[Montréal, Québec, Canada 26°C] Media freedom since southern Sudan’s January referendum has been less than stellar. A few examples of the repression of press freedom since the referendum include:

1) The arrest of The Citizen newspaper, Editor-in_Chief, Nhial Bol for reporting about an attack on him and his driver; and the beating by security forces of one of the newspaper’s journalists for reporting about demolitions at Juba University.

2) The editor of the Juba Post was harassed and the newspaper was confiscated on March 31, 2011.

3) Bhagita Radio was threatened with closure by government officials.

4) Arabic newpapers, Al-Masir and Al-Istiqlal, both produced in the south but printed in the north were prohibited from being distributed in South Sudan.

5) U.N.-backed Miraya FM was warned by authorities to replace its staff or be shut down.

The media landscape in South Sudan is a complex one and Al Jazeera’s The Listening Post, which reports on media issues around the world, recently included a report on media freedom in the new Republic of South Sudan. The 25-minute episode begins with a report on journalist access into Syria. The situation for journalists in South Sudan follows (at 14:28).

_____

_____

[Montréal, Québec, Canada 26°C] From an enthusiastic South Sudan watcher, I wish all South Sudanese a peaceful, healthy and democratic future!!!

_____

I came across a video from a blog that is filled with independence wishes from Sudanese people from the north who offer their wishes and thoughts about the division of their country with the separation of the south and the independence of the Republic of South Sudan. Here it is below.

 

[Montréal, Québec, Canada 26°C] Although it is still July 8 in Montréal, 8 hours away in Eastern Africa it is already July 9: the day of the birth of the Republic of South Sudan. How does the new nation represent itself in national symbols? Below is the flag and an explanation of its design and colours. Scroll further down to read the lyrics and listen to a performance of the new republic’s national anthem (taken from the Government of South Sudan website.)

_____

Republic of South Sudan National Symbols

FLAG

Black represents the black African people of South Sudan. White represents Sudan peace for which many lives have been lost. Red represents the blood of the gallant freedom and justice fighters who have been lost in the many years of conflict. Green represents agricultural potential exemplified by the fertile soil and rich equatorial vegetation adorning the South Sudan countryside. Blue represents the River Nile, which is the main source of life not only in South Sudan but also in (north) Sudan and all the way to Egypt. The Star – represents unity of the states of South Sudan. The flag, therefore, signifies one nation of black Africans united in the struggle to perpetuate peace and prosperity for all the people of South Sudan.

_____

The design consists of an African Fish Eagle standing against a shield and spears. The eagle is depicted as looking towards its left shoulder with wings outstretched and it holds in its claws a scroll bearing the name of the state.^[3] The eagle signifies strength, resilience and vision with the shield and spears representing protection of the new state.

_____

NATIONAL ANTHEM

Oh God!

We praise and glorify you

For your grace on South Sudan

Land of great abundance

Uphold us united in peace and harmony

 

Oh motherland!

We rise raising flag with the guiding star

And sing songs of freedom with joy

For justice, liberty and prosperity

Shall forevermore reign

 

Oh great patriots!

Let us stand up in silence and respect

Saluting our martyrs whose blood

Cemented our national foundation

We vow to protect our nation

 

Oh God, bless South Sudan!

_____

Audio recording of Republic of South Sudan national anthem:

_____

New updated map of the world

(press play and zoom in to East African region)

[Montréal, Québec, Canada 25°C] Last night, Montréal’s  CKUT Radio show Amandla, a weekly show with news and analysis about Africa, there were two interviews about the coming independence of South Sudan.

I spoke with CHF‘s Munish Persaud to get an idea of what it was like on the ground in southern Sudan. He just returned from his most recent visit to the region on Monday, July 4 (2 days earlier) and provided a perspective of the situation facing the soon to be independent Republic of South Sudan.

In part 2 of Amandla’s coverage of South Sudan’s independence, Gwen Schulman speaks to Ugandan human rights advocate and close Sudan-watcher, Sam Olara, on more political challenges facing Africa’s newest country.

 

[Montréal, Québec, Canada 26°C] In just 4 days, the Republic of South Sudan will be born, six and a half years into the post-war interim period after the end of a 21-year civil. The self-determination referendum results gave overwhelming support for independence and on July 9, 2011, when the world’s 186th nation will be born. Partition will not  be easy due to multiple unresolved issues. Perhaps the most important and thorniest issue may be the border itself, which has yet to be fully agreed upon by both the Government of South Sudan (GoSS) and Omar al-Bashir’s NCP-dominated Government of Sudan.

I decided to look through my reference library to select articles and reports that address issues relating to the border that will divide the Republic of Sudan from the new Republic of South Sudan. If you know of any others to add to the collection, please contact me.

Selected Reports:

- (July 1, 2011) Beyond The Pledge: International Engagement After Sudan’s Comprehensive Peace Agreement by Aegis Trust, African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies, African Peace Forum, African Research and Resource Forum, Agency for Independent Media, Al-Khatim Adlan Center for Enlightenment and Human Development, Arab Coalition for Darfur, Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, Community Empowerment and Progress Organisation (Sudan), Darfur Consortium, Darfur Relief and Documentation Centre, ENOUGH, Genocide Intervention Network / Save Darfur Coalition, Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, Global Witness, ICCO, International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH ), International Refugee Rights Initiative, Kenya Human Rights Commission, Sudan Democracy First Group, Sudanese Network for Democratic Elections, Waging Peace (download pdf 904KB).

- (June 26, 2011) Sudan Report by Sicuro Information (download pdf 6364KB).

- (June 15, 2011) Sudan: The Crisis in Darfur and the Status of the North-South Peace Agreement by Ted Dagne US Congressional Research Service  (download pdf 888KB).

- (June 2011) Peace in Both Sudans by Enough Project, Humanity United, Investors Against Genocide, et al (download pdf 196KB).

- (May 2011) Abyei: From a Shared Past to a Contested Future, Policy and Practice Brief by the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (download pdf 2.6MB).

- (April , 2011) Abyei, Sudan’s West Bank by Enough Project, (download pdf 408KB).

- (Feb 22, 2011) South Sudan’s Referendum: Geopolitical and Geostrategic Implications an ISS Seminar Report (download pdf 120KB).

- (Nov 23, 2010) Negotiating Sudan’s North-South Future, Africa Briefing No.76 by International Crisis Group (download pdf 1.8MB).

- (October 2010) Race Against Time: The countdown to the referenda in Southern Sudan and Abyei by Aly Verjee at the Rift Valley Institute (download pdf 1.3MB).

- (September 2010) More Than a Line: Sudan’s North – South Border by Concordia International (download pdf 2.5MB).

- (July 2, 2010) Sudan: Defining the North-South Border, Africa Briefing #75 by International Crisis Group (download pdf 1.3MB).

- (Mar 16, 2010) Preparing for Two Sudans by Maggie Fick at the Enough Project (download pdf 400KB).

- (Aug 2009) Scenarios for Sudan: avoiding political violence through 2011, Special Report 228 by United States Institute of Peace (download pdf 572KB).