Sudan: Uganda should celebrate

The Sudanese peace is a window of opportunity for African co-operation, trade and solidarity, says human rights co-ordinator

It’s time to celebrate, for both Ugandans and Sudanese. The peace agreement in the Sudan is also an achievement of Uganda. That’s the viewpoint of Martin Masiga, national co-ordinator of Human Rights Network, HURINET. “Of course we should celebrate. First out of solidarity with our neighbours, the Sudanese are also Africans, and we share the same border. Also because what happens in the Sudan has direct consequences in Uganda,” says Masiga.

Refugee hosting, trade, and the optional peace in Northern Uganda are the three overall chellenges that he sees the Sudanese peace addressing.

“Unrest in the Sudan will produce refugee flows into Uganda. History shows that, and we might have problems dealing with the refugees and with coexistence between the refugees and the local communities,” he says.

That situation is now - maybe - a thing of the past. The future prospects for Uganda, in the light of the Sudanese peace, are, according to Masiga, positive:

“The chances of having peace in Northern Uganda are definitely improved. If the government in Khartoum loses its interest in supporting the Lord’s Resistance Army when it is at peace with the Sudan People’s Liberation Army. Kony also loses his safe haven in the Sudan, because the future government of southern Sudan is not likely to be friends with the Ugandan rebels.”

Also at an everyday life-level, Masiga sees the Sudanese peace agreement as an opportunity for Uganda. Mainly because the peace opens for trade between the two countries, which can boost the national economies and improve the livelihoods of the ‘ordinary’ citizens.

He points to Kenya as an example for Uganda to follow. At the Sudanese donor conference in Oslo, Norway, in April, Kenya emerged as a donor country, pledging 5 million US dollars for rebuilding the northern neighbour. He suggests that Uganda could engage in building “the non-existent infrastructure of southern Sudan”.

“And again out of solidarity: The United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals go for all. The goals aim at for example clean drinking water and education for all, and they cannot be achieved if Sudan is at war with itself,” says Martin Masiga.