South Sudan: Dr John Garang and and William Nyuon

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The S.S. Interim Committe for Constitutional Review & Thier Effects on the Foundation of the Nation's Constitution.

As a Southerner who have contributed to the liberation of this nation (South Sudan) as Jesh El Ameer (Red Army), I feels I have an obligation and responsibility to continue to contribute to the establishment of our new nation, the Republic of South Sudan. It is important to see our leaders like Salva Kiir crossing us the river to the promise land of South Sudan, which is a very historic record and you deserved a credit from all Southern Sudanese people both in south Sudan and in exile. Indeed as acknowledged by other authors in their articles, President Kiir Mayardit has fulfill the aspiration of marginalized Southern Sudanese since the the beginning of Arabs settlement till the time of British colonial in the region (South Sudan). Through his unwavering leadership for letting Southerners achieved their freedom in the humankind history dream of Freedom for , Justice for all and Equality regardless of your race and gender. With much expectations that have built for more than hundreds years from Southern Sudanese's struggle we expect your leadership to look into the review of the interim constitutions of the new nation (Republic of South Sudan) critically through good representations of views from all walk of Southern Sudanese lives.This review committee must be guided by those who are expertise in the area of constitutional law because it is important to get this constitution right from the beginning otherwise getting this constitution wrong will be better that South should have remain under the Arab rule as it has been during the last 50 years. However seeing all the faces of SPLM and GOSS leadership as the only body that is going to review this interim constitutions of South Sudan cast doubt on my and many others whether this review committee will represent the view of Southerns are will they do their own interest that will keep them in the leadership. Already with e corruption that is reigning in the South leadership it is important that the review of the constitution is done by a body that will be fair to the future generation of South Sudan. Seeing the following names as the interim constitutional committee. I struggle to understand what does this mean in term of ethnic representation and youth representation among other groups that exists in the region while their views required to be represented in this crucial work of the nation. [Sources quoted from SUDCOM].
1. H.E John Luk Jok,
2. H.E Telar Ring Deng (not a Minister but legal advisor to the President?),
3. H.E Tor Deng Mawien (not a Minister?),
4. H.E Michael Makui Lueth
5. H.E David Deng Athorbei,
6. H.E Paul Mayom Akec,
7. H.E madam Awut Deng Acuil,
8. H.E Gabriel Changson Chang,
9. H.E madam Jemma Nunu Kumba,
10. Justice Reuben Madol Arol,
11. Justice Deng Biong,
12. Hon. Lawrence Korbandy,
13. Hon. Robert Lado Loki,
14. Prof. Deng Awur,
15. Hon. Peter Samuel Mogga,
16. Hon. Dr. William Kon Bior,
17. Hon. Mary Nyaulang Reat,
18. Dr. William Othwonh,
19. Dong Samuel Lual,
20. Hon. Dengtier Ayuen Kuur,

ADVISORS:
1. Justice Ambrose Ring Thiik,
2. Prof. Akolda man Tier,
3. Justice Bullen Panchol Awol,
4. Justice John Gatwec Lul.

This Constitional committee must represent different groups in South Sudan, classically, politically, ethnically. It must reflects other groups such as religious group, youth group, women and and disable group, It is important that this interim constitutional committee be a body that southerners will approved their work before they could commit themselves for the work of reviewing this constitution. Review of the constitution does not need rush, Southerners must get this right otherwise it will be a nation that will be run by individuals who will keep changing it every time a new leader comes into power as its now happening in many nations of Africa and Latin America where a leader would change the terms of presidency inorder to accommodate his/her own interest.

Having pointed out my view on these committee members (whose majority of them are from Dinka) does not mean that this committee members are unable to deliver the right job needed, but most importantly this job need to be done right because constitution is the base and backbone of nation and without it the country will not be able to stand on its own without individuals running the country. What need to happen in this situation is for the advisory committee members that are competent should lead the interim constitutional committee review instead of being appointed as advisers. I believed it was a wrong advise on whoever that advised you Mr. president to pick these expertise as advisers instead as leading committee members that must review this interim constitution of the Republic of South Sudan.
We Southerners need a strong constitution that will maintain peace among us as we have endured so much suffering in the last five decades of two civil wars.
We Southerners need a constitution that will last to the end of current humankind's life time on the face of this planet without alteration by any man.
We Southerner need a strong constitution that will over-ride the interest of any individual leader that will be able to govern southern Sudan in the future.
We Southerners need a strong constitution that will fight corruption that is now eroding values of our culture, dignity and respect of public assets (including money that everybody is looking to get rich only in South Sudan).
We Southerners need a strong constitution that will protect civil society and all vulnerable citizens of South Sudan from authorities that will abuse their power positions.
External Expertise Request from International Community:

The second most important group that is critically needed in this interim constitution review is to at least invite foreign expertise through African Union in countries such as South Africa, Ghana, Ethiopia among few to mention in the African continent. The GoSS under the leadership of Kiir must invite expertise from international community through UNSC [United Nations Security Council] in the leading nations such as the US, Australia, New Zea land, UK and other European nations, Asian Countries like India, Japan, South Korea that support the independent of the South to help in review of this constitution. These nations can provide the South with wealth of knowledge and expertise that can guide and produce a well founded constitutions that could lead our country into a stable nation with a strong constitution of South Sudan.

Therefore, this committee must be review before the constitution and it must includes all different groups mentioned above if president Kiir really want an independent South Sudan with a strong constitution that should government our nation instead of individual whose interest will prevail when reviewing this constitution.

These views are solely from the Author [Nyok Achouth Gor] he can be reach on Em: nyok4zsudan@yahoo.com.au / +61411813437 [Canberra - Australia].

My Expectations & Historic Vote for South Sudan Referendum. A right I have been searching for more than 27 years of my life

Nyok Achouth begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting Gor's Story on this referendum:

Finally I had voted for My Freedom and Freedom of South Sudan as a Nation. Afreedom I had been Searching for more than 27 years of my life.

For the first time in my life from the time I was born till I came to Australia, never had I use my basic human rights in my life or did I dream that one day I will reached the day of South Sudan Referendum the 9^th of January 2011. This day has given me an opportunity to exercise my basic human rights and chose my future as I follow the same suits of my father and my older brother who have sacrificed their lives with many other millions of Southerners during the civil war for the liberation of South Sudan. With sharp memories of not only carrying gun (AK47) at the age of 13-16 but being in frontline with lots of horrible things I was involved in a conflict zone, I thank my heroes like my father (Achouth Gor , Dr. John De Garang the SPLA/M and heroines who have sacrificed their lives to bring this freedom to me with other millions of Southerners around the world. I did not dream that I would get opportunity to be part of the leadership (as an Assistant Manager of the Referendum Centre in Canberra-Australia) that managed the referendum centre. It was a great opportunity and joy to be able to make sure I acts impartially from the beginning of the referendum process since the beginning of Voter Registration last year in November 2010 till the 16^th of January 2011 after the conclusion of referendum voting. Having fought in the war and being required to act neutrally during the referendum registration and voting was a very challenging task which contradicts my previous ways of perceiving how to achieve freedom of South Sudanese people. I did not had a dream that my mother, brothers and my younger sister who is 19 year old (Akech) will one day vote for their future as any other South Sudanese member who should decide their future by exercising their choice of freedom.

I did not know that international community particularly the US, UK, Australia, other European Nations and some of African countries will stand up to ensure that individual rights like mind is protected other with millions of Southerners so that they can exercise their rights of democracy in order for them to leave in peace like other people that are enjoying stability in their own states. Like any other Southern Sudanese person I do believed international community specially the US, UK, Australia and other members of international community deserve credit from Southern Sudanese people wherever we are in the world. I personally thanks the international community including the Australian government, the Australian public and all my Australian friends that have been supporting us in whichever way that the suffering of southerners is heard and recognized by those who don’t know by supporting us. As Southern Sudanese in Australia we owed the Australian government an enormous credit because for its effort to ensure that this referendum is conducted peacefully and fairly as acknowledged by the international observers "as fair and credible referendum that had met the international standard of conducting the referendums or elections in the world. This support gave me a real opportunity to be able to choose what I want freely without political influence or interference from any authority and i.e. my choice for independent South Sudan of Freedom, Equality and Progress for All.

Years of living with Quilt & Shame due to My Sudanese Birth Nationality [or identity] associated with All Bad things of Sudanese by the world.

During the years I lived in three countries of Africa (Ethiopia, Uganda and Kenya) as a refugee before coming to Australia I have been carrying with me feeling of quilt and shame because of how I felt all the time for being associated with the nationality of Sudanese a country known in the world with all bad things war, failed society, and people in all aspects of life. This experience was so painful to me in Kenya were I have witnessed and tested the challenge of being a foreigner or a refugee in a foriegn country. This is all about the way that I was treated with thousands of South Sudanese refugees in Northern Kenya in most cases by the Kenyan Police and their locals as a foreigner wondering in a foreign land with out reason according to them. I remembered one incident where police tried to bid us up because we could not give them money as they were asking for money from us and they said that " Are you people Christians? and we responded yes, Do you people reads your bible especially in "Isaiah Chapter 18 where its prophesied that " God is going to punish people of Sudan (Cush)', you know what? we are the hands of God to punish you so that you will hear God's message. And the police guys beats people up with rungu (swahili word means stick). It is an experience that will never go away easily until I die. After this referendum I tried to reflect on those memories of my life and I felt bad but on the other hand this referendum which will stop the war has relieved me from this feeling of quilt and shame of my identity (Sudanese) for being associated with conflict and a failed society in the world. The same thing [feeling] has been happening also after coming to Australia, I continued to have the same feeling when asked 'where are you from orginally' by Australian and I said 'I come from Sudan, I found myself sometimes with of hiding my origin (Sudanese) and feel like I wish I was from another country that the people of australia associates with good life of peace, good people, a country that is known because of good reputation and stability politically, economically and socially. I still struglle somtimes but I will try to think in a more positive South Sudan as a result of referendum. Now I can be a proud person from a background where life is going to be associated with people from other nations of the world that are in peace. A society where problems are settle diplomatically and peacefully, there is a good progress in term of human life and my people (South sudanese) are re-joining the family of humankind in term of development instead of being a burden to other countires through thier refugees, aid programs and many other humanitarian assistances. Now if I am aksed of my baackground then I will be able to explain and I will not fear so much about my background of being Identified as Southern Sudan a society that is trying hard to join the family of mankind in all aspects for Freedom of Democracy, Equality and justice for all and the developemt and progress for all people of South Sudan. It will take sometime for me to settle down with all that I had been carrying with me for more than 27 years now of my life. This referendum has given me great opportunity for me to be able to re-adjust my life and identity (not to be associated with problem of South Sudan) as a Southern Sudanese people.

Focus on My Homeland (South Sudan) that have caused much to me:

My next focus with the rest of Southerners back at home (The Republic of South Sudan)and in Diaspora is the expectation of development in term of good governance, establishment for the rule of law, Social justice for all and eradication of corruption . This enemy is now replacing the position of the North by becoming the enemy number of of southerners more than. Development is the biggest challenge to the leadership of GOSS as this expectation built for more than 50 years of two civil wars. Southerners must be given real democracy not a slogan one by leaders of South Sudan. Late Dr. Garang put is in his address in 1986 "[We need a real] democracy which embodies equality, freedom, economic and social justice and respects for [basic] human rights not as slogans but as concrete realities that have concrete content which we should promote, cherish and protect".

My next Article will be focus on this topic of Independent Republic of South Sudan in the Context of democracy in South Sudan as a new nation.

The Author [Nyok Achouth Gor] of this article can be reach on +61411813437, nyokachouth@gmail.com or nyok4zsudan@yahoo.com.au for any concern and clarification.

South Sudan Focus

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Welcome to South Sudan Focus Home, this blog is dedicated to engages South Sudanese political analyst in Diaspora on South Sudanese Politics both domestic and foreign policies. This blog dedicated to the Visison of New Sudan through the aspiration our of Late leader Dr. John Garang De Mabior whom I quote here as: "we want, a Democratic [South] Sudan, a [South] Sudan of Equality, Freedom and Progress, a [South] Sudan that will take its rightful place among the nations of our planet and contribute its due share to the progress of humankind"

The Objectives for the 'South Sudan Focus' is to be able to periodically convene an online forums to discuss and help in formulating policies that can help the leadership in the government of South Sudan to add the voices of citizens and civil society on governance and reconstruction of the nation. These objectives includes:
1. Full Implementation of New Sudan Vision Principles of Democratic South Sudan of which two civil wars were fought (1955-1972, 1983-2005) between the North and South.
2. SPLM and all Political parties in South Must Review Governance Policies for it to rule as party for the people of South Sudan than only leaders of South.
3. All institutions must step up to fight Corruption at all levels of civil society to the top government levels.
4. Full implementation of Rule of Law by improving the Judiciary System and Police Security Services
5. GoSS' Foreign Relations Strategies and Policies.

Discussion on South Sudan Secessio January/February 2011: Vol. 1, Issue No.1.

Next areticle coming up.