Discussion Board Summary
4 October 2006 – 9 November 2006
Debates on the Discussion Board during the month have been very
varied and yet insightful. Some old topics have been revisited
to remind members that some issues are not just going to be wished
away or forgotten about.
One major topic on everyone’s mind is the state of the
Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). There are mounting concerns
about the commitment of the parties to this historic agreement.
To this end, the Peace Process: Path to Reconciliation forum has
hosted various aspects of interest that may affect the CPA. Remember
The Past But Do The Present For The Good Future (posted 5
October) reflects back on the sacrifices made by many charismatic
leaders towards the struggle in response to articles on the late
Arok Thon Arok. Importantly, this topic reminds members that there
are a lot of historical matters not yet understood by many regarding
the struggle and the articles can shed some light and encourage
discussion.
On the opposite spectrum of peace is war. NRF
Claims Annihilation of SAF Battlegroup (posted 11 October)
is a poignant reminder that the state of peace in Sudan is fragile.
The ongoing crisis in Darfur despite the signing of the Darfur
Peace Agreement (DPA) brings to focus that the agenda of the remaining
rebel groups in the Darfur region still have their matters to
be addressed. Members’ response was to reflect back on the
tactics employed by the SPLA during the war. This leads on to
Dissension
in The SPLA? (posted 15 October). With 16 replies and 571
views later, it is comment to a press release from South Sudan
Democratic Forum (SSDF) party through a representative in Canada
on SPLA tribalists.
Politics in Sudan is not far removed from the peace process and
no more is this highlighted than in NIF
Is Determined To Kill CPA (posted 4 October) and has elicited
11 replies to 221 views. Heartfelt responses by members to this
topic was also seen in Minister
Blocks South States Constitutions (posted 25 September) in
which members yet again question the viability of the CPA.
Of intrigue was Terrorists
In South Sudan (posted 30 September) that elicited 8 replies
on mysterious electrical appliances explosions that occurred in
Juba. One aspect this topic brought out was the danger of misinformation.
Not entirely related to terrorism but bringing out the issue of
security in regard to discipline is SPLA
Soldiers Murder A Teacher in Rumbek (posted 31 October). In
this topic, a member shares his personal grief at the loss of
a relative to the brutal treatment and subsequent death of a relative
in the hands military police. Not to be forgotten is 41
Civilians Executed Near Juba. By The LRA? (posted 20 October).
Security concerns were once again brought to everyone’s
attention especially where the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) are
concerned. At present, the truce brokered between the Ugandan
Army and the LRA has been violated as indicated in this report.
A probable and possibly future political hot potato is Kenya-Sudan
border town of Nagpal. Could
Sudan-Kenya Border Roll Some Sleeves (posted 18 October) eliciting
7 replies to 230 views so far, it informs members that border
issues are only between north and south Sudan but also at its
southerly border with Kenya.
The buzzword in South Sudan is definitely development. However,
actualization is so far, very removed from the expectations and
visualizations. This
is expressed in More Money, No Development (posted 8 October)
in which members comment on their disbelief at the slow pace of
development by GOSS despite government polices drawn up after
the signing of the CPA. On the contrary, we are reminded in Oil
Money Buys Outdoor Air Conditioning – In Khartoum (posted
25 October) that some Sudanese are indeed enjoying development.
However, the fundamental question – as brought about by
a member – is what is GOSS doing with the funds it has so
far?
The youth are largely an ignored section of society, yet of important
significance to the development and progress of south Sudan society.
A member asks Does
NESYA Care About The Youth In Diaspora? (posted 25 October
2005) and gets a response almost a year to the posting on New
Sudan Youth Association. Another revisited topic is The
Issue of Names in South Sudan (posted 28 April).
Back to the matter of demarcation and borders is Maps
Showing Border Between North and South (posted 29 September).
Also in the General Forum is a peculiar discussion regarding race
on A
Strange Book and A Research Question (posted 10 October).
In Health Matters Forum, members are reminded that Cholera is
still a major disease Juba through Lesson
from Cholera GOSS Must Learn (posted 1 April).
