The Traumatic Past and Uncertain Future of South Sudan

About the Book

This book examines post-colonial and post-independence challenges facing South Sudan, both external and internal factors as it transitions into becoming a nation state. Other focuses are issues that hinder the implementation of good governance, delivery of services to the people, preservation of the environment and natural resources, and the unity among South Sudan’s multiple ethnicities. The book also briefly touches on my personal journey in pursuit of elementary and higher education, a rough journey that began in a country that has been ravaged by a civil war. Therefore, it would serve as informative and inspirational to those who may face difficult experiences as a refugee or emigrants. In addition, this book supposed to be published in the summer of 2013; however, the author was caught in a civil war that broke out while on a visit in South Sudan and he escaped near death twice, in the Juba massacres of the Nuers and the attack on his home town of Ulang, all were carried out by the South Sudan military, ordered by country’s leader, Salva Kiir Mayardit. As a result, the author was stranded in the remote area of South Sudan for more than a year before he could finally return to the United States. Since this book is written from Social Responsibility and Social Justice perspectives, it addresses some of the issues that affect individual and the society as whole. And some of the Issues covered in this book were among the forecasting challenges and problems that are now facing people of South Sudan under the leadership of Salva Kiir and some of them came to reality as I predicted them during the writings of this book.

About the Author

Nhial Ruach is a South Sudanese American who came to the States in 1994 through the United Nations Refugees Resettlement Program. After he was displaced by the civil war in his native country (South Sudan) in 1987, he trekked to Ethiopia where he lived as a refugee. He spent a total of eight years in Refugees camps both in Ethiopia and in Kenya. In 2002, he enlisted in the United States Army, where he proudly served for twelve years. He had been deployed to Iraq for sixtxeen months during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and he is now a veteran of the United States military. For the desire of education and pursuit of this dream, he left his parents behind in his native country at the age of twelve to pursue his education in refugee camps in Ethiopia since civil war in his native country disrupted his education. After many years of hardship in refugee camps and additional years of struggle in the United States, he eventually achieved his bachelor of science in electronic engineering and a master’s of science in social responsibility (peace, social justice, and environmental justice) in the United States.