On the 9th July 2011...South Sudan declared after the Referendum that it was now a new Country, flags were hoisted and the day celebrated. 2 days later in New York, (11th July 2011) the 15 member Security Council referred South Sudans application for UN Membership to its Committee on Admissions. A necessary process within the UN, and a first step for the newly independent African country to join the UN. Its application was approved by the then 192 member organization. Two days later, i had the priviledge of observing the second step in the international system, when the Security Council adopted Resolution 1999( 2011) without vote. In a Presidential statement released on a very warm July day, the Foreign Minister of Germany read out a formal short crisp statement to the Council recommending to the General Assembly that the Republic of South Sudan (ROSS) be admitted as a member of the UN. At that meeting, seating around the horseshoe table, ROSS committed itself to uphold the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and fulfil all its obligations as a new member. The meeting which was attended by Secretary General Ban Ki Moon lasted 9 minutes exactly as the records show ( 10.11 AM) ending at 10.20 AM. The Presidential Statement was denoted as S/ PRST 2011/14...decoded as meaning the 14th Presidential Statement to be issued by the UNSecurity Council that day, on that year. On the 13th July 2011...the Flag Hoisting Ceremony attended by Minister Jeff Radebe was an occasion for joy and celebration, later the celebrations hosted at the Permanent Mission at the US as well as the one hosted by SA later sealed the Celebrations. The leaders went back to Juba to form a new Government which was a cause for another celebration. Almost a few months before its First birthday, the troubles started, ranging from all sorts of outstanding areas. On the 5th July 2012....at its 6800th meeting the Security Council granted a one year mandate renewal extending the UN Mission in South Sudan stresssing the importance of the protection of civilians. By July 2013 when we were no longer in the Council, the challenges persisted in their stubbornness leading to a humanitarian crisis of large proportions. Last year, President Salva Kirr fired almost all his Cabinet members and the country had no effective government for almost a month. This Year alone the Security Council has placed the issue of Sudan and South Sudan 10 times already on its Agenda. The State of Jonglei,Abyei, Blue Nile and South Kordofan continue to be hotspots. The ongoing tribal clashes, the unresolved issues around borders, oil revenue collection and redistribution issues, divided loyalties, continued interference by outsiders in the sovereign matters of the South Sudan...ongoing conflict with elements in Khartoum, troubles within SPLA, the challenges with the LRA and its destabilization role along border areas, the existing troubles in Darfur etc leave me with symptoms similar to those dehydrated by severe bouts of diarhoea chosed by cholera when health systems broke. i wish that Students of International Relations can provide answers on what went wronf....why the fragile peace could not hold, why National Demobilization, Disarmament and Reintegration efforts slowed down and what can be done to turn the corner. When we left New York, at the end of January 2012...we were so happy that we had contributed to something new in the international system, the birth of a new nation. The toddler turned 3 yesterday, yet it has not started working. However, akulahlwa mbeleko ngakufelwa, this is not the time to throw in the baby with the bath water, nor the time to throw in the proverbial towel. We should continue to urge the AU - UN Hybrid Panel on Sudan to reinvigorate its efforts to ensure that Peace finally prevails. For a people who for almost 50 years did not enjoy peace, to taste it for less than a year and to unravel til today is a matter that no African should be Proud of. i have remained seized with the matters of South Sudan and keep a watch on them because it occupies a sentimental place in my heart. i first had my first beer there in the sweltering heat emerging from an aircraft from Addis Ababa that would have made you miss the third class of Metrorail train. its also the home of Alek Wek, the face of the Amarula Creme Liquer and a home of many children who would one day want to grow up tall Proud and Strong in the home of their Motherland. A Beautiful Motherland whose cattle have the most Gorgeous Horns i have ever seen. The tragic situation of the Republic of South Sudan reminded me of the words of our Former President Nelson Mandela after South Africa was removed as an Agenda item from the UN. He said that, hopefully when South Africas name is mentioned again in the UN System, it should be because of what positive role we were playing in the world, what contribution we were making and not because once more we had regressed. South Sudan saddens me. A Real Case of a Beautiful Dream Deferred. # An Ode to Juba# by a Retired Diplomat, on its sad, but Third Anniversary as the latest member of the 193 United Nations Body.....
Posted on: Thu, 10 Jul 2014 13:38:40 +0000
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