Sudan is the youngest state in Africa after a successful separation from North Sudan. It is a country that has been through bloody war for decades and its history is definitely a very emotional one. A month after its independence ( 9 July 2011), Mike and Jean Brown (Australia), Ann Njeri and Steve Kimaru (Kenya) had an opportunity to visit this new ‘baby’ in Africa and meet with some of the Initiatives of Change (IofC) friends in the country and think together on how IofC can support them as they negotiate their way towards a better, stable, united, peaceful and democratic South Sudan.   

We were privileged to first meet Gen. Joseph Lagu, the former vice president of Sudan and an advisor to the current president of South Sudan, Salva Kiir. Gen. Joseph Lagu is now a senior man soon to hit the age of 80, but his passion and wish for this new country and Sudan as a whole is too big to describe. This man has seen Southern Sudan suffer under the rule of the North, and who led the first liberation Army, but in his wisdom he still feels that the gates between the North and South should remain open for possible reunion in the future! The old man, when asked how people can help South Sudan at this point, his answer wasn’t the one a person could have easily predicted. He said; ‘Pray for peace in Sudan as a whole North and South. Although there is a split, it is important that peace prevails in the two states.’  

Gen. Lagu also shared with us the very urgent need of the people of South Sudan to get something to unify them. ‘South Sudan is now free and what was tying us together is no more -- the resentment towards North Sudan. We can now be on the neck of each other (killing each other) and this must be prevented. A substitute for the resentment of the North is needed - a more positive substitute,’ he said.  

Also during the visit, we had a day’s workshop with the younger team of IofC. The young people, who are very passionate about seeing and working towards a brighter South Sudan, brainstormed and shared of the challenges and tribulations the young state is facing. On the top of the list was corruption and tribalism. ‘Tribalism will divide us (South Sudan) if we are not careful. It is (tribalism) the cold war between us,’ shared one lady. ‘Let us bring up our children with different mentalities that will unite us as South Sudan,’ she continued.  

The young team, led by James Tongo who is a graduate of Harambee Africa, is planning for peace workshops in a bid to bring healing and reconciliation in the country. The Farmers' Dialogue programme, in the leadership of two young men - Peter and Jacob - is also creating its foundation in South Sudan with hopes of producing enough food for its people and a reduction in the cost of living and food which is extremely high since almost everything is imported into the country.    

There is no doubt that the country is faced with great challenges, but there is hope. And as Mr Light, the director of Mundri Relief and Development Association which has sent 10 young Sudanese to India for IofC training, said, ‘...the past (of South Sudan) must be corrected and reflected, the future must be changed.’