HAPPY BIRTHDAY SOUTHERN SUDAN!

I was born in 1961. Africa had only just begun to become a continent of independent nations. Former British, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Belgian, Dutch, Italian, and German colonies began the process of nationhood. It was a joyous time. It's was a feeding frenzy for the world powers (the US and Russia) and as they say "mistakes were made". The people paid the price...even as they continue to in some places.

The first transition that I remember was Southern Rhodesia becoming Zimbabwe in 1980--and what a cesspool that has become. Eritrea was the next one and things there seem to be well. The war prize given to Emperor Haile Selassie after the defeat of Italy in WW II became a free nation, again. Also there is East Timor, and the many new nations of Europe: Slovakia, Check Republic, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia... On to Asia: Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Now Southern Sudan! Welcome and may your future be a prosperous and joyous one.