• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

ITPCM International Commentary Vol. VIII no. 30, July 2012 The ITPCM International Commentary International Training Programme ISSN. 2239-7949 for Conflict Management in this issue: UDAN OUTHSUDAN SBROADCASTING STATE POWER Oil & corruption curses Neglecting the CPA, Nubian and land issues in South Sudan impacts on the Sudan/South in South Kordofan by Brian Adeba, p. 5 Sudan relations by Siham Khalid, p. 29 by Dagu David Justin, p. 17 South Sudan quest for freedom of expression The humanitarian about the ITPCM: by Enrica Valentini , p. 9 dimension of the crisis Next Events & Trainings, p. 34 by Laura Nistri, p. 21 Real and apparent causes Prosecutor of the of the Sudan/South Sudan Sudan: power International Criminal Court conflict demonstrations of a failed Ms. Fatou BENSOUDA by Marshal Olal, p. 13 state visiting the Scuola, 22nd October 2012, p. 34 by Amgad Fareid Eltayeb, p. 24 1 ITPCM International Commentary July 2012 ISSN. 2239-7949 the ITPCM International Commentary Chief Director: Francesco Ceccarelli Scientific Director: Andrea de Guttry Editor in Chief: Michele Gonnelli Contributors to this issue: Brian Adeba, Amgad Fareid Eltayeb, Dagu David Justin, Siham Khalid, Laura Nistri, Marshal Olal, Enrica Valentini Graphic Design: Michele Gonnelli 2 ITPCM International Commentary DecemberJuly 2011 2012 ISSN. 2239-7949 Submerged landscapes of the African State Sudan was until one year ago - when Afterwards and upon independ- by the Sudanese example. Those enti- South Sudan eventually proclaimed ence, all those pending issues would ties are held tightly together by more its independence (9th July 2011) - the re-emerge with all the brutality and traditional, stringent and imminent biggest African country. Ruling over the inadequacies that lay before the linkages than the supposed suprema- its huge territory – more than 2,5 mil- eyes of the incredulous and yet often cy of a central power, often perceived lions square kilometres - and scat- blameable Western observer. The con- as being corrupt and too distant, if not tered population – about 45 million trol of the capital town, often claimed hostile. people in total - was a big challenge by a nationalist party or liberation and ultimately a big failure. The seeds army – supposedly representing the In this issue, we focus on those dy- of which can be traced back decades. majority of the people - legitimated, namics, their grounds, and the violent The Sudanese experience in this re- in the name of the uttered unity, the outcomes generated by unjust power spect can be regarded as a significant newly set-up governments. Yet the sharing and inefficient power broad- case-study that could help interpret submerged and intricate socio-politi- casting. Perhaps not surprisingly, and understand many dynamics in cal landscape underneath such an en- what the Sudanese government has Africa today. As peculiar as it might thusiastic claim remained generally been witnessing in the last 50 years be in the given context, a general unchanged and out of reach. seems to be replicated, in some ways, pattern and similar grounds can be by the brand new South Sudanese observed and extended to other sub- Later, along the fragile development experience. If the germs of such de- Saharan countries. path, when it came to resource exploi- generation can already be seen maybe tation and sharing, old socio-econom- the disease is innate in the institutional If population movements, migrations ic, ethnic and religious partitions and tool adopted. One could conclude and chiefdoms were the normality in grievances exploded in open conflicts, that the investigation and the de- the pre-colonial period, the advent of secessionist movements and quests velopment of other forms of power the colonial state, with its rigid bound- for self-determination. Inevitably in management, more adaptable to the aries and central apparatus had de fac- many African countries, and within African environment are needed, now to complicated matters. Furthermore, the new regimented, fixed bounda- more than ever. in the aftermath of WWII and since its ries, the central government had to independence – whenever it occurred come to terms with the too long over- - the very existence of the new African looked and unattended effective con- state was not endangered from out- trol of the hinterlands. In this respect, Michele Gonnelli side, but rather from inside. land tenure systems, customary land Beyond any declaration of principle, rights and local habits, with their set constitutional arrangement, power of rules, ethnic-religious traditions sharing, and alleged political de- and population movements, sud- velopment, reality was far from be- denly regained importance for their ing entrenched in the given imported ongoing role. framework. Sudan/South Sudan civil wars repre- If it is true that, in Europe, war made sent unquestionable evidence of all the state and the state made war, the this. Yet, the process at stake is not just African continent seemed to have es- that. The Sudanese issue includes also caped such a crude training and selec- Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile tion process, or to have postponed it, states, Abyei and the tribal conflicts in though just temporarily and accord- Jonglei, the alleged Dinka domination ing to different patterns. With only in Juba as well as the forced Islamisa- few exceptions, power in most Afri- tion carried out by the government in can countries was peacefully handed Khartoum. For many countries in Af- over by the colonial rulers to the new rica, what was supposed to be easily leaders of the independence move- achieved on the first day of independ- ments. Similarly, at the time of the ence later became an inefficient -po Berlin Conference in 1885, the African litical body, often sustained by a com- territory was divided along geometri- pliant international aid system that cal lines without resorting to armed artificially fed it. Here and there, that confrontations, while effective control statehood and its alleged unity are of vast areas was far from being exer- now disintegrating into more defend- cised. able and compact entities, as shown 3 ITPCM International Commentary DecemberJuly 2011 2012 ISSN. 2239-7949 pp. 5 - 32 Contributions 4 4 ITPCM International Commentary December 2011 ISSN. 2239-7949 Abyei Town, by ENOUGH project, CC www.flickr.com by Brian Adeba Journalist OIL AND CORRUPTION CURSES IN SS SOUTH SUDAN’S ECONOMIC CRISIS STEMS FROM THE OIL SHUTDOWN IN JANUARY 2012 AND HIGH-LEVEL CORRUPTION. EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL POLITICAL DYNAMICS CONTRIBUTE TO THIS ECONOMIC IMPASSE. The new baby buckles As South Sudan marks its first year as ed in a serious fuel and hard currency nomic state of the newly established an independent state, it faces an un- shortage and skyrocketing prices for nation has raised the concern of the precedented economic crisis manifest- basic commodities. This dire eco- World Bank and the United Nations. 5 ITPCM International Commentary July 2012 ISSN. 2239-7949 In May 2012, a confidential report by marcation debacle.3 understanding of how this scenario the World Bank warned that South came to be is useful. Prior to seces- Sudan’s economy was on the verge The second problem regards both sion, Khartoum ensured – whether by of collapse.1 The United Nations has countries’ failure to agree on the design or accident – that all labour in- echoed similar sentiments, warning amount of transit fees for shipping puts on oil production were connected that despite the enactment of austerity South Sudan’s crude oil through the to the northern Sudanese economy. measures to address the impact of the Republic of Sudan’s pipelines and port. Consequently, the oil infrastructure – crisis, South Sudan will require more South Sudan suggested the conciliato- refineries, pipelines, export terminals, relief aid to keep its population alive in ry above-market rate of US$ 1 per bar- airports, roads, and ports – were well- the coming months.2 rel, but Khartoum pegged the price at developed in the north, while practi- the exorbitant rate of US$ 36 per barrel. cally nothing exists in the south where Two reasons are behind South Sudan’s Subsequently, as a stalemate wore on, the oil fields are located. This move en- economic woes: a decision to stop oil Khartoum unilaterally siphoned off a sured Khartoum’s dominance in the oil exports through a pipeline controlled sector, even after secession.5 by its arch foe, the Republic of Sudan; the crux of South Sudan’s economic and rampant corruption among the woes rests in the failure to diversify However, like many oil rentier states ruling elite. its economy, which relies solely on encumbered by the proverbial “re- This commentary reviews these rea- oil exports, which account for 98 source curse,” the crux of South Su- sons, situating them within the context percent of the national budget dan’s economic woes rests in the failure and dynamics of South Sudan’s socio- to diversify its economy, which relies political factors with a broader outlook portion of South Sudan’s crude flow- solely on oil exports, which account on the residual political hiccups aris- ing through its pipelines to compen- for 98 percent of the national budget. ing out of the split of the Republic of sate for what it called “unpaid” transit The agricultural sector, which has a Sudan into two countries in July 2011. fees. In response, South Sudan shut high potential as a revenue earner, re- Specifically, this commentary argues down oil production and transfers, ef- mains underdeveloped despite the fact that although South Sudan’s economic fectively cutting off the country’s sole that 90 percent of the land is arable and problems stem from the inability to revenue source.4 50 percent of it is prime agricultural reach a fair deal to ship oil through Su- land.6 Funding for agriculture has con- dan’s pipelines, lack of foresight and The stoppage of oil production and sistently been less compared to other planning for alternatives to address transfer through Khartoum’s pipe- sectors.

Load more

  35

Copy Link