “There are disadvantages to the separation of southern Sudan from the north. Some larger tribes in southern Sudan will marginalize others tribes. And this will result in other communities dominating the power base. This also means that minority communities will be deprived of natural resources. Secession will destroy the south."

Mr Mayian suggested that the January 2011 referendum should be held after three years when southerners are matured and ready to rule themselves.

Meanwhile another member of the Popular Organization for Unity Support, Dr. Tabitha Butrus Shokayi urged all Sudanese to control their emotions when debating the issue of unity or separation of the Sudan.

[Dr. Tabitha Butrus Shokayi]: “Both NCP and The SPLM leaders have decided once and for all, and they have said with a unified voice that there will be no return to war. Because when southerners vote in the referendum on the 9th January 2011, it is they who will decide their destiny through their right of self-determination. If they vote for unity, that will be in favor of the Popular Organization for Unity Support. But should they choose separation are we going to collapse? Will we return to war? This is what we don’t want… we say No, No and No, I said three times. That is why we are having such debates to have a discourse among ourselves as Sudanese.”

Sudan Radio Service sought the opinions of some Sudanese who attended the debate in Nairobi and this is what they had to say:

[Lucy]: "I need separation because our intellectuals were never been given opportunities like to be the president always are behind. If it is unity, throughout we have been in unity, if you see Khartoum its much better, it has been well developed but if you come to southern Sudan there is nothing. It has been marginalized for long, there is nothing; we don’t have roads, like now even the creation of awareness that is supposed to be done, we can’t even fulfill it because we don’t have roads. You can’t deliver information without proper roads. The peace has been signed since when, this is now the 5th year, they have done nothing because referendum is coming that is why they want to motivate people, so that people will continue to stay together."

Another participant, Nyamiri Toang says unity is better than separation.

[Nyamiri Toang]: "My suggestion is that the south should not go for separation. Nothing can separate us. If it’s because of disagreements we can dialogue on those issues until we come together. Like peace was negotiated here in Nairobi, we can just get back to table and live in one country."

Those were the views of Sudanese in Nairobi on the best option for the country in the upcoming referendum exercise.