SUDAN / RALLY JUBA

Southern Sudanese gather to call for separation from the north at a rally in Juba two days before the referendum which will determine whether the largest country in Africa becomes two independent states. UNMIS

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:26
• Production Date: 7 January 2011
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS ASSISTANCE MISSION IN SUDAN - UNMIS
• Subject Topical: REFERENDUM
• Geographic Subject: SUDAN
• MAMS Id: U110107f

Description

STORY: SUDAN / RALLY JUBA
TRT: 2:26
SOURCE: UNMIS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 7 JANUARY 2010, JUBA, SUDAN

Shotlist

1. Wide shot, rally
2. Med shot, people dancing with Southern Sudan flags
3. Wide shot, people celebrating
4. Med shot, tilt from banner to people marching
5. Med shot, men with secession t-shits waving flags
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Alex Deng, Juba Resident:
“I am very happy because we have waited for this time, we wanted to vote for separation because we want to give birth to and build our new nation, so I am very happy at this time. I want to be the first one to vote on that day. My vote is for separation. We need separation, not unity.”
7. Med shot, people waving paper flags reading “secession”
8. Close up, flag
9. Wide shot, children dancing
10. Med shot, tilt down of girl dancing
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Zelson Khor, Juba Resident:
“I cant wait, its euphoria man, it’s a lot of excitement, everybody is going to be happy, that is the day you will sleep the whole night because you know you are now free, you no longer a slave, you are no longer being oppressed, you are receiving a new country, new life, new everything. I am not saying there are not going to be challenges, but this is a huge excitement that we are going to have a new country and a new life and a new beginning.”
12. Wide shot, Pagan Amun at the podium
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Pagan Amun, Secretary General of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM):
“There has been no program during the interim period to make unity attractive; therefore unity has not been made attractive and Southern Sudanese now have only one choice which is attractive and that is separation.”
14. Wide shot, people clapping

Storyline

Southern Sudanese took part in a large pro-separation rally in the southern capital of Juba on Friday (7 January).

In what marked the end of campaigning for separation for the south, just two days before the history referendum vote in Sudan, Southern Sudanese from all walks of life took to the streets to manifest their position on the vote.

The pro-independence supporters have been rallying for the last few months across Sudan’s southern states on the 9th of everyone month, organized by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) youth league.

If southern Sudan votes for secession, it will be the continent’s newest nation and Africa’s 54th state.

Excitement was in the air as people danced and waved flags expressing their support for separation.

Alex Deng was among those rallying for a separate Southern Sudan; she came from Khartoum to register and vote in the coming plebiscite.

SOUNDBITE (English) Alex Deng, Juba Resident:
“I am very happy because we have waited for this time, we wanted to vote for separation because we want to give birth to and build our new nation, so I am very happy at this time. I want to be the first one to vote on that day. My vote is for separation. We need separation, not unity.”

Zelson Khor was a member of the red army, a name given by Southern Sudan’s late leader John Garang to large groups of boys who led Sudan during its years of civil war into Ethiopia and trained with the SPLM. Zelson says he thought he would never see this day.

SOUNDBITE (English) Zelson Khor, Juba Resident:
“I cant wait, its euphoria man, it’s a lot of excitement, everybody is going to be happy, that is the day you will sleep the whole night because you know you are now free, you no longer a slave, you are no longer being oppressed, you are receiving a new country, new life, new everything. I am not saying there are not going to be challenges, but this is a huge excitement that we are going to have a new country and a new life and a new beginning.”

The SPLM’s Secretary General addressed the final rally in Juba, saying that the north had an opportunity to make unity attractive during the six year interim period set apart by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, but failed.

SOUNDBITE (English) Pagan Amun, Secretary General of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM):
“There has been no program during the interim period to make unity attractive; therefore unity has not been made attractive and Southern Sudanese now have only one choice which is attractive and that is separation.”

Close to four million Southerners are registered to participate in the referendum, which will give them the chance to vote on whether to remain united with the north or secede. Voting is due to start on Sunday, 9 January and will last for a week.