By Gabriel Makuei Tor
“You never know the importance of water until the well dry up”.
Whereas, listening to the BBC-News on the radio, with Will Ross, on Nov.14th, 2010. Ross had a chance of being in the Sudanese Capital – Khartoum, where he met Northern Sudanese – University students by the Nile, singing and gesturing a song (one was seen seriously gesticulating - rubbing his leg from upper to the lower leg) trying to show how sad it’s for the South to break away via Referendum votes; according to Ross reporting to the World about Southern Sudanese Referendum on BBC News Radio, which is expected to cut Sudan into North and South. Ross asked one of the student how he feels about the South excerpting the independence. The North or Sudan as a Country losing South Sudan is like when one loses one of his/her legs, he will be considered incapacitated and that’s how the North is going to be seen like without the South, said Northern Sudanese student to Will Ross of the BCC on the Nile Bank in Khartoum.
Ross continued his quest on the Referendum notion and met a Southerner in that same Khartoum, the Southerner who was met and asked how he feels about Referendum, replied; Referendum for Secession of the South is the better relieve for us here, as Southern Sudanese, because the only jobs we get here is to wash Northerners cloth or do cleaning for them in our own Country, and when we brew local bear here in the capital to support our family, then we are harassed by the police and arrested and also fine with a hefty fine for brewing, which the Sudanese government in Khartoum considered as illegal, per Sharia law.
Before the Referendum Registration begin
An alien who was born and raised in his own Country, but had an opportunity to see the suffering of the Southern Sudanese people as well as hearing their fateful stories, has to say this to the Southern Sudanese “you may want to see if registration can be done locally but it is IMPORTANT to remember if you register then you've got to vote...which means traveling to Phoenix on January 9...if you register and DON'T vote then Khartoum will count your absences as a No vote for secession” (independence of the South).This was in Western U.S. You must have a heart to do this: To plan to register must mean to plan to vote. If you are registered, you need to make your registration count on January 9th, 2011. If it cost you to travel short or long distance/s, to register and vote as well, calculate the cost as a cost for freedom and make that commitment come true. You will celebrate before long. If you know you are not going to make it to the poll when January 9th comes, or not sure about you making it all the way to the voting station on that day, due to your personal or natural disaster, there is no need for you to do it and you will still be a Southerner.
Because 6o% of the registered voters must show up to vote on January 9th, 2011 to make the registration count as legal and valid, and 51% plus votes in favor of independent South Sudan, will bring us a new Country call South Sudan, or you name it since you voted for …. Without those numbers the registration being done now will be thrown into the Nile waters, inside Sudan and thrown into the dumpsters overseas. And Bashir will still rule Sudan combined, against your will. Register and swear to vote is a promise to a new Nation, that El Bashir - never again, will he be your president beginning January 9th. To register and not vote is a vote putting Bashir back to power for the next twenty years or so – sending another generation into the bush, refugee and displaced camps. You don’t need that and you deserve the best for the rest of your lifetime.
If you believe you are making a story, as you have always done – you don’t need the enemy to take what you have toiled for, for years to a strange destination. You must arrive with confidence and courage to the destiny of your dream. And January 9th, 2011 is that destiny! In regard of wisdom, this line was told.
“Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success,” said, Henry Ford. So is referendum registration is a beginning, and making it to the poll of voting is a success.
You don’t need to register if chances of doubt, or possibility of doing it, either registration or voting are on your way. There are millions of people even at home, who can do it well, so never botch it.
If you deny yourself to register because you are sure of not making it to vote at last, or not sure of getting your vote count - then you have a dignified reason to do it so. It’s your freedom!!
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