Er der noget der i høj grad har præget dette år jeg har tilbragt i Syd Sudan har det været forventningerne til folkeafstemningen. Der har været nervøse forventinger: Vil afstemningen finde sted, bliver der uroligheder op til afstemningen, kan det overhovedet gennemføres til tiden, vil vi kunne udføre vores arbejde, eller bliver vi alle sendt på en måned lang ufrivillig ferie, bliver valget retfærdigt osv.
Men for folk i sydsudan har det også været en dag der er længe ventet. Siden uafhængigheden fra kolonimagten i 1956 har syd og nord bekriget hinanden. Syd-Sudaneserne har ikke følt at de hørte sammen med nord, hadet er vokset frit grundet krigshandlinger og de har haft svært ved at se fordelene i at være en nation. De har drømt om at have deres eget land.
Derfor var det en stor festdag da valget startede. Jeg befandt mig i Jiech, som er en lille flække, stort set bare et administrativt centrum for to payamer, med enkelte hytter, 2 boder der udgør markedet, og en landingsbane. Stort set alle der var registreret til at stemme mødte op på første dagen, iklædt deres pæneste tøj. Talrige medlemmer af Parlamentet i delstaten kom forbi, og lagde vejen forbi vores compound, for at høre om vores arbejde. Selv “the minister of interior affairs” kom forbi, med et TV-kamera, og benyttede sig af lejligheden til at få mig til at give en udtalelse om Kala Azar situationen i området. Sange blev sunget og trommer slået.
Det var glade dage. Folk som kom til klinikken viste glade deres farvede finger frem, som tegn på at de havde stemt.
Og resultatet er klart (selvom det ikke er endeligt offentliggjort endnu) 99,9% har stemt for selvstændighed. Med andre ord Afrika er gravid, hun har undfanget et nyt land, og har termin om mindre end et halvt år. Det bliver ikke en nem start, udfordringerne er talrige, ressourcerne få. Men jeg glæder mig over at have fået lov at dele dette øjeblik med befolkningen, og jeg håber at en fredfyldt nation vil komme til verden.
The referendum centre in Jiech
English: Is there something that has greatly influenced this year I spent in South Sudan, it has been the expectations for the referendum. There have been nervous Expectations: Will the vote take place? Will there be riots prior to the referendum? instability? Will it be implemented on time? Will we be able to work, or will we be force on a month long holiday? Will it be a fair referendum?
But for the people of South Sudan, it has also been a day that has been anticipated for a long time. Since the independence from the colonial powers in 1956, South and North has been engaged in a civil-war against each other. The South Sudanese people has not felt that they belonged with the people in the north, hatred has grown due to acts of war and has not been able to see the benefit of being in the same country. They have been dreaming of having their own country.
Therefore it was a big day of celebration when the first day of the referendum appeared. I was in Jiech, a small nowhere, basically jest an administrative center for the two bordering Payams, a few cottages, two stalls that makes the market and an airstrip. Almost everyone that was registered to vote came on the first day of the referendum in their very best clothes. Members of the local state parliament showed up, and also came to see us in our compound, to hear of our work while there. Even the Minister of Internal affairs came by, bringing a TV-crew, insisting on me giving a talk on the dire situation of Kala Azar in the area. Songs were song and drums were beaten.
It was happy days. The patients in the clinic proudly presented their stained finger as a sign of them having cast their vote.
And the result is clear (though not yet final) 99.9% has voted for independence. Africa is Pregnant, she has conceived a new nation and is due in less than half a year. It will not be an easy start, the challenges are plenty, the resources few. But I am happy to have been given the chance of sharing this moment with the Sudanese, and I hope that a peaceful Nation will be born
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