United Nations White Paper

Topic: Recommendations on South Sudans Government

By: Nadin Mostafa, United Nations Special Task Force on South Sudan
Overview
The formation of a new system to a nation can be troublesome because the former leaders expect
to achieve centralized power while the citizens of different ethnic groups, have other visions for
their country, which makes circumstances much worse. However, the advantages of building a
strong and, distributed governmental power weight more than the disadvantages that the citizens
or leaders would be forced to face. On the behalf of the United Nations Special Task Force, we
will recommend a few features for South Sudans current weak government that will allow it to
prosper.
Constitution
We, as the United Nations Special Task Force, thought of some recommendations for South Sudans
constitution system. First of all, the new constitution of South Sudan should be written because, according
to our knowledge about the intense pressure that your nation lives in, there is a lack of trust amongst the
ethnic group leaders, it is important that the government is explicit in its dealings, especially early on of the
making of the new constitution. Second of all, we believe the constitution should have a federalist system
of government because in this way, the state government and the national government would have balanced
power. As a result of having a federalist system, it would not be easy for the military to take over the
nation, if they did get a chance, because the power would be equally distributed between the two
governments, national and state.
Third of all, we thought South Sudan would best function through a presidential system so the people
would vote for the person whom they would want make good decisions for South Sudans nation. Also, this
format would allow ethnic groups to communicate their ideas and the kind of decisions they want to see
more diligently. Fourth of all, we know that South Sudan occupies different ethnic rights; thus, we
respectively thought minorities and individuals rights would be protected in one way, through a Bill of
Rights. For instance, according to Minority Rights Group International, A recent UNMISS report
highlighted the fact that hate speech has continued to be practiced although the UNMISS recommended
the widespread stereotyping, the use of enemy images to be prosecuted.1 If Hate speech was to be
considered a misconduct in the Bill of Rights, we ensure that very small percentage or even none will
1 Minority Rights Group International, State of the World's Minorities and Indigenous Peoples 2014 - South Sudan,
3 July 2014, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/53ba8dd41a.html Accessed 16 October 2016.

verbally abuse the other ethnic group or minority. Bill of Rights will also ensure and protect the people of
South Sudans rights. This way the citizens would not forget about those different groups and regard them
as part of the nation. Even if different presidents took over, those individuals would not have to worry
about their rights because they would be written and protected at all times in the Bill of Rights.
Fifth of all, in terms of what the relationship between military and civilian leadership should look like, we
believe, as would be best for South Sudan, the civilian leadership should be over the militarys leadership.
This way the military would not have privilege to abduct citizens to join the military as happened with
South Sudan before. Other features we recommend is the method of checking and balancing. Checks and
balances is a form of limited government where power and responsibility would not be centralized. Limited
government allows members of the government to check on each other and spread the power equally. This
idea of having checks and balances would be technical for South Sudan as its starting up its political
system. Also, we know South Sudan went through problems because of the centralized power; leaders were
intensely fighting over the presidential seat and did not care about anything else due to the lack of a strong
governmentin this caselack of checking and balancing on each others powers.
Executive Power
Regarding the executive power, the United Nations Special Task Force recommends South
Sudans chief executive to be selected by direct popular vote, neither being appointed by a
monarch nor appointed by the legislative branch. This time is the time where South Sudan
citizens need the right president, with an outstanding character, to represent his country and think
of an average South Sudan citizen while making a decision and how that decision may impact
that citizen. Direct popular vote seems the fairest process of appointing a president because first
of all, monarchy sounds hierarchical while legislative branch will not make the best decision
since it would be based on their perspectives, and not the citizens, on the nominees character.
According to the article, Whos behind South Sudans return to fighting, written by Clmence
Pinaud, there had been a figure called, Paul Malong, who was SPLAs Chief of General Staff
and former governor of Northern Bahr El Ghazal was certainly behind the Salva Kiirs
presidential throne, (Pinaud). That secretive elaboration with Malong may not be a big deal;
nevertheless, Malong was the figure who held South Sudans real power which means the nation
was between foreign hands. The main issue other powers, such as the legislative branch, putting
an unknown person to the presidential throne makes the real control under the branchs hands
and not the president himself. Having individuals join a one ticket, one-person party does not let
the party become to one person anymore.
Legislative Power
Legislature should be bicameral because having two legislative chambers or houses would
provide representation for both the citizens of a country, as well as the state legislatures on the
federal level or in the central government of a country or nation,2 according to the
Constitutional Laws, Your Guide to the Bicameral Legislature. Since we already recommended a
federalist system in the Constitution previously, it would be the best fit to a have a bicameral
2 Your Guide to The Bicameral Legislature. Constitution Laws.

system for South Sudans legislature. Not only would it support the federalist system, but also,
Bicameral Legislature would work effectively in the system of checks and balances, which will
prevent the legislation from enacting a law that would affect the government or the citizens.
Having to lawmaking parts instead of one will help ease the tensions between Dinka and Nuer
because the two houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives, will work together to bring
different perspectives to the table about what laws would be best for South Sudan. Regarding the
election system of the legislature members, they should be selected by popular votes. Popular
voting will allow citizens of South Sudan, especially the minorities, to be part of the lawmaking
decision process. According to the New York Times, Is There Any Hope for Peace in South
Sudan, Many residents of Juba say the politics behind the recent bloodshed are perplexing and,
ultimately, beside the point. They are simply frustrated with a government that, they say, has
repeatedly failed to ensure peace and stability for its people, (Fortin). In order for this intense
time to end, citizens will have an opportunity to elect the members of their legislature who will
ensure there are laws enacted for peace and stability for South Sudan.
Judicial Power
Regarding the Judicial power, the United Nations Task Force thought of some recommendations
that would help stabilize the Judicial power. We believe the members of the Supreme Court
should be selected through the popular vote because citizens would be involved in the judicial
branch and if they do not agree with a specific law they would be able to disapprove it. Unlike
the new government recommended for South Sudan, the old government did not allow every
citizen or minority group to be involved with law-making. Thus, popular vote will be a chance to
get involved in law decision making which will benefit the government in terms of less citizen
rebellions.
Citizen participation
In terms of the participation for the citizens, it would be best for South Sudan if they have a two-party
system and here is why. If they have multiple-party then we, as the UN Task Force, detect that this type of
system will give a huge chance for ethnic groups to divide, isolate and not communicate with the other
ethnic groups, which will be a mess. On the other hand, if they have a single-party system, it would not be
fair, again, because the different ethnic groups on South Sudan makes it hard for all citizens to agree on a
single party system. Thus, thinking moderately, the United Nations Task Force believes that South Sudan
should start with a two-party system, though its difficult to write into the constitution because the citizens
might want to change that later. A two-party system will give chances for the minorities and large ethnic
groups to participate as citizens in their government.
In terms of voting being compulsory or voluntary, although we must not recommend forcing citizens to
vote if they do not find interest in any of the candidates, as a start for South Sudan citizens, the UN Task
Force will recommend to have a compulsory voting policy. This method will be used just in the early years
South Sudans new government because we want to see the citizens educated about voting, its process, and
how they should be formulating their opinions about the candidates. We want to see them involved in the
government in the highest way possible. Then after a few years of them being well rounded with the new

presidential process, we can recommend them to voluntary vote which is having the freedom to vote for
their interest in a candidate or not.
The United Nations Task Force believes that one way to sustain democracy in South Sudan is to educate
the citizens through the free press. According to Eye Radio, South Sudans Illiteracy Rate Still the
Highest, Moses Legge mentions Mr. Khalid claiming that The high number of illiteracy which is
approximately over 70% of the population is a dangerous number,3 We, as the UN Task Force, do not
want South Sudan to repeat its mistakes that lead their nation to a civil war due to lack of knowledge. If the
government wants to stabilize the political leaders and the citizens, everyone has to be on the right track, in
terms of political, economic and social knowledge that currently takes place in their country. Political
positions should not just be the people making decisions because they are not the only ones living in South
Sudan. However, citizens, as well as political positions, must have an opportunity to participate in political
decisions because it will have a great impact on their country as they will take decisions in what they want
to foresee. However, before they have an opportunity to participate in decisions for their country, they are
required to be educated about what is going on every day and the basic formations of a government; this
way they would know what is going on and whos fighting who. This way the South Sudan citizens would
not rebel if they are the ones who approved or gave those ideas to the government or if know what their
government is working on.
Conclusion:
We appreciate the opportunity that South Sudan provided us to improve their nation to make it
develop and prosper. Hopefully the recommendations above would provide South Sudan a
sufficient governmental structure that we believe would be best for them economically, socially,
and politically. We will mention it again, as long as South Sudan does not repeat its mistake of
centralizing the power on just the executive branch, the new democratic system would ease the
previous conflicts between the ethnic groups and presidential positions.

3 Legge, Moses. "South Sudans Illiteracy Rate Still the Highest | Eye ..." Eye Radio. N.p., 09 Sept. 2014. Web. 18
Oct. 2016.

Works Cited
Legge, Moses. "South Sudans Illiteracy Rate Still the Highest | Eye ..." Eye Radio. N.p., 09
Sept. 2014. Web. 18 Oct. 2016.
Minority Rights Group International, State of the World's Minorities and Indigenous Peoples
2014 - South Sudan, 3 July 2014. Accessed 16 October 2016.
News, BBC. "South Sudan Country Profile." BBC News. N.p., 2 Aug. 2016. Web. 07 Oct. 2016.
Pinaud, By Clmence. "Whos behind South Sudans Return to Fighting?" African Arguments.
Clmence Pinaud, 11 July 2016. Web. 16 Oct. 2016.
Fortin, Jacey. Is There Any Hope for Peace in South Sudan? Africa. The New York Times, 28
July 2016. Web. 18 Oct. 2016.
"The World Factbook: SOUTH SUDAN." Central Intelligence Agency. OPENGOV, 28 Sept.
2016. Web. 07 Oct. 2016.
Your Guide to The Bicameral Legislature. Constitution Laws.