SELF RULE

Self Rule are two governing four letter words.

This morning, at midnight local time, the country of South Sudan came into existence.  It was not an easy creation, stemming from decades of civil war.  Nor will it be an easy future for them, with much work needing to be done for their country and their people.  But the fact that it exists at all is a demonstration of a principle that people worldwide are growing to respect - that people have the right to determine the course of their own lives, for good or ill.

I always found July an interesting month - with national "birthdays" for countries from the United States to Canada to France (and probably more that don't leap to mind at the moment).  We can now add South Sudan to that list.  Behind all of these birthdays, however, is that common notion.  That people have the right to rule themselves.  That countries are formed from the needs and desires of their people.  And that one of those basic needs is a need to be free.