(Omaha, Nebraska, USA) - It is not always every time that discussions about New Year matter as they are this year. But when they do, those discussions tend to improve the odds for many.

President Salva Kiir (in vehicle in hat) marching with the crowd to submit his nomination papers for president of South Sudan last month in Juba (Photo courtesy of SPLMToday.com)

To me, the fuss goes a little something like this. Two thousand and ten is no ordinary year for the world. Put bluntly, it is the year the rest of the world is reloading to usher in the second decade of the 21st century. For Africa, it is a major turning point since  it is the year the World Cup will be played on the continent  for the first time and who knows, if we shine during the games’ hosting  in South Africa the world may cede  it as the African Century.

But even so, this year and the next are very pivotal for some. The clock is ticking a little faster on the future of the African nation of Sudan. We have reached the eleven-month warning for the two referenda in Sudan. For the last half of a decade we the Sudanese were indulged in what was certainly a banality to implement the comprehensive peace in our country.

For ethnic killings in Darfur and deaths of over 2.5 million during the north-south civil war, Sudan has earned its justifiable place on the arc of history in terms of genocide: Armenia, Jewish Holocaust, Rwanda, Cambodia, and Bosnia are already on the books.

The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement has over the years held up the mirror to decades of monumental injustices in Sudan and, with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement expected to expire in 2011, it is needless to remind ourselves that the window is closing and it is closing fast!

Although the SPLM, looking back on 2009, did show some spine by thankfully becoming itself again, after closing the year with some victory in key laws on the referenda for Abyei and Southern Sudan, including the agreement on the Popular Consultation in Southern Blue Nile and Nuba Mountains, too much uncertainty still exists. The remaining laws on border demarcation are in no measure small to be ignored given how crucial they are for the fate of both Referenda.

Some in the international community are rightly warning of the CPA nearing a fault line. We in the South are caught wondering whether we should focus on bucking stereotypes that are ongoing or win the fight that is impending.  First it was Egypt declaring South Sudan a failed state, even before the agreement affords this poor region a chance at nationhood. Then the same declaration was picked up by foreign actors—individuals, nations and think tanks—who exploited it for some good and selfish reasons.

Perhaps for Southern Sudanese and all the marginalized people of Sudan, the Biblical themes of the March around Jericho need to be summoned during this eleventh hour when the search for freedom enshrined in the CPA continues to be met with cascades of sabotage and ringing opposition from the purveyors of the National Islamic Front aka the National Congress party.

Biblical scholarship tells us that in the late Bronze Age when the Israelites were closer to their freedom, they were faced with greatest uncertainties as obstacles multiplied in their hour of need—their fears almost took toll on the final journey as they saw fortified walls of the city of Jericho, and their leader, Joshua, wondered how they would enter the Promised Land. But God first tested the character, faith, trust, courage and obedience of His people by ordering them to march in silence around Jericho for 6 days and 7 times on the 7th day. After show of faith and obedience through what was an embarrassing and tiresome march, the greatest walls of Jericho came tumbling down, allowing the triumphant entry into Canaan by the people of Israel.

The Bible remains the Greatest and most enduring book of all time which has guided suffering people  in moments of despair and celebrations; it offers encouragement and we are told Moses who led  the Jewish people out of bondage used his charismatic ,assertive leadership qualities and courage to explain to his people that freedom and laws were inseparably linked. In the history of revolutionary politics few societies have echoed and dared to walk in Moses’ shoes amid own tribulations.

In their decades of untold suffering, the marginalized people of Sudan have shown great resolve by sticking with their movement and I know they saw in their leader John Garang the same leadership qualities that Moses had –of faith, courage and ability to inspire --and even during his untimely passing in 2005, the wailing masses did not lose hope because they intoned that their Joshua Salva kiir would take them home. Those were shades of people triumphing over despair.

Despite the uncertainty before us now, people should have reasons to hope by turning to their own inner selves and start believing in ourselves like Israelites did in their final hour of need, and at this journey’s end, we will realize that what we have been doing all a long is a walk around walls of injustices---the monument to peace walks should start in the run up to April elections and end with the final walks on January 2011 when we march to the polls.

Owing to heritage of faith and resolve, the marginalized can plan the 21st century Jericho March around walls of injustices in Sudan by putting to use all modern communication devices: cell phones, media, and Diaspora outreach to drum up support for the elections in April 2010 and step up the March leading up to January 2011.

The lesson here is it is times like these when people are tested and I believe if we don’t allow our belief to be shaken, if we do not allow ourselves to be distracted by forces antithetical to our destiny, we can be certain of triumphs over tyranny and uncertainty and guarantee freedom for the people of southern Sudan and all the marginalized communities.

*This article is one of series primer on Presidential Elections that NSV will continue to run till APRIL. The author can be reached at . This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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