AFTER nearly five decades of conflict, the northern and southern parts of Sudan have split into two, with South Sudan declaring formal independence on Saturday. There have been celebrations in the streets of Juba, the capital of the newly sovereign nation. However, the mood in Khartoum is more sombre, although the northerners have accepted the split. The north and south of Sudan had been locked in a bitter, bloody civil war — in which some 2.5 million people died, according to estimates — since united Sudan`s independence in the mid-1950s. Communal differences principally fuelled the conflict, with the north having an Arab, Muslim character and the south predominantly animist and Christian. A peace agreement in 2005 laid the groundwork for a referendum in January, which paved the way for the south`s independence: 99 per cent of southerners voted for secession.

However, once the initial euphoria wears off, South Sudan will have to deal with some very difficult challenges. Several trouble spots, such as the Abyei region and the Nuba Mountains, remain as far as demarcation of the border with the north is concerned. The move towards independence has also sparked an exodus of southerners from the north, as Sudan will not allow dual nationality. South Sudan also faces considerable economic challenges it must surmount. Despite sitting on 75 per cent of the erstwhile united Sudan`s oil reserves, the new country is one of the world`s poorest; refining and shipping facilities are all in the north. The south also faces internal rebellions instigated by militias the Juba administration claims are supported by Khartoum. It is a welcome development that the UN has decided to deploy some 8,000 peacekeepers in South Sudan to help ensure a smooth transition towards statehood, as there is the potential of violence breaking out whenever such splits take place. Hopefully, the south`s secession will usher in an era of peaceful coexistence for both parts of the former united Sudan. Still, the UN and the African Union will have to play a very proactive role in ensuring that border disputes do not lead to a new cycle of open-ended violence.(dawn,10th July 2011)