Are smaller countries the future for Africa?
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ThisÌýtopic was discussed on the 12th of January 2011. Listen hereÌýÌý
Unfortunately WHYS all too often discusses violence between ethnic or religious groups. After a long civil war Sudan thinks it may have the solution to its tensions; split into two. It’s a little more complicated than that but dividing the Christian and Muslims populations is the essence of it.
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In the colonial era "scramble for Africa" the continent was divided up by the Europeans with little regard for the people or their heritage. Ethnic groups were either split apart or banded together under one flag. Sudan is good example of this. The north is largely a desert with most of the population Arabic speaking Muslims. The south is very different, with lots of jungles and Christian residents.Ìý
There’s a long history of violence between two regions, which is too long to go into here but you can read aboutÌý. On Sunday, as part of a peace deal, the South started a referendum on possible independence.
Many other African nations are watching events closely, as Greg Mills and Terence McNamee from South Africa's Cape Argus explains
The south's inevitable divorce from the north is causing jitters in African capitals and further afield. The oft-heard mantra is that it would open a Pandora's box of separatist claims elsewhere in the continent.
There are separatist movements in Somalia, Senegal, Angola, Congo and some people have even called for Nigeria to be broken up. Ivory Coast could be another example? in Nigeria thinks this could spread:
The referendum in Sudan could have a domino effect. It is likely to be infectious to other parts of Africa in the sense that most countries , particularly in the west, are divided along the lines of Christians and Muslims.
This referendum raises all kinds of questions about the nature of a country; when do regions have the right to go it alone? For the sake of peace is it just easier for countries to be divided on ethnic or religious grounds? Is the Sudan referendum a model for other nations?
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