South Sudan S Fateful Struggle

"In the late nineteenth century, much of the southern region of what is today Sudan was considered ungovernable hinterland. Britain at this time had occupied the northern region (or Egypt), and treated the natives in southern Sudan as either savages or backward peoples. Its empire had reached new heights and stretched from Southeast Asia and the Middle East to northern parts of Africa. And there were now new "civilization standards" that defined the parameters of the 'civilized state', and that gave rise to agreements (e.g., at the 1885 Berlin Conference) which allowed it to assert administrative control over its occupied territories in Africa. Colonization had also propelled Britain's superior military technology and the need to draw on this advantage to extract raw materials for its rapidly industrializing economy. Morally, Britain saw itself as the civilizer or savior (of the backward natives), which, in helping to end much of the slave trade, was also bent on modernizing key parts of the region, i.e., improving education and roads"--

The Comprehensive Peace Agreement marked the end of Sudan's second civil war between the North and South. But in creating an autonomous southern region and a pathway toward statehood, it failed to resolve the effects of rebel factionalism, party infighting, and corruption in the South. In South Sudan's Fateful Struggle, Steven C. Roach analyzes these persistent effects of the South-South war, showing how they disrupted the transition to statehood and divided the transitional government of national unity in South Sudan. Throughout, he stresses the centrality of elite mismanagement and the durable dynamics of war which have shaped the country's troubled political destiny. The government, plagued by patronage-fueled corruption and patrimonialism, continues to rely on the threat of violence to govern the country and to delay the transition to a new government of national unity. Roach argues that in naturally sowing division and distrust, government elites must ultimately learn to engage civil society to achieve long-term peace, accountability, and justice. Along with providing an overview of the country's trajectory in this century, Roach traces its state of war to colonial times and uses the notion of militarized patronage to describe the distinct nature of South Sudan's patronage networks. He shows how the Sudan People's Liberation Movement came to dominate the country's affairs to become a powerful deterrent to democracy, security, justice, and national unity. He then discusses the promising efforts by civil society actors to advance hybrid justice by pressuring the government to implement a truth commission, a war crimes court, and reparations commission. Comprehensive in scope, the book represents the first systematic examination of South Sudan's quandary both before and after its civil war.

South Sudan, the world's youngest country, has experienced a rocky start to its life as an independent nation. Less than three years after gaining independence in 2011 following a violent liberation war, the country slid back into conflict. In the wake of infighting within the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), violence erupted in South Sudan's capital, Juba, in December 2013. The conflict pitted President Salva Kiir's predominantly Dinka presidential guard against Nuer fighters loyal to the former Vice President Riek Machar. As fighting spread across the country, it has taken on an increasingly ethnic nature. Ceasefires have been agreed, but there have been repeated violations by all sides. Today the conflict continues unabated and the humanitarian situation grows ever more urgent. This book analyses the crisis and some of its contributing factors. The contributors have worked on South Sudan for a number of years and bring a wealth of knowledge and different perspectives to this discussion. Providing the most comprehensive analysis yet of South Sudan's social and political history, post-independence governance systems and the current challenges for development, this book will be essential reading for all those interested in the continuing struggle for peace in South Sudan.

For many centuries, the politics of Sudan has been characterised by racial dichotomy and identity crisis, specifically between the North and the South. Added to these is the long history of domination, unfavourable policies and uneven development. The resulting marginalisation, neglect and underdevelopment has bred a series of fierce conflicts culminating in one of the longest civil wars in Africa - between the Khartoum forces and the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (and Movement), SPLA/M. The war ended with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in Nairobi on 9th January 2005. Unlike other publications, The Southern Sudan: Struggle for Liberty provides an in-depth view of the struggle from a veteran's perspective. Having himself lived the struggle and rising to the position of Commander in the SPLA, the author renders a story of the conflict of Southern Sudan right from the Juba Conference of 1947 and the August 1955 mutiny through the Anyanya Movements to the civil war and eventual peace. Using personal experience and accounts, he also carries with him the personalities and events that shaped the struggle and expresses his hopes and fears of the future of Southern Sudan. The events in the book are captivating, the narrative riveting and the historical perspective academically stimulating. The author's standpoint on issues is so provocative that it's bound to raffle a number of feathers in the political corridors of Southern Sudan.

The Trails of Betrayals in South Sudan's Power Struggle by Gen. Stephen Buoy Rolnyang is first-hand account of Gen. Stephen Buoy Rolnyang in the liberation of South Sudan. Although the book begins with the authors childhood and covers in great detail the history of the Sudanese Civil War and the Sudan's Peoples Liberation Movement, this book for the most part provides the Generals own first-hand experiences in relation to the liberation. Essentially, this memoir is a token of appreciation from the author to his comrades and all the heroes that fought for the liberation movement in South Sudan, from the author's region of the Upper West Nile. The book is aptly divided into three parts each chronicling a different period of relevance for the author. The book begins with Gen. Stephen Buoy Rolnyang's giving us a thorough walkthrough of his lineage, childhood and upbringing in the Upper West Nile Region. This sets a tone and provides a rich background for the reader to understand the importance of historical, cultural and political elements that the author grew up with that would ultimately influence him as an adult and successful military leader. Hailing from the Bul-Nuer Tribe in the Upper West Nile region, Gen. Buoy details his early and formative years being raised by his maternal grandmother and later on his stepbrothers as he was orphaned at a young age. As the author progresses, it is evident that the values, traditions and practices of the Bul Nuer tribe played an important role in the author's life. He dedicates a large portion of this work, illustrating in great depth, the ceremonies, history, traditions, politics and militia and its relevance to the Sudanese Liberation Movement. In addition to the in-depth introduction regarding his ancestry, Gen. Buoy provides a detailed outline of the Sudanese Civil Wars, their outcomes, their victories and their failures. Detailing a comprehensive breakdown of the First Sudanese Civil War in 1955, leading up to the Liberation of South Sudan in 2013, the aftermath following the Liberation and the author's most recent experiences as of the year 2021. The main thesis of this book is the liberation of South Sudan, this book provides an intricate and robust review of the history of Sudan whilst perfectly incorporating tribal and cultural significances relevant to the Sudanese Civil Wars and the political instability that ultimately led to the liberation of South Sudan. Each part of the book is equally intriguing and demonstrates with ease the complex yet the riveting history of Sudan.

This book examines post-colonial and post-independence challenges facing South Sudan, both external and internal factors as it transitions into becoming a nation state. Other focuses are issues that hinder the implementation of good governance, delivery of services to the people, preservation of the environment and natural resources, and the unity among South Sudan’s multiple ethnicities. The book also briefly touches on my personal journey in pursuit of elementary and higher education, a rough journey that began in a country that has been ravaged by a civil war. Therefore, it would serve as informative and inspirational to those who may face difficult experiences as a refugee or emigrants. In addition, this book supposed to be published in the summer of 2013; however, the author was caught in a civil war that broke out while on a visit in South Sudan and he escaped near death twice, in the Juba massacres of the Nuers and the attack on his home town of Ulang, all were carried out by the South Sudan military, ordered by country’s leader, Salva Kiir Mayardit. As a result, the author was stranded in the remote area of South Sudan for more than a year before he could finally return to the United States. Since this book is written from Social Responsibility and Social Justice perspectives, it addresses some of the issues that affect individual and the society as whole. And some of the Issues covered in this book were among the forecasting challenges and problems that are now facing people of South Sudan under the leadership of Salva Kiir and some of them came to reality as I predicted them during the writings of this book.