Whether they will opt for a southerner breakaway or rally behind the deep-rooted unity of their nation in January's referendum, Sudanese people must avoid plunging into a new, even more tragic, vortex of violence between North and South. Sudan will celebrate a fresh dawn of peace and prosperity in January next year, only when the northern and southern leaders decide to trust each other and act sincerely during the talks to sort out the problems of the oil-rich border towns. This is why Egypt is consistently maintaining high-level communications with the Sudanese people in the North and South, who should try to consolidate their unity in the face of externally manufactured threats. The Sudanese leaders in the North and South should also commit themselves to their obligations stated in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, signed in the Kenyan town of Nivasha in 2005. However, with Sudanese people on the point of deciding whether to secede or not, regional and international assistance are indispensable in preserving stability and peace across a post-referendum Sudan. World and regional countries concerned with the future of Sudan should act now to guarantee that the southern Sudanese enjoy a referendum remarkable for its transparency and integrity on January 9.
