Who is going to benefit from ‘Four Freedoms’ signed in Addis Ababa recently?

The well-known Dinka adage which says “the catfish that swims with the eel may be susceptible to the birds of prey” – may have been true with South Sudanese signing agreements on four freedoms and particularly the freedom to trade with Sudan. In that adage, a South Sudanese trying to do business with Sudanese may do less than his/her Sudanese counterpart, and therefore will be susceptible to bankruptcy. Conversely, a Sudanese who will come to South Sudan penniless will return as a millionaire or becomes naturalized in South Sudan after 5 years have elapsed.

Our politicians will be using those Sudanese traders to supply the contracts or tenders they approve to themselves. In an attempt to hide public stolen money, some senior government officials would be even going extreme by lending money to Sudanese traders. The Sudanese traders would be quickly befriended by some top officials for protection sake; they will be given telephone numbers of big men/women to call in case they run into trouble; they will be suppliers of our army – and they will be seen driving through to the army headquarters without any hindrances; they will be free in the truest sense of the word; the few Sudanese ladies that would venture coming to South Sudan from Sudan shall be quickly accommodated in hotels paid for from public money – and guess what? The list may be long.

However, what are the South Sudanese interests in doing trade with Sudan, or being free to go to Sudan at anytime and return as anyone may wish? In an attempt to justify how those four freedoms shall be of benefit to South Sudanese, Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin the Minister of Information and Broadcasting (the government spokesperson) on Friday, October 5, 2012 spoke of the benefits to be gained by South Sudanese; inter alia, free trade, free voluntary return by South Sudanese who are still stranded in Khartoum as a result of South Sudan secession on July 9, 2011; and the right to ownership of the property. The importance of Four Freedoms was reiterated by Moulana Michael Makuei Lueth (the member of South Sudan negotiating team) as he gave exclusive explanation of the Cooperation Agreements, at Al Masir Forum, on Saturday, October 6, 2012.

Both Moulana Makuei and Dr. Benjamin were specifically alluding to those South Sudanese who have properties in the Sudan to benefit from these freedoms. Also, the agreement on banking cooperation, will waive the requirement of the trade between the two countries being done using dollars. Indeed it is true, some people (a tiny fracture of South Sudanese) would be benefiting from these deals of the so-called ‘four freedoms’.  Yet, the types of the benefits to be gained by South Sudanese are going to be for short term. Apart from importing goods from Sudan, in return for our hard currency becoming Sudanese, some few individuals would be taking some opportunity to go back to Sudan in order to sell their properties or to rent them; and finally South Sudanese would also benefit from medical treatments in the Sudan, and no more. No any sane South Sudanese would dare thinking the ‘Four Freedoms’ shall have more benefits to South Sudanese than thousands freedoms accorded to them by virtue of their being  the citizens in that country, before July, 9,2011. The author concur with the fact that, a country that produces absolutely nothing such as South Sudan would only be fed to its toe, in return for relinquishing its reserves of hard currency. But the real benefits will go to Sudanese.

Already the economy of South Sudan is 50% controlled by Sudanese, and another 50% by foreigners from East Africa. South Sudanese are just owners of nothing that can materialize. Therefore, the Four Freedoms will bring more Sudanese to compete in the control of 100% of our economy. I am sure the Sudanese are capable to send East African out of business. Paradoxically, there will be another business the Sudanese are going to beat our brothers/sisters to oblivion – the intelligence. Disguising as mere businessmen, the most terrible contingent of an intelligence force would come to South Sudan in order to spy on us. Meanwhile our intelligence service guys will dress in suits and drive V8 and collecting no intelligence at all. And, if they are told about some extraordinary activities spotted by the citizens, the answer is always “We knew what is happening”.

Finally, as our Transitional National Constitution accept naturalization of foreign nationals that have stayed in South Sudan legally – at least for not less than 5 years, the Four Freedom are going to result in Sudanese obtaining dual citizenship in South Sudan. In return, our citizens may not be interested to seek the Sudanese citizenship – given the strict immigration rules enforced in Sudan. With strict adherence of Islamic laws in the Sudan, it is expected to see none Muslim South Sudanese developing no interest to want to obtain the citizenship by naturalization. They were there before as citizens by birth which did not work. Unless we have become absolute fools to accept that we will be better Sudanese if we become naturalized. While the signing of the ‘Four freedoms’ and the whole of eight agreements totally signed between the two Sudans, would save their each nearly-bankrupt governments – at least in the short run, what future may still hold is so bleak. As those agreements can only last, if South Sudan continues to pay for it, since she has already paid $3 billion to bribe the Sudan to sign, extra care must be taken. Otherwise, it will be a relationship of the ‘catfish that swims with eel’.