There is a giddiness that we may feel when we see people gain freedom from tyranny. We felt it when Saddam Hussein was toppled; people were full of hope when Eritrea became independent from Ethiopia.
And yet I am sobered by the challenges which lie ahead for Southern Sudan. It will immediately be listed as one of the poorest nations on earth. It suffers from chronic drought, poor infrastructure, and relatively few natural resources.
I spent time in southern Sudan a couple of decades ago when I worked for a relief agency. I remember being driven into the regional capital Juba and thinking, "this feels like a large village, not a regional hub." That "large village" is now the capital of a new nation! Quite staggering.
There is something else quite unique about southern Sudan. It has always set itself apart from the north of the country based on religious beliefs. The south is nominally Christian while the north is Muslim. This is one of the few times in history where an Islamic state has gone through a civil war and eventually split along these religious lines. I think this is quite significant, and is something to be watched in the coming months and years to come.
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