Folks, this is an article worth reading, the author, in my opinion, has underscored the fear most southerners have. Below is an article.

"Will the new government "deliver?" By Jane Nama'di. (source: Sudan Mirror)

After 21 years of a protracted people’s war, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) is now coming down to establish civilian rule in the South.

As part of the administrative framework agreed upon in the recently signed protocol on power sharing, the SPLM is to create a Government that will be responsible for the administration of South Sudan.

In a democracy, the President of the Republic names officials they expect to work with and the parliament approves the appointments. In the case of the SPLM/A there is no such body as the legislature that will independently scrutinise the appointments from the Chairman.

The current serving secretaries and commissioners in the SPLM administration are a sole appointment of the Chairman and they owe their full allegiance to the SPLM/A leader. The Government to be created by the SPLM/A will comprise public office holders with an obligation to serve the people of South Sudan. These officers will be answerable to the people of South Sudan.

With corruption and nepotism engulfing African counties, the body responsible for appointments of public officers may stumble into appointing the wrong people and ruining the construction of South Sudan. Any Government or administrative setting is capable of being corrupt if not checked.

The question is; who will play watchdog for the Government of South Sudan? In modern democracies, a very strong and objective opposition will always ensure the checks and balances for the ruling administration.

In a dictatorship there is no opposition so the rulers usually do what they deem fit for the country. It is hoped, however, that both the Central and Regional Governments of Sudan will from now on administer the country basing on democratic principles.

This means that the opposition will not be suppressed. For South Sudan however, that depends on whether or not there will be any opposition at all. During the years of turmoil, the SPLM/A, went through its own transformations. There were many splits and counter-splits within the Movement.

These splits may have added to the suffering and death of people, they may have contributed to the escalation of the community conflicts that may be another task for the SPLM/A administration, but they were very helpful in improving the discipline in the SPLA.

They presented themselves to their people as the better alternative and this made the SPLA to check the conduct of its officers and consider reform within its forces. The Movement was also compelled to check their relationship with the people and certain policies like forceful recruitment and the recruitment of child soldiers.

At the end of the day, out of all the fighting factions, the SPLM/A emerged the most credible military organisation and it was for this reason that the populace endorsed the SPLM as a representative for all South Sudan and the regions of Southern Blue Nile, Nuba Mountatins and Abyei.

At the onset of peace-making, a few years back, the SPLM begun by seeking reconciliation with other factions within South Sudan. They merged with the SPDF/A, the forces of Peter Lorot in Chukudum, the forces of Lam Akol and most recently, the Equatoria Defence Forces.

The SPLM Peace Desk has been and still continues to work towards reconciliation with other factions within South Sudan.

Reconciliation is the best thing that can happen for the SPLM/A and the whole of South Sudan and by the time a Government is formed for South Sudan, the SPLM may have succeeded in reconciling all the other political and military factions.

The SPLM/A will finally emerge as the strongest organisation capable of governing South Sudan. However this may leave a vacuum as there may be no more opposition to this organisation because they will already be part of the SPLM. As earlier stated, any Government without opposition is bound to become corrupt and autocratic.

The transition period and the period after that will be a trial period for the SPLM to prove that they are better administrators, who will not be taken up by power and money to exploit the people, who have not seen good governance for ages and have vested all their trust in the Movement.

The only options for opposition that will remain are the civil society organisations. There are many instances where civil society has been able to check the activities of government successfully. History has recorded workers’ uprisings that have changed a complete system.

These organisations must, however, be very strong and independent, with the kind of leadership that can dare to stand up to government and challenge it on certain issues of governance.

However, looking at the civil society organisations in South Sudan, one wonders if they are strong enough to check the Government and oppose it on certain policy issues.

What are referred to as civil society in South Sudan are non-governmental organizations, which are struggling to raise funds for their operations. They are small organisations with a limited scope of operations, funding and membeship and they are under threat of being out-competed by the many international NGOs working in the country.

These indegenous organisations may have good policies but the personnel and management usually take their work as a job and not an obligaton. They are therefore vulnerable for lack of operational funds and as such may be subject to intimidation, coercion and bribery from government. This gives the Government an opportunity to get autocratic.

Yet the South Sudanese have trusted the SPLM/A so much so that they may not realise that the Government of the day is corrupt or autocratic. Many years of untrustworthy northern-dominated Governments have worked in favour of the SPLM/A, an organisation that the people now regard as the liberator.

The majority of the people holding administrative offices within the SPLM are military personnel or they are already incorporated into the working system of a military organisation. In a military setting people follow orders and are not allowed to question anything.

At the same time a superior officer is correct in all decisions, without question. At the moment, the SPLM may appoint a few more people working with independent civil society organisations to high political offices but since it is not wise to bite the hand that feeds one’s mouth, it may not be easy for such appointees to question the status quo.

The Sudan civil society may have to redefine itself and grow into more recognisable organisations like workers’ organisations, trade unions or human rights movements or even political organisations, to be able to have the authority and courage to check the activities of the Government. Otherwise in their current state the organisations that claim to be civil society are susceptible to manipulation."