| WAR IS NOT THE ANSWER!H[EAR] ON MUSIC by N. Arthur |
A referendum took place in Southern Sudan from 9 January to 15 January 2011, on whether the region should remain a part of Sudan or become independent.
SAY What!? investigative journalist,
N. Arthur, was in Juba for the landmark event, and reports:
“Where did you get this picture?” the bartender asked. My regular evening walk, had led me to the Juba Grand Hotel. Tired from a day of hard-core investigative reporting, I plugged in my headphones, put on my walkman. Yes. Walkman. That’s how I roll. It was at this point that the bartender began to demand answers.
I looked up and found that he was brandishing the cassette case, jabbing a finger at the artwork on the cover.
“Oh, that is Punky Monkey,” I said, “She plays guitar in Murfy’s fLaW”
“No!” he insisted, “This is a soldier of fortune! I remember her from Malou. Sunday, Feb.25, 2001!”
My keen reporter instincts kicked in. I leaned forward, drink forgotten, “You mean she’s a child soldier?”
“Child!?” He spat out incredulously, “That’s no Child! She’s a Soldier of Fortune! A mercenary! She fought for the South, and then she fought for the North. And then she fought for the east, and then fought for the West! At the same time! Scumbug! It was the mission of everyone to find her, but she was too sneaky! Look!” He showed me a “WANTED” poster from early 2001.
I studied the poster and the album cover, “Wow, she hasn’t aged at all in all these years!” “That’s her trick,” the bartender explained, “She used her childlike appearance to sneak into and out of the Rebel Camp”
“Really?” I was amazed. "How old was she when this wanted poster was made?”
“Seventy six”
On 7 February 2011, the referendum commission published the final results, with 98.83% voting in favour of independence. While the ballots are going to be suspended in 10 of the 79 counties for exceeding 100% of the voter turnout, the number of votes are still well over the requirement of 60% turnout, and the majority vote for secession is not in question.
The predetermined date for the creation of an independent state is 9 July 2011.
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