Chapter 1 — The Dream of Independence
South Sudan was born out of longing. For decades, the idea of independence lived in refugee camps, cattle camps, and whispered prayers. It was carried by people who had lost homes, families, and childhoods to war.
When independence finally came on July 9, 2011, it felt inevitable. The streets of Juba filled with celebration. For one brief moment, the future felt secure.
But beneath the celebrations lay unresolved power struggles, weak institutions, and a liberation movement unprepared for civilian rule.
Chapter 2 — From Liberation to Rule: The Rise of Kiir
The death of Dr. John Garang in 2005 created a vacuum. Salva Kiir inherited leadership not through vision, but through consolidation.
Rather than reform institutions, Kiir centralized power, rewarded loyalty, and militarized governance. Corruption became a tool of control.
The SPLM transformed from a liberation movement into a regime.
Chapter 3 — The Slow Burn: Power, Corruption, and Fear
The years before 2013 were marked by corruption, fear, and political exclusion. Billions disappeared. No one was prosecuted.
The army was reshaped along loyalty lines. Dissent was framed as betrayal. Ethnic mistrust deepened.
The fire was already burning.
Chapter 4 — The Night of Betrayal
On December 15, 2013, Nuer soldiers in the Presidential Guard were ordered to disarm. Violence erupted.
By morning, door-to-door killings began across Juba. Civilians were targeted by name, accent, and identity.
The state turned against its own people.
Chapter 5 — Juba in Flames
The capital collapsed into fear. Families fled. UN compounds became cities of the displaced.
The government denied the killings. Bodies were removed. Grief was silenced.
Juba became the first battlefield.
Chapter 6 — The White Army Marches
News of the killings spread across Jonglei, Unity, and Upper Nile. Nuer youth mobilized.
The White Army advanced toward Juba, driven by grief and survival.
Only external intervention and Machar’s order stopped the march.
Chapter 7 — International Silence and Selective Pressure
The world responded cautiously. Statements were issued. Justice was delayed.
The Hybrid Court was promised, then buried.
Silence protected power.
Chapter 8 — The Business of War
War became profitable. Oil funded repression. Arms flowed. Aid was taxed.
Violence became an economic system.
Peace threatened profit.
Chapter 9 — The Cost of Silence
Hundreds of thousands died. Millions were displaced.
Civil society was crushed. Children grew up in camps.
Silence preserved violence.
Chapter 10 — A Nation in Ruins
The economy collapsed. Roads vanished. Schools closed.
Elections were postponed. Trust evaporated.
The regime endured. The state withered.
Chapter 11 — The Struggle for Justice
Justice threatened power. The Hybrid Court was blocked.
Survivors were denied recognition.
Impunity became policy.
Chapter 12 — Memory, Resistance, and the Path Ahead
Memory became resistance. Survivors preserved truth.
The future depends on justice, not silence.
The illusion of power cannot last.