ANNOUNCEMENT

Fleur van Dissel follows the intriguing activities of the leaders in South Sudan’s government as they ‘midwife’ the birth of their nation.

Despite decades of violent liberation struggles in the past and conflicting interests looming in the future, the leaders navigate expertly through the implementation of the final stretch of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), while developing their vision for the newborn country.

A behind-the-scenes account of conversations to create a new foundation for South Sudan amidst the stress and the outbursts of an imminent war that South Sudan, with support of the AU, EU and United Nations, are trying to avoid.


The making of South Sudan

1.
[Majak Ayuen Ajok] "On 9th July 2011, I am sure the whole South Sudan will stand up to sing the national anthem. I am sure that it is a day everybody is waiting to see. It is the day everybody is waiting to see how it is going to go.

CAPTION: Majak Ayuen Ajok - Director of Information - South Sudan People's Liberation Army

After 20 years of war, the African country of Sudan splits into two nations.

1.5 million people were killed and the violence had to be stopped.

The United Nations, the African Union and the European Union joined hands and came up with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement CPA.

CAPTION: George Clooney - United Nations Messenger of Peace

[Clooney] "100 days ago, you know, the Security Council was here and there was not a single person, I met with all of them - not one person thought that this government could put together and pull together an election on time. That is a real testament to how President Salva Kiir has handled this by bringing in rivals, by bringing in rebels and making deals with them early on. That is a really smart political move."

2.
Former military commanders from various tribes became politicians.
 
Dr. John Garang, figurehead the South Sudan people's liberation movement, died in a helicopter crash in 2005, two months after signing the peace deal with the North.

CAPTION: John Garang de Mabior - President of South Sudan

Salva Kiir, also a former rebel leader, was his successor; he became the first Vice President of Sudan and the President of South Sudan.

CAPTION: Salva Kiir Mayardit - President of South Sudan

John Garang is still a potent figurehead of the movement. His widow is present during President Kiir's liberation speech.

[Salva Kiir] "I believe that those of Dr. John and all those who died with him are with us today and I must assure them that they have not died in vain. Thank you."

[Rebecca Garang] "For the people of Southern Sudan it is good and I am happy to see, because it is what Dr. John was saying, that we had brought you 'a' peace on a golden plate. Me and my colleagues who have experienced the bush life, we brought you peace…"

CAPTION: Rebecca Garang - Wife of John Garang

CAPTION: Salva Kiir Mayardit - President of South Sudan

3.
98% of the people of South Sudan voted in favor of independence from the North.

4.
Part of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement is the work of the Oversight Task Force.

The Task Force is responsible for post-referendum transitional arrangements. International advisors are present during the negotiations.
An important target is constitutional reform.

Vice-President Riek Machar, former rival to President Kiir, is the chairman of the Task Force.

[Riek Machar] "It is a big process. We have 59 objectives; I do not know when we will finish but I hope we will finish before the 9th of July."

CAPTION: Riek Machar - Vice President of South Sudan

5.
Recent conflicts in the border area, with forces loyal to the North, threaten to derail the state-building process of South Sudan.

The upcoming split has caused serious unrest in the contested oil rich areas such as Fangak, Abyei and Kordovan.

[Philip Aguer] People were killed, villages were annihilated and nothing, no CPA, no government in Karthoum, no government of Southern Sudan, no JIU, no Unimis have protected the people of Abyei.

CAPTION: Philip Aguer - Spokesperson - South Sudan People's Liberation Army

6.
Under military protection, we decide to visit the local governor Simon Kun. His border region is constantly under pressure.

[Simon Kun] "You know the border demarcation? They went there to see and put down reference points, but what they did, they were actually making demarcation zig-zag. They take it as far as the North and then they go back gain to the line; when they see that there is a good oil production there, that they may have good oil, they go and take it and they go again."

CAPTION: Simon Kun Pouch - Governor of Upper Nile state

7.
Sir Derek Plumbly, Head of the Assessment and Evaluation Commission of the CPA is also concerned about the situation.

Two tribes in Abyei are fighting.

According to the UN, the current conflicts has led to hundreds of civilian casualties and displacement of thousands of people.

CAPTION: Sir Derek Plumbly - Head of the Assessment and Evaluation Commission of the CPA

CAPTION: Riek Machar - Vice-President of South Sudan

[Riek Machar] "Even the Miseria if they fear that the Ngok are going South, that’s a reality. If they want to be part of the South within that Abyei, let them say it."

Governor Simon Kun believes that the local tribes should be involved in the peace process.
CAPTION: Simon Kun Pouch - Governor of Upper Nile state

"They have, you know, historical knowledge about that area, they have been there, they were born there and the relationship both sides is well known to them."

[Sir Derek Plumbly] On your model, if you hadn't reached a full agreement on Abyei, would you say “OK, we'll carry on talking after that, after the two independent states?”

[Riek Machar] Yes.

[Sir Derek Plumbly] You would?

[Riek Machar] Yes.

[Sir Derek Plumbly] You need some sort of arrangement that stabilizes the situation on the ground; it’s a bad situation on the ground.

[Riek Machar] Get the UN there; get the UN, because I am an independent State, I, now I feel independent!

8.
CAPTION: Pagan Amum - Minister of Peace and CPA Implementation

[Amum] "Basically, we discuss the issues that will form the basis for an agreement that will define the relationship between the government of South Sudan, or between Southern Sudan and Northern Sudan as two independent states. This includes economic issues, how do we relate to ourselves in the oil area, currency, banking, depths as well as assets of the Sudan."

[National anthem] The Nile, valleys, forests and mountains shall be our sources of joy and pride. So lord bless South Sudan!

Are you ready for independence?

After months of negotiations in the run up to the independence day, the talks between the North and the South intensified and a peace deal is reached.

The Security Council is establishing a UN peacekeeping force for the disputed Abyei area.

9.
On July 9 2011, Sudan will become the 54th State of Africa.


Filmed and produced
by
Fleur van Dissel

General assistance
Peter Murimi
Juan Reina

Compilation
Fleur van Dissel
Frank Vellenga
Alexander Goekjian

Online Editing
Harm Jan Snijder

Copyright
Fleur van Dissel
Visual Communication