What are You Willing to Sacrifice Today for the Freedom and Independent of South Sudan?

First, I would like to give a credit to General Joseph Lagu, Dr Lam Akol and Dr Reik Macher, for calling for the independence of South Sudan in their (Addis Ababa, Fashoda and Khartoum) agreements, which were dishonoured by Sudan Government in Khartoum.

No doubt, these agreements will deserve a place in history of Sudan as well as South Sudan. It has now been a forth appeal or attempt for self-determination (separation of South Sudan) since the drafting and signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in Nairobi, the Capital of Kenya by our late Hero Dr. John Garang and Sudan Government. That's why some of us, will really call the holiday we commemorate today "Our Independence Day will be in 2011."

That will be indeed, the actual name of the holiday. Independence of South Sudan is not just the day we shoot off Western or Chinese made fireworks. It's not just the day we barbecue meats. It's not just the day we go to the beach or night club. Rather, it is the day we will celebrate our freedom from the oppressive and unjust Master Minders in North Sudan. That Day will come because a group of courageous men and women have sacrificed and risked their lives for it. Their fortunes and their sacred honours for a dream of freedom and independence from evil powers in North Sudan shall come true when the right time comes. As James Okuk mentioned in his article that independence of South Sudan does not jeopardize or harm our brothers and sisters, the Nuba and Funj, who had fought alongside with us, hopefully we will support them physically and financially for their struggle and freedoms from Arab Master Minders in the North.

Moreover, our independence is not just the birth of the Southern People's freedom but it will be the birth of freedom for each family in South Sudan from ages and ages of North Sudan domination of power. That's why the some Southerners and easterners including westerners of Sudan called our hero Dr John not just the founding father of the Sudan revolution, but the father of freedom.  He was truly the inspiration for freedom fighters everywhere in Sudan. We ought to mark this occasion with some real reflection of solemnity and sobriety. Unfortunately, a few Southerners leaders today put much value to independence of south Sudan. Such people are cowards and do not cherish or appreciate the idea of independence of South Sudan in future.

Dear friends, independence is not an occasion nor a coincident but a real meaningful value of freedom from evil Master Minders. However, some of our political and cultural elites don't want to see a nation full of independent-minded and self-governing citizens who will hold their leaders accountable to their will, the laws of the land and human rights. These elites would prefer to be subjective rather than objective. They start watching events from a long distant without committing to help finding a solution. That's why you will hear so many of them preaching about the value of living in an interdependent world. Have you heard that Interdependence is considered a good thing to colonize the mind? Every time you hear that word "interdependence" glorified, it is simply a synonym for dependence. It has nothing to do with independence; that thing for which our founders risked their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honours.

The sad truth is that every Southerner's dream of independence has been betrayed by some Southerners themselves. But despite these, South Sudan is quite better off today in terms of individual freedom than it were before the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). The wars had affected each and every Sudanese, particularly the South Sudanese family life.

Just take a look at the dictionary definition of "colony" and see if it doesn't apply to us today: Colony: a group of people who settle in a distant land but remain under the political jurisdiction of their native land or a territory distant from the state having jurisdiction or control over it. Aren't black African settlements in Sudan, in a sense, all colonists of the Master Minders in the Arab North? We are, in reality today, a little more than serfs doing the bidding of those in the power in the North Sudan.

We are supposed to support our growing standing army in South Sudan and create good relationships in our communities. Our Government should penalise those who instigate tribal hatred and bring them to justices.

We should advise our government in order to reduce the level of corruption because we don't want to create a Second Nigeria in South Sudan. We should say Big NO to corruption because corruption undermines community development since it distorts and creates inefficiency in the both public and private sectors. Corruption increases the cost of business through the price of illicit payments, the management cost of negotiating with officials, and the risk of breached agreements.

We should always say Big Yes for independence of South Sudan in 2011 and Big No for unity with North Sudan. It will be far better for the future generations of South Sudan not to have any fear or threat from colonialists who have tortured and killed us for many ages. I belief that we will defeat them. To Include, Please, I would like to leave you some questions: What do you think about being independent and not interdependent? Are we living freer lives today than before the Comprehensive Peace Agreement?  What are you willing to risk in order to gain our freedom? Again what are you willing to sacrifice today in the name of freedom and independence? What is the value of independence for you?

*Akic Adwok Lwaldeng, Postgraduate student at London Metropolitan University, Business School, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.