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the three southern provinces before recognized as when Arabisation and is an open question. The unitary system
jointly struggled as representing people Islamisation were imposed on the three in the old Sudan was a failure and there is
of one destiny. The struggle ultimately southern provinces. In a unitary system no guarantee that it will not be a failure
led to the attainment of independence. there will always be one ethnic group in South Sudan.
For the system of government in South or a region dominating in the affairs After decades of experiment the unitary
Sudan various suggestions can be made. of the nation. In the old Sudan the or centralized system was a failure in the
There is already one suggestion that a northern region in contrast to eastern, former Soviet Union. Probably aware
unitary or a centralized system should be central, southern and western region of the failure of a unitary system in
was always dominating in the affairs of

Cabinet members of the Government of the Republic of South Sudan, led by President Salva Kiir and his Vice Riek Machar (seated) in the middle. [Gurtong/file]

adopted. Other suggestions could also the country. In the defunct southern addressing diversities, the transitional
be made. For example, a decentralized region one ethnic group out of over 60 constitution of the Republic of South
or a federal system could be suggested. ethnic groups was dominating. The high Sudan, 2011, Article 47 stipulates
First let a unitary system be considered. executive council was composed of 50 clearly that South Sudan shall have a
A unitary system is for those who per cent of people from the one ethnic decentralized system of government.
consider an absolute grip on power is group. How a unitary system could be However, in practice the system seems to
appropriate in the interest of nation seen as promoting unity when a region be more of a unitary than decentralized
building. Diversities may not be or an ethnic group would be dominating system which to some extent fulfills the

Gurtong Focus Monthly February 2013| 9