Newest Country Turns 15
I was lucky to arrive in East Africa at the right time. I had covered South Sudan before independence in 2010 and 2011, and in those days the excitement felt enormous. Looking back through the archive now, I wonder what those first days showed us, not only about the birth of a country, but about the future already waiting inside it.
This story includes sound and is best viewed in your browser
THE BACKSTORY
The joy, the doubt, and the beginning of South Sudan
ISSUE 23
January: South Sudanese came from everywhere. Some flew in from abroad. Others came by boat, bus or car from Sudan itself. Families arrived on barges down the Nile, carrying what they could.
The tent city where I stayed was close to where the barges arrived. Early in the morning I would walk over to see who had come in during the night. People were tired, dusty, excited. History was arriving with luggage.
The referendum began on January 9, 2011. It felt like everyone showed up. Old men, women, soldiers, families, people who had waited their whole lives for this vote.
Subscribe to Dominic Nahr
This content is available to paid subscribers.
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!
