Congratulations to South Sudan, the newest country in the world. At last they are free of the brutal dictator in Khartoum, Omar Bashir. Millions have died to get to this day and they are entitled to enjoy their freedom. Sadly the history of Africa is a history of brutal suppression of democracy as personified by Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe. Nelson Mandela is an example of how a leader should step down with dignity but recent elections in Uganda where Museveni is clinging on to power by force reminds us how easy it is for things to go wrong. South Sudan should seek help from the UN on developing strong institutions so that democracy can be nurtured, adopt a strict term limit for the president and use its oil revenue for developing infrastructure which will enrich its people. Above all they must institute a strong maternal and child health program with emphasis on limiting population. If population keeps on growing like in India they will remain perpetually poor and politicians will become totally corrupt as they seek to get elected by promising bribes to the people which will bankrupt the country as is happening to India. Meanwhile Thailand has elected its first woman Prime Minster, Yingluck Shinawatra, sister of Thaksin who is in exile in Dubai after being deposed by an army coup. She should move cautiously to curtail the power of the generals as Erdogan has done in Turkey. Once that is achieved she should then start investigating the previous Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva for mass murder of over 90 Red Shirt protesters. Only then will Thailand become a united country. Good luck to her.