About Maggie’s blog
Observations and updates on the situation in Southern Sudan--from the eyes and laptop of Maggie Fick, a Juba-based American freelance journalist.Archives
- July 2011 (1)
- April 2011 (14)
- March 2011 (9)
- January 2011 (6)
- December 2010 (6)
- November 2010 (10)
- October 2010 (12)
Maggie's Recent Articles
- Bordering on Chaos (Foreign Policy)
- Ex-militia leader arrives for talks in South Sudan (AP)
- S. Sudan Pageant Fetes Tradition in Uncertain Times (LA Times)
- Sudan's north-south faultline worries about war (AP)
- Sudan: Problem of Preserving the Past (Guardian Weekly)
- The Independence Brigade (ForeignPolicy.com Photo Essay)
Media on and in S. Sudan
Southern Sudan Reads
Southern Sudan Sites (Govt etc.)
Sudan Etc. Blogs
Monthly Archives: October 2010
The Final Countdown
During the past week, as I rode through a centrally located, always crowded roundabout in Juba, I watched a large new monument being erected at comparative lightening speed for Juba in the circular patch of grass which, until this week, … Continue reading
Posted in Internal Southern Dynamics, South-South Reconciliation
Tagged Independence, Referendum
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An Unusual “Peace Dividend”
JUBA, Sudan—Walking through the gates of Juba Stadium this morning, I witnessed a scene I had seen only once before at this particular football pitch—both stretches of bleachers facing the pitch packed with spectators, overflow crowds seated in the grass, … Continue reading
Cattle, Crimes, and Conflict in Southern Sudan
BENTIU, Sudan—“We call it traditional, because it has been around since the British rule,” said Minister Samuel Lony, the Minister of Animal Resources in oil-rich Unity state, describing the scourge of cattle raiding that continues to threaten security in this … Continue reading
Tuesday afternoon in a courtroom in Juba
This photo was taken yesterday in a courtroom in the Central Equatoria State High Court. The case being heard, mostly in Arabic, by a judge dressed in a suit, was a financial dispute. The people–like the three pictured above–sitting on … Continue reading
Posted in Internal Southern Dynamics, Uncategorized
Tagged Institutions, S. Sudan Judiciary
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Anthem-choosing, Nation-building
JUBA, Sudan—Sunday afternoon in Nyakuron Cultural Center’s auditorium was a special moment in the history of Southern Sudan. The process of selecting a national anthem or, as the MC of the competition called it, a “song of freedom”—is a key … Continue reading
Come Together…Over the Referendum
MALAKAL, Sudan—“Riek Machar will be the next leader of Southern Sudan,” said a man I met while drinking ginger coffee at a tea stand in Malakal on Sunday morning. His remark was met with nods and appreciation from his friends, … Continue reading
On Stereotypes and High Stakes
BENTIU, Sudan—There is no doubt that it is easy to write critical accounts of the Southern Sudanese army and its political wing, the south’s ruling Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement; calling them “guerilla fighters turned political leaders” does play into stereotypes … Continue reading
Final Communiqué from S. Sudan’s All Political Parties Conference
Southern Sudan Political Parties – Final Communique Click hyperlink above to read the PDF of the entire communiqué.
Southern Sudanese Politics at Such Great Heights
JUBA, Sudan—As the elevator jolts from the fourth to the fifth floor of the New Sudan Palace hotel, I take note of a sight I only witness once in a while—when flying into the Southern Sudanese capital from Nairobi or … Continue reading
Posted in Internal Southern Dynamics, South-South Reconciliation
Tagged Lam Akol, South-South Dialogue, SPLM
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Unanswered ?s from One of Sudan’s N-S Border “Hotspots”
Read the entire dispatch from a recent reporting trip I took (along with my colleague Pete Muller) for AP to northern Upper Nile state here or here. Here’s a snippet: Renk, Sudan–In the northernmost point of Southern Sudan, the challenges … Continue reading
