Sudan and South Sudan: From Turbulent Cohabitation To Messy Divorce

Since the demise of apartheid and the inauguration of democratic South Africa in 1994, the independence of South Sudan on 9 July 2011 is perhaps the only similar event on the continent that marked the triumph of freedom over oppression. Coming as it did against major obstacles, it reflects significant success of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement. This is particularly because many analysts and observers expressed serious doubts and even cynicism, albeit not without good reasons, about the CPA As the cohabitation of Southern Sudan and Sudan brought about by colonial fiat was unhappy and turbulent, the divorce of the two on 9 July 2011 has remained to be messy. The divorce came before the two sides have reached at a conclusive understanding on the resolution of many outstanding issues. These include the status of Abyei, border demarcation, oil, citizenship, security arrangements, assets and liabilities. With brinkmanship and acrimony increasingly characterising the negotiation on outstanding issues, the situation between the two countries over the course of the past several months deteriorated from stalemate to escalating tension and to the armed confrontation that erupted during March and April 2012.