What are the South Sudanese neighbours stakes???

By Steve Paterno

South Sudan is a country in turmoil, undergoing a transitional transformation. As such, the world and most importantly, its neighbours put it under the radar and eying for their raison d’État (own interest). Sudan, for example, has of a recent rambling and threatening to intervene into South Sudan’s affairs. In other words, it wants to fight literally in South Sudan. Of course, this is a country that is been interfering into South Sudanese affairs from day one. South Sudan fought this country for decades and obtained its independence. When South Sudan obtained its independence, Sudan is left crumbled, fighting itself, with rebellion all over, trying to overthrow a rogue Islamic regime. Its economy, which is dependent on South Sudan’s oil, is in shamble. For a regime that cannot get a mandate from its citizens, it must look, elsewhere, from outside to claim legitimacy. Therefore, deviating attention into South Sudan as a place to look for problems, while it has its own problems.

Luckily, Sudan has allies in South Sudan, commonly referred to as militias, traitors and betrayers. The infamous South Sudanese militias always find a home in Khartoum. They are there now with the sole interest to disestablish South Sudan. (Their names are not worth to be mentioned in this space). For South Sudan to counter such belligerence, it has all the natural options. For examples, South Sudan is home to hundreds of thousands of refugees, fleeing the Islamic regime In Khartoum. South Sudan can do more by welcoming those victims and strengthen them to change the regime in Khartoum. Not only that, Sudan has various rebel groups, struggling to overthrow the regime in Khartoum. It will only take no time for South Sudan to gather these groups and unleash them in direction of Khartoum, which, without doubt, will take them only days to drink tea in Omdurman in celebration of the victory. This will mark a revolutionary end of that rogue regime if South Sudan undertake.

There is actually more South Sudan can do to deter the belligerence of the Islamic regime in Khartoum and rescue the Sudanese people in the process. Then, there will be peace between the sisterly countries.

Another country with much stake in South Sudan is Uganda. For some reasons, Uganda has seamlessly interwoven into South Sudan as ‘one people and one country.’ The ties between these two countries and the people are historic. For the government of Uganda, it has obligations, of course, such as. For example, if Ugandan citizens get killed in South Sudan by the rebels, by virtue of responsibility, Uganda government is responsible to hold accountable the culprits. Again, if a Ugandan citizen who is doing business in South Sudan has his or her loads attacked and looted by rebels in South Sudan, the country is accountable as well. So, Uganda is justified to intervene in South Sudan any time.

Hence, South Sudan and Uganda must work together in such areas of mutual interest. This will mean, Uganda must not allow South Sudan cross-border rebellion to take place and likewise with South Sudan.

It is all about raison d’Etat and South Sudan stands a better chance with its neighbours to claim its rights among nations.

Steve Paterno is the author of The Rev. Fr. Saturnino Lohure, A Romain Catholic Priest Turned Rebel.