Many Nights and a Day

"Long years ago, we made a tryst with destiny. Now the time has come when we shall redeem our pledge - not wholly or in full measure - but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance." –Jawaharlal Nehru, 15 August 1947
At 3 AM in Juba, but people was sleepless, singing, dancing in the streets. We hardly could take our Sudanese driver out of the party back to home. MD. Thon Paul was telling that his father died for this moment. Another man stays home remembering his 8 dead brothers. Many years, fathers and sons hoped for this moment, keeping the dream in their whispers, Freedom, the moment a man can say, however drunk, “independent at last”.
I absorbed the great feeling of freedom tonight, the joy that Algerians felt in 1962, Libyan had in 1951, and India in 1947, nevertheless Iranians felt after winning their sovereignty back from Khalifs. Whatever happens next is on her own, practically there is no other person to blame.
Everybody is happy with the birth of a country, and I pray for those two poor thieves, maybe dead or waiting to die in the Nile. What kind of country has just been born?

Soul of a Nation
“You may be a Zande, Kakwa, Lutugo, Nuer, Dinka or Shiluk, but first remember yourself as a South Sudanese. There will be equal access to existing opportunities for all,” First Republic of South Sudan President says to cherished audience in Dr. John Garang’s museum.
Living in a tribal country, people still identify themselves with their tribes, clans, and villages. Rebels in South Sudan still represent some of these social factions. The late Dr. John Garang, former leader of SPLM, foresaw the challenge of building a society in this region, ad tried to fight for whole South Sudan authority under SPLM umbrella, South Sudan People’s Liberation Army rather than discreet tribal armies, while he accepted the tribal identity. His successor, President Salva Kiir, preaches this idea still, coexistence of religions, tribes and colors in a secular, equal nation. Do they learn from same practices in Europe?
Now the new government faces many groups of rebels; many of whom are representing tribes and other ideologies. “I want to offer public amnesty to all those who took arms against the people of South Sudan. Let them lay down these arms and help us in building this new nation,” President Kiir said in the ceremony.

Starting Over
Compared to the north, South Sudan has more natural resources with less real capacity on the ground. Oil refineries are in North while South has oil reserves, which makes trouble with tough negotiations.
Majority of population live in extreme poverty (less than 1.25 $/day). 85% have small low productive farming. Only 25 MWh power is the capacity of the public power generation, high-cost small generators produce the rest. Only a beer factory, few water purification, and very few others make the whole industry.
But the development plans are extensive. Many big and medium size international firms have sent their delegates to study and negotiate plans. As an advisor to South Sudan Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (SSCCIA) I see private sector and government officials every day, looking for answers, collaboration or connection.
Government plans to for few dams over Nile, to produce over 1000 MWh power. Services like transportation, logistics and hospitality have great chance for business. Mining and associated industries like cement are negotiating. In agriculture, especially Cereal, Oil seeds, Sugar and special products like Gum Arabic are the next profitable businesses with high social impact in poor communities.
Here it comes the limits; government is new and needs time to regain capacity. Financial plans don’t meet their reality. Low capacity increases the likelihood of destructive corruption, which wrong-minded investors would take advantage of.
What new South Sudan can afford is more like minimal but credible government, free market with a vision to build capacity.
Love-hate affair with North
In the celebration, both presidents of new countries recognized the historical relationship of both nations. Three thousand years of common history. On such historical event, South Sudan president Kiir decided to keep the last flag of Republic of Sudan in South in national archives, as a sign for this relationship.
On the other hand, the growing movement of De-Arabization rises in the south. Southeners react to oppression of Northern government especially the brutality in a longest war in Africa that claimed millions. The war still goes on beyond borders; Nubian tribe, divided by border, are fighting for their independence, and possibly joining new South.
The substantial remaining issues to negotiate are Abiye administration, sharing oil revenue and massive debt. Both sides made many compromises in intense negotiations.
South Sudan has to recover from these deep wounds, and reconcile with North with new terms of engagement, respect, equality and free market. South will have great market in north while Northerners have good investment opportunities in South.

International Cooperation
In the biggest day of new country, once again delegates of nations pledged to support new country. AU, EAC and UN leaders have promised the early acceptance of RoSS to their communities and agreements. British, United States and many others established their own embassies right away. Thousands of NGO, private or foreign state employees celebrated the event in South Sudan. Famous, and sometimes notorious, presidents of Africa were supporting the ceremony, Robert Mugabe (Zimbabwe), Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), Mwai Kibaki (Kenya), Girma Wolde-Giorgis (Ethiopia), and Jacob Zuma (South Afica).
Since playing the substantial role in establishment of CPA and new country, also vital health and food contributions, foreign countries gain power in South Sudan. Although existence of foreigners would add a watchdog to the region for peace, welfare and human rights, it would compromise the sovereignty of the government. Like Haiti that massive international aides destroyed the market, here, uncontrolled flow of aides distorts the market.

To build a country you only need piece of land with a name, a flag, coat of arms, anthem, and an internationally accepted government, to build a nation, you definitely need more.