AFRICA/SOUTH SUDAN - Perplexity about the creation of 28 new States

Juba (Agenzia Fides) - The decision of President Salva Kiir to divide South Sudan (see Fides 03/10/2015) with the creation of 28 new States is provoking criticism. "I would have preferred to hear that the government is taking measures to safeguard the security of citizens rather than announce the creation of 28 States", said to Catholic Radio Network (CRN) Catherine Pita, head of the Eve Organization for Women Development, an NGO that works to improve the status of South Sudanese women.
"The current problem is not the creation of new States" she adds. "As South Sudanese we have many other problems to deal with, but not that of States. We have for example so many murders especially in Juba, even in broad daylight".
According to The Sudd Institute, a local research center, the expansion from 10 to 28 States has positive and negative aspects. On the one hand, says a report by the Institute, the President's decision seems to meet the demand for greater devolution of powers and the expansion of participatory democracy; on the other hand one wonders how the creation of new States will be handled. In particular, the study points out that with the formation of new States new ethnic borders will be created and communities will be isolated especially in the Upper Nile. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 08/10/2015)

Share:

politics

---

---