Very probably true, unfortunately knowing this doesn’t help solve the problem. Any government effort to regulate bride price would be futile. Only tribal chiefs and leaders can do so, and most have lost influence at the local level. At the end of the day effective law enforcement across the entire country–including a massive fleet of small aircraft and helicopters–will be the only long term solution to cattle raiding. Trying to change culture is unlikely to work and may make the issue worse.
I leave Juba tomorrow morning at 5am on a bus to Kampala. My plan is to get off the bus in Northern Uganda, near Gulu, and spend a few days traveling around the area and visiting Murchison Falls National Park. I have lots more to write about Juba and my experience here, but I probably won’t post again until after Sunday when I arrive in Kampala. My experience here has been incredible, and I look forward to sharing more stories and thoughts about this place in the days and weeks to come.
Two weeks have passed since South Sudan officially declared its independence and became the world’s newest nation. And though news from here may have faded from the front page of the New York Times, activity in Juba has certainly not subsided.
As independence approached it became clear that a number of construction projects were not going to be finished in time for the big day. Everyone assumed that after independence these unfinished buildings, roads, and equipment would sit mostly untouched and incomplete until the next “big day” was approaching. Take the streetlights. The day before independence hundreds of streetlights sat on the ground next to hundreds of holes that had been dug. But the lights hadn’t been installed. None of these unfinished projects were essential to independence day, and though crews were working literally around the clock, it was clear many things simply wouldn’t get done. But the very next day after independence crews were back to work, and today Juba’s main streets are lined with solar-powered lights. I know this may not seem newsworthy, but it amazed many people here. Two of the three new terminals at the airport seem nearly complete, another small bridge has opened on the way from town to the main market, and another of the main roads out of Juba has been paved.
Currency was another issue unresolved around independence. Everyone knew it was coming, but few people knew when, where, or how. The official launch event took place on Monday, July 18–almost a month ahead of schedule–at the central bank in downtown Juba. The bills were printed in the UK and arrived in Juba in early July. As of the launch only the 1, 5, 10, and 25 pound notes were available; The 50 and 100 pound denominations were apparently arriving at the airport that day, though I haven’t seen either yet. A large bull was slaughtered on the road as the President’s motorcade arrived, and after a few brief speeches the President was led inside the bank where he made the first exchange, swapping his old Sudanese Pounds for the new South Sudanese Pound at a rate of 1:1.
President Salva Kiir was the first citizen to receive the new currency.
The tiny hall was packed. Chaos ensued when the President exited as everyone else–state governors, ministers, and military leadership–pushed to the teller’s window to swap their bills. Citizens have been told they have one month to exchange their old currency for the new, though already today I had one shopkeeper refuse to take my old notes. Everyone is trying to get rid of them immediately for fear of exactly that. It is unknown publicly what is happening to the old Pounds. The North is terrified that the South will try to secretly send the old notes to Khartoum, flooding the market with the old pounds and causing a serious devaluation of the currency. In response the North fast-tracked the launch of their own new currency, which supposedly began circulating in Khartoum yesterday. The Central Bank of Sudan has said it is ready to engage in a “currency war” if the two countries don’t reach an agreement on the issue of the old money.
The SPLA leadership, with Chief of Staff James Hoth at the head, lined up to exchange their currency.
Finally, the rumors of major changes to the government here in Juba: The former autonomous Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) has become the Government of the Republic of South Sudan (RoSS), but President Kiir has hinted that not just the name will change. There is talk of downsizing the cabinet, which many people say is a necessary first step to building a more efficient government. There are currently 34 ministries, and I’ve heard it may be cut to 17 or 20. Obviously this has to be done carefully, as it means a number of ministers will lose their jobs. After independence, the President appointed all the current ministers to the position of caretaker minister while he reorganizes and slims the cabinet. Apparently he is keeping his cards very close to his chest: all the talk I’ve heard lacks substance and names. The President did send a clear message that this government will not be accommodative, which GoSS was accused of being. We’ll have to wait and see what the new government looks like in its first form. Any changes made will say a lot about the President’s attitude and approach, especially on issues like corruption and tribalism. As we wait for formal announcements, cosmetic changes are occurring every day: Today I noticed that the Ministry of Regional Cooperation is now officially the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and that the sign outside the Ministry of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Development now reads, “Ministry of Justice.”
As the independence hangover wore off around Juba I seized an opportunity to get out of the new national capital and see more of South Sudan. I left early Thursday morning for the town of Bor in Jonglei state. Jonglei is the biggest of the 10 states in the country, and Bor specifically has an important history as the birthplace of the rebellion that led to the second civil war and the creation of the SPLM/A. Just a few kilometers from Juba the tukuls and roadside shops vanish, leaving only the bush and the scattered remains of charred vehicles from the war era. The rough road follows the snaking course of the Nile north, the lush land that stretches for miles in both directions untouched now but perfect for proper farming as agricultural investment begins to arrive. A small village or Army outpost appeared every hour or so, and as we passed into Jonglei from Central Equatoria the cattle herds crossing the road after a drink from the river became more frequent.
The 4 hour drive took 7 because of the condition of the road, and we arrived in Bor in the early afternoon. The town itself is fairly bland, but its political and social situation as the state capital is fascinating and complex. Talk of cattle raiding—mostly absent in Juba especially around independence—is unavoidable here. It is the cause of widespread insecurity and heightened inter-tribal conflict. And everyone blames the Murle tribe. I don’t know enough about the situation to comment with authority, but I do know that other tribes are involved in these conflicts. Raids occurring in northern Jonglei, hundreds of kilometers from Murle land, are blamed on the Murle. It’s worrisome to hear everyone accusing just one group. The Murle are known to be aggressive and have a history of child abduction (apparently because of genetic fertility problems). But the solution is not to scapegoat. Government officials should be assessing the root causes of the problems, particularly the failed disarmament program.
The cattle camp I visited was raided only two months ago (the camp is walking distance from Bor town, and even closer to the police headquarters). I asked the herders why they couldn’t defend themselves or retaliate. One old man held up a stick and said, “can I defend against their guns with this stick?” They were disarmed three years ago, while other herders in the same county were left with their guns.
Disarmament is not easy, but if it is going to be done it has to be done right. One government official said that the Murle were not disarmed because doing so would almost guarantee their complete destruction by other tribes. But left with their guns, the Murle continue to steal cattle and children, according to most people. Others, like the herders I talked to, were disarmed because they live close to the large population in town, leaving them vulnerable to attacks from the outside. And the general opinion is that so many weapons are left over from the war that even the disarmed groups can rearm fairly easily. I certainly don’t have the solution or even a firm understanding of the problem, but it is a bit dismaying to hear complacence, especially from government officials.
The next morning on the way out of town we met with the newly formed Livestock Patrol Unit, a special division of the state police. Funding for the creation of the unit came from the UN, but no money was provided for operation costs (the UN seemingly expected the government to take over, and the state government felt they didn’t need to get involved because the UN had been responsible for the program). As a result the unit has no functioning vehicles (one is broken and the other has no fuel) and a staff of 21. They patrol on foot but don’t walk further than 6 or 7 kilometers. Personally, I think helicopters would be a valuable tool. They can patrol vast areas in short periods of time, report local problems, and potentially engage raiders from the air. Developing roads should still be a priority, but the process will be slow for sure. The visible presence of police in the sky would likely be enough to deter much of the criminal activity. Given the amount of money spent by NGOs here it wouldn’t be implausible to get a few hundred million dollars for a national fleet of multipurpose helicopters.
Cattle herding is a way of life that is here to stay. Cattle are currency (for brides especially), the source of names, and the focus of songs, dances, and rituals. Dealing with cattle raiding won’t be easy for the new government, but it is an important and necessary step for establishing security across vast portions of the new nation.
It’s not everyday you get to hear a declaration of independence read in a new nation. Saturday was a memorable and historic day here in Juba and across South Sudan as the nation officially seceded from the North after 2 bitter wars that lasted over 40 years.
I had incredible access with a press pass and won’t try to cover every moment I was lucky enough to witness (see the photos below for more). But a few thoughts are worth sharing.
First, they pulled it off. In the weeks leading up to this weekend you probably read stories about the violence in the border region with the North and how it was likely to “complicate the South’s independence” or “disrupt plans for the South to declare its independence.” The sense I got here was that almost nothing would have prevented the celebrations from occurring on Saturday and that those lines in news stories were unnecessarily dramatic. But much of the preparation for the day was left to the last minute, and there was real worry that any number of problems would arise. There was concern the airport wouldn’t be able to handle the number of incoming places, the venue wouldn’t be complete, the flagpoles wouldn’t be up, etc. But despite a few minor hiccups, the event went smoothly. There were moments of pushing and shoving in the packed crowds but no significant security breaches. It was hot and many people fainted (from the excitement, according to some local papers…) but water was eventually passed around and there were no major injuries as far as I know. The singing and dancing in the streets went well into the night, and people were overjoyed.
Reactions to Bashir’s presence at the event were mixed. One member of parliament told me yesterday that as the first Arab to recognize the South’s independence Bashir deserves some credit and it was good of him to come and speak. It is difficult for me to understand giving him any credit, other than for the murder of millions of people, especially as he continues killing civilians to this day in the Nuba mountains. But it was really something to see Bashir and Salva Kiir standing together as the Sudanese flag was lowered and the flag of South Sudan was raised. As Bashir finished his speech many people in the crowd began waving goodbye and chanting “bye bye Bashir.”
President Kiir’s speech was easily the best of the day. He addressed a number of major problems facing his new nation, and if he is serious about tackling corruption and playing a role in settling other regional disputes South Sudan will be off to a solid start. He again offered amnesty to any rebel groups or others who have taken up arms against the South, he pledged to work closely with the North in resolving remaining disputes, and he addressed the issue of tribalism, reminding the crowd that, “you may be a Zande, a Kakwa, a Nuer, a Shilluk, a Dinka, or a Bari, but remember you are a Southern Sudanese first.”
The celebrations continued in Juba yesterday (Sunday) and will last throughout the week. The new national football team played a match against the Kenya Tuskers FC (sadly losing 3-1), and the national basketball team will face Uganda later today (with a better chance of winning this one it seems).
The heads of state and other dignitaries have all left, most of the hundreds of foreign journalists will be gone by today or tomorrow, and things will quickly return to normal in Juba. There is a lot of work to be done here, and with independence in the past the government can hopefully begin to tackle the major issues facing the world’s newest nation.
President Salva Kiir addresses the new nation as the final speaker of the day.
Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe
The crowds wave a final goodbye to Bashir as he finishes his speech.
Soldiers in the military parade stand in the heat.
Ban Ki-moon addresses the crowd.
President Salva Kiir holds up the transitional constitution after signing it.
A soldier stands at attention in front of the new statue of Dr. John Garang.
Presidents Kiir and Bashir watch the military parade.
Presidents Kiir stands with Bashir as the national anthem of Sudan is played for the last time.
President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar walk down the red carpet after unveiling the statue of Garang.
A member of the military band looks on as a motorcade departs the venue.
Four heavily armed trucks from South Africa led President Jacob Zuma's motorcade.
The Red Carpet
Hassan al-Turabi, the Islamist Sudanese opposition leader, arrives at the venue.
Susan Rice and Colin Powell led the U.S. delegation at the celebration.
The SPLA leadership took up an entire section of the grandstands, though many gave up their seats for foreign guests.
People arrived as early as 7am to witness the historic moment.
Just over two hours ago South Sudan officially became the world’s newest nation. While the official declaration and ceremony won’t occur until late tomorrow morning, impromptu celebrations took place across Juba tonight. At one of the main traffic circles in town, cars and trucks honked their horns and passengers sang and danced on running boards and roofs. It was an incredible sight:
Tomorrow will surely be fascinating, but I’m not sure it will beat the pure joy of the impromptu festivities tonight. Its after 2am as I sit writing this and the car horns and shouting are still going on.
The new national anthem for the Republic of South Sudan:
Oh God
We praise and glorify you
For your grace on South Sudan,
Land of great abundance
Uphold us united in peace and harmony.
Oh motherland
We rise raising flag with the guiding star
And sing songs of freedom with joy,
For justice, liberty and prosperity
Shall forever more reign.
Oh great patriots
Let us stand up in silence and respect,
Saluting our martyrs whose blood
Cemented our national foundation,
We vow to protect our nation.
Oh God bless South Sudan.
Listen here.
On Saturday the anthem will be officially played and sung for the first time (the national choir has been practicing for months, the military band plays it every day, and about half the country already uses it as a ringtone) but only after the national anthem of Sudan (the old one) is sung, the flag of Sudan is lowered, and the flag of South Sudan is raised.
Rehearsing the raising of the flag during the singing of the new national anthem.
President Bashir will be in attendance, it was reported yesterday, and apparently he will give a sendoff speech to the nation. Should be interesting.
Juba is noticeably different this week. Traffic is a nightmare, journalists are everywhere, and security is tight, but you can feel the excitement everywhere. I’ll try to write more about the details in the next few days. But I thought it important to share a few thoughts I had today while watching the final rehearsal of the Independence Day parade.
Independence for South Sudan did not come easily. Nearly 2.5 million people lost their lives in the liberation struggle. Some 4 million were displaced. Tens of thousands of fighters were injured, thousands of children were taken to the bush to fight while they should have been in elementary school, and families were torn apart. These are historical facts, and ones that I knew before coming here. But getting a glimpse of effects of the war today in person was an important reminder of the struggle that led to this day.
Disabled war veterans march in the July 5 parade rehearsal.
It shouldn’t have taken this small group of disabled vets to cause this realization. You can simply look around Juba and see the effects of the long war. But like many people here I have been swept up in the buzz and excitement surrounding independence. Watching these men walk proudly in the parade rehearsal had an inexplicable effect on me. They are incredibly lucky to have lived to see this day when so many of their fellow soldiers did not. But in the moment they were a manifestation of just how difficult this journey was.
Independence for the South was not always the desired outcome. When war broke out for the second time in 1983 and the SPLA was formed, the vision that Dr. John Garang had was for the liberation of Sudan from discriminatory Arab Islamic regime and the creation of a New Sudan, a unified democratic state with freedom and equality for all its people. After more than 20 years of war the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed between North and South in 2005. The CPA called for a referendum in 2011 to determine whether or not the South would secede. At the time of the signing, independence was not the obvious end state. But in the years that followed, both parties (the NCP and the SPLM) began to give up efforts to make unity attractive. But not until a few months before the referendum did Southern independence seem inevitable.
To be here to witness the very end of the struggle and the very beginning of the new nation is an honor, but it was important for me to take a short mental break from the celebration and excitement and remember how much this place and the people here have been through.
The simple verse sang by the civilians marching at the back of the parade–repeated hundreds of times as they walked–said it all:
“We will never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never surrender, surrender. We will never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never surrender, surrender.”
Because these shots are probably a lot better than any I’ll be able to get on the day itself…
Juba Journal 