The country’s name should be changed from South Sudan to the People’s Republic of Sudan, according to the First Vice President.
On January 23, 2011, members of a steering group on post-independence governing bodies declared that the area would be renamed the Republic of South Sudan following independence “for familiarity and convenience.”
Other names proposed were the Nile Republic and Cush, an allusion to a Biblical-era monarchy in the region.
The name was revealed during a meeting of the senior committee of the governing SPLM party in the south and was subsequently accepted by the transitional parliament.
Dr. Riek Machar, on the other hand, now claims that “South” is a direction rather than a name.
He claims that discussions with the leaders and South Sudanese are underway to come up with an appropriate name for the nation.
Dr. Riek personally proposed that the People’s Republic of Sudan equal Sudan’s uniqueness in terms of its history with the people.
“So we’ll have a discussion about what we want to name ourselves.” Dr. Riek remarked, “I hope you will accept my People’s Republic of Sudan.”
In a referendum conducted in January 2011, 99 percent of southern Sudanese voted for independence from the north of Sudan, giving birth to the Republic of South Sudan.
