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Dr. Peter Adwok NyabaConditions don't exist, in the Southern Sudan, for multi-party democracy in the context of Western Europe and America. Democracy and democratic culture are functions of the level social and economic development. The more economically and socially developed a country the more is it amendable to democracy.

An economically level developed society like Southern Sudan where the concept of 'the state' as separate from ‘society’ is yet to take roots it will be day dreaming to speak of democracy multi-party or otherwise. This is because most of the dominant communities remain traditional, stateless in the classical sense and therefore don’t subscribe to modern state and its workings.

The most urgent task for now is laying down the appropriate physical infrastructure for modernisation, building of robust the economy, providing social service in education, health and raising the level of social consciousness and the emergence of a strong and vibrant civil society. It is out of this process from which emerges political awareness which engenders the concepts of political organisation and action - what you may call political parties. Political parties sprout in the context of political action.

The many parties that have been registered in Southern Sudan are not political parties, sensu strictu. These have been established by political activists in the context of power acquisition. For instance, following the signing of the CPA and in the context of power sharing protocol, USAP split into two factions in a process seen as in anticipation of acquiring ministerial and legislative positions in the Government of National Unity (Khartoum), Government of Southern Sudan (Juba) and in the States.

The SPLM started as a mass armed movement against national oppression and domination. In the classical political theory it represented the social, economic and political interests of the masses of the oppressed people in the Sudan. It may claim to have transformed into and registered as a political party. But this claim must be backed up with strong organisation and establishment of democratic institutions and structures in which members participate in decision-making and the building of democracy. A corollary of this theoretical expose is that a party that does not practice internal democracy can’t build democracy at the level of the society and/or the country.

Not all those who call themselves democrats practice democracy. Indeed many of these leaders are despots who more often than not turn their colleagues and followers into tools for achieving their personal ambitions for power and wealth. Their parties are nothing but private political instruments for hunting. And because they are operated like private businesses these parties don’t withstand democratic pressures for collective decision making and consequently split into smaller groups. History has shown that highly publicised periodic party congresses and conferences are not necessarily proof of internal democracy. More often than not they are simulations of mental perceptions.

So Mr. Achwanyo Adam Thabo, in view of what I have said above it may be a bit too premature to talk of multi-party democracy in Southern Sudan.

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