Many of South Sudan's child soldiers became combatants after witnessing human rights violations. A post-secession government must realise their aspirations or risk further conflict.
A personal perspective by Dr Christine Ryan, Lecturer of Politics and Global Studies at the University of Winchester, for RUSI.org
Now that the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005 (CPA) has expired, all eyes are on whether there will be a peaceful transition to the creation of an independent South Sudan. How will the independence of South Sudan play out for the citizens of the new state?
Whilst carrying out field research for my PhD in South Sudan in 2007-08, I conducted over seventy face-to-face interviews with former child soldiers of the Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA). I gained an insight into their motivations for joining the military, and also their hopes for the 2011 referendum.
My research on the former child soldiers revealed how politically aware they were of their surroundings - both before and after joining the SPLA. Prior to participating in the conflict, most former child soldiers had witnessed human rights violations within their community, or even against members of their own family, and had experienced policies of 'Arabisation' wielded by the Khartoum government.
Different Motivations
The interviews I conducted also revealed three main areas of motivation for joining the Army. Firstly, there were those who claimed that they were physically taken from their home and were forced to join the SPLA against their will. Secondly, many said they had been experiencing insecurity as citizens - lacking food and safety, and facing life without their families - and these circumstances 'forced' them to join in order to survive. In addition, many described this path as choosing to join after weighing their options, rather than being coerced or otherwise manipulated.
Thirdly, there were those who emphasized that they were motivated by their personal political agency and their desire to join the military/political movement, even when their communities were encouraging them not to. They joined out of strong political convictions and a desire to protect their nation from further human rights abuses by the Khartoum government. Many fought for a better life for themselves, their communities and the future children of South Sudan. Will the children of South Sudan have a brighter future than those who had to or chose to fight as a child soldier? Will independence allow the vulnerabilities of the children of South Sudan to be addressed and their need for an education to be met?
Possible Futures
Like so many conflict-ridden African nations, South Sudan is a nation of youth, with an estimated 40% of the population under the age of fifteen. It is the children of South Sudan who are suffering as a result of underdevelopment, manifested in a lack of education and high mortality rate. It is not just a country's political future that will be determined through independence, but also the future livelihood and wellbeing of these children.
Self-determination means just that - the chance to determine for themselves the future of their existence. Independence might mean nothing more than a piece of paper if South Sudan continues to experience instability. What is independence if it does not bring stability and assure that human rights will be respected? Being an independent state also calls on the international community to respond to sovereignty and human rights violations.
Although there remain major issues to settle - one being the demarcation of the border - the future of South Sudan must match what expectations the child soldiers had when they joined the conflict.
Independence is not important merely for its own sake - it is important for what it can offer the people of South Sudan. The victory might only partly be won by the vote for independence - and the future depends on whether that vote will be upheld and respected. The international status of an independent state is not the end, but rather just one part of the story.
The vote for independence will bring with it the power of international legitimacy, but it is not a guarantee of a conflict-free future or a better life for the children of South Sudan - that responsibility lies solely with its citizens.
Photo courtesy of Pierre Holtz / UNICEF CAR / hdptcar.net
The views expressed in the article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of RUSI