By: Gabriel Mekbib
in Aweil, South Sudan
Heading into South Sudan I honestly didn’t know what to expect. What I came to find was a land ready to loudly signal its independence to the rest of the world.
The one and half hour flight from Addis Ababa to Juba was followed by a hectic and chaotic rush to find our luggage in the one carousel terminal that was not used to a mass influx of passengers, though a much larger airport is being constructed nearby to alleviate some of the traffic.
After finding my luggage, I then had the opportunity to tour the city of Juba, a journey that took not longer than thirty minutes. I learnt that Juba was getting bigger by the day and this was evident by the abundant construction of buildings and roads. At one point, one of my hosts couldn’t pinpoint where we were, which reflects the rapid growth of the city. Construction is already becoming a major industry in Juba, where a 1,000sqm2 two storey house can go for as much as US$25,000 a month.
I stayed in Juba for two nights before leaving to Aweil, the capital of the Northern Bahr El-Ghazal state. Leaving the city was very much the same as entering it, the airport was still overcrowded and chaotic. The flight I was on stopped in the Northern city of Wau. From Wau I then transferred to a small plane to go to Aweil. The airport at Aweil wasn’t so much an airport as it was a runway, so there was no hassle as compared to Juba.
The events leading up to the day of independence, July 9th, were very jovial. South Sudanese flags were flying high in virtually all shops in Aweil (if not raised a 200 Sudanese pound would be imposed). The Governor of Aweil Lt. General Paul Malong Awan generously gifted various international organizations and local communities in Aweil with bulls, goats and other refreshments. As a result people were very friendly and amiable.
The festivities at Aweil on Independence Day were marked by a march from the outskirts of the city to Freedom Square, the location where the festivities occurred. Many local politicians and foreign dignitaries spoke at the event which hosted parades from the Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Ugandan communities along with a procession of military vehicles and armed personnel.
A common element in many of the speeches was the symbol of South Sudan as a new born baby. One judge in Aweil I had met added to the metaphor by stating, South Sudan is: “A baby born with teeth” referring to the fact that South Sudan has already begun progress to developing the nation economically and socially.
The Independence Day marked the day Southern Sudanese people have worked so hard to achieve and as it has now been completed there is a feeling of optimism in the land. Although a major milestone has been accomplished on July 9, 2011, South Sudan and its leader President Silva Kir Mayadirt have many challenges and obstacles such as droughts, floods, and political infighting they must overcome in order to fully tap the potential of natural mineral and fertile soils among several economic endowments.
Leave a Reply