South Sudan's' independence

There are mixed emotions in Khartoum, capital of the Republic of Sudan and Juba, capital of the Republic of South Sudan, regarding the separation of South Sudan, which officially declared its independence on Saturday.

When Southern Sudanese people's eyes filled with tears upon the declaration of their country's independence, the Sudanese people were shedding tears over a homeland that has been divided into two.

While crackers and fireworks lighted the sky of Juba in the south, sorrow overwhelmed the streets of Khartoum, an image depicted emotions of a country looking back at its past and afraid of its future and another afraid of its past and anticipating a better future.

In Khartoum, viewpoints of the citizens regarding the separation of South Sudan varied, as some expressed sorrow over the division of their country while others expressed optimism over a better future after getting rid of the conflict which has exhausted their country.

In this respect, Omer Mohamed Al-Hassan Osman, a northern Sudanese citizen, told Xinhua that "I feel sorry for the separation of South Sudan. This is a natural matter, but the southerners are the ones who opted for separation. It was their will."

"Separation might be good of both sides. North Sudan has lost much in the war with the south. Now we can focus on the development and rehabilitation process. We only hope that the problems between the two sides would not arise again," he added.

Mayada Ahmed, a northern Sudanese university student, for her part, told Xinhua that "the feelings towards the separation of South Sudan are varied. They are a mixture of sorrow and joy."

"The sorrow is attributed to the failure of the Sudanese people to preserve their homeland united while joy is attributed to the fact that the southerners will finally manage to establish their homeland for which they have dreamed for long and for which they have worked for 60 years and voted for its separation with a majority of 98 percent in the recent referendum," she said.

Citizen Omran Al-Sadiq, in the meantime, stressed the importance of cooperation between Sudan and South Sudan and establishment of relations that stand on good neighborliness and exchanged benefits to consolidate the social ties between the two peoples.

"We are optimistic that the two countries will have a bright future. We hope they will cooperate and move together towards the future. There are huge resources in the two countries and we hope they would work together to achieve a better future for the two peoples," he told Xinhua.

South Sudan on Saturday was officially declared independent and raised its flag in a celebration attended by around 30 African heads of states and representatives of world countries and regional and international organizations.

South Sudan lies in an area of about 619,000 square kilometers, around 25 percent of Sudan's total area.

The newly born South Sudan is bordered by Ethiopia in the east, Kenya and Uganda in the south, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Central Africa Republic in the west and Sudan in the north.

According to the population census, conducted on April 2008, South Sudan population amounts to over 8.5 million, 20 percent of the total population of Sudan before the south's independence.

The relationship between south and north has witnessed continued tension for around two decades until it was ended by the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), inked between the two sides in January 2005, which put an end to the longest civil war in the African continent.

On Jan. 9, 2011, 98 percent of the southerners voted for independence in a referendum on self-determination for the region.

South Sudan enjoys huge oil reserves where three quarters out of a total of 470,000 barrels produced a day in Sudan came from the south before the region's independence. The oil, which constitutes about 98 percent of South Sudan's revenues, is exported through a pipeline that passes through Sudan.

The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) constitutes the nucleus of South Sudan State's army where the SPLA comprises of around 140,000 fighters.

South Sudan is made up of 10 states, including Upper Nile, Jongolei, Unity, Lake State, Warab, Northern Bharal-Ghazal, Western Bahral-Ghazal, West Equatoria, Bahrel-Jabel and East Equatoria.

The United State of America has officially recognized the Republic of South Sudan as an independent state, having proclaimed its secession fro northern Sudan yesterday; President Obama commented the stance saying "after the prolonged struggle of people of South Sudan, the US would like to welcome the birth of the new nation". South Sudan has become the 54th state in Africa, and the 196th independent state, expected to be the 193rd member of the UN, in mid July. Earlier, 98% of the southern people had voted in favor of their secession from the north, in the general referendum conducted last January, in accordance with the CPA signed since 2005, to extinguish decades of civil war. On her part, US envoy to the UN; Susan Rice, welcomed the new state in behalf of the US president and the American people as well, saying "the new nation is welcome to join the international society, as a state of sovereignty". While addressing the celebration of the new state, Rice said "my country supports the right of the people to rule themselves" adding "your independence is not a grant, but rather a victory you won", adding that the new state, comes as an answer to a maiden's prayers, calling on the government of the new state to guarantee all citizenship rights to its people, as well as their prosperity, saying "we hope that you live in peace with your neighbors and that all outstanding issue are peacefully settled, which in turn requires the good ruling and a powerful institutionalism, based on the benefit of the people and the construction of a system that is immune to corruption". In a different context, Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), expected a remarkable turnout, on the construction of infra structural facilities in South Sudan, having proclaimed its independence yesterday, as (Yunhab) agency announced unveiled that 30 state at least, ahead of which comes the US, China, and Japan, are seeking to engage different projects, such as the provision of heavy construction materials and energy resources, in terms of opening consulates and embassies in the South Sudan. Nevertheless, the US has constructed the highways linking Juba with Uganda, an enterprise at a value of $200 million, as Italy has supported school lunch with a sum of 50 million Euros.