South Sudanese unsure about the success of independence
The International Republican Institute’s (IRI) report surveyed 2,533 respondents from across South Sudan’s ten states and found 52 percent think the young country is on the wrong track, reflecting a decline in confidence compared to a similar poll carried out in 2011.
Despite widespread complaints about shortages of food and basic services, 64 percent say their lives are better now than in pre-independence years.
In the report released in Juba on Friday, July 19, 71 percent of the respondents say they are satisfied with the performance of President Salva Kiir, a slight decline compared to 82 percent of those asked in the 2011 survey. Just under six of every ten interviewees say that political corruption was worse” or much worse” than before.
Read the survey report:
Survey of South Sudan Public Opinion
April 24 to May 22, 2013Crime and food insecurity top the list of problems facing South Sudan, according to the report. Political instability and poverty are also of widespread concern among those questioned.
Issues like food insecurity have deteriorated since independence was declared in 2011. In the latest survey, more than one in four of those questioned say they and their families were afflicted by lack of food -- compared to less than one in five in 2011.
Although the poll suggests that South Sudanese women face inequality, most respondents urge more rights for women. More than two-thirds back an equal power-share between men and women. A majority criticises women being married without their consent and underage marriage.
At the release of the new survey, IRI’s Country Representative Gabriella Serrano said the report reflected the opinions of the South Sudanese. She noted that respondents were randomly selected from all the demographic groups indicated in the 2010 statistical year book.
Everybody has their own share of responsibility.”
Reacting to the report, South Sudan’s Deputy Minister of Information, Atem Yaak Atem said everybody has their own share of responsibility” for problems outlined in the report.
Although he noted that such reports could be propaganda aimed at derailing the success story of the country, he added: If a doctor tells you, he or she has found that you are suffering from certain condition, I don’t think there is a reason why you should call a doctor and ask why. Rather the next thing is to ask for a treatment,” he said.
According to the report, 59 percent of the respondence said they had neither heard, seen nor read the constitution of the republic.
Marekaje Lorna of the South Sudan Democratic Election Observation program, (SSuDEMOP) says this highlights the urgent need to educate the masses on the constitution. Is it going to be a pro-people constitution or it is a constitution of just a few people?” she asks.
It is time for us to start acknowledging reality.” She noted that many reports have been written about the country from foreign agencies and were brushed by government as serving outside interests. This, she said, was not the case with the IRI report.
It is time for us to start acknowledging reality,” she said. Now our own people have said that the country is not going in the right direction.”
Ohide Wilfred, a Juba University student who attended the launch, said the report had understated the gravity of what people felt about the failures of the government. He welcomed such reports saying they sent the government a signal about citizens’ widespread dissatisfaction.
If you look around the country, service delivery has deteriorated since 2011,” he said, adding that perhaps the government felt complacent after winning independence.
