Many of us cannot imagine what it would look like to watch our towns, our homes, and our families burn in the fires of our enemies, to experience a hunger so violent it gnaws at our aching stomachs and leaves us hoping for death as our bodies slowly begin to diminish under the weight of starvation, to have death waiting for us around every corner.

In the war-torn country of Sudan millions of people have done more than imagine these experiences; they have lived them every waking and every sleeping moment of every day. But an exciting and historical turn of events is blossoming in Sudan right now – an event that many are possibly oblivious to – as the thousands of tortured lives in this devastated country are finally glimpsing hope.

In 2005, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, or CPA, guaranteed that in January of 2011 the people of southern Sudan would be granted a vote in a referendum – a vote that would seal the decision of the Sudanese people to either form their own independent nation or remain a part of Sudan.

In 2005 CPA ended over 20 years of Civil War that stole more than two million lives and scattered nearly four million more.

Now, six years later, the chance has come for the people of southern Sudan to finally be freed from the oppressive hand of the government in Khartoum and President Omar al-Bashir, and on Jan. 15-19 the South Sudan Referendum Commission, or SSRC, reported that 83 percent of registered voters showed up at the polls to cast their ballots and let their voice be heard.

Preliminary results of these life-altering votes will be announced on Feb. 2, 2011, with the final results being declared on Feb. 7.

If southern Sudan goes the way of independence then they must wait until July 9, 2011, for this independence to come to its full fruition. Until that time there is a risk that anxiety and tensions may arise and break and that Sudan could find itself the victim of war once more.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton couldn’t have said it any better when she referred to Sudan as a “ticking time bomb.” The despaired and wrecked country is in a delicate position and all it would take is one insurrection, one person of power to decide that southern Sudan’s choice, whatever it may be, is not legitimate, for the country to erupt into Civil War again.

In a country where genocide has taken its toll again and again, it is easy for things to quickly fall apart once more.

It is important for people to be aware that a world such as southern Sudan exists – that happy children with happy homes can suddenly disappear under the blade of their government. And it is also important to be aware that now southern Sudan is finally getting the chance to change their futures.

The worst thing that could happen for Sudan at such a pivotal moment is for the rest of the world to lose interest. We are controlled by the media – this fact is not deniable – and if the media stops caring about Sudan, Darfur and the ghastly things that have been experienced over there, we will too.

And if people stop caring about Sudan, a fragile country that needs the support of its international neighbors – if world leaders stop worrying about this country – then it will be easy for the time bomb to go off and for the Sudanese government to begin slaughtering their own people again.

Sudan cannot be ignored, Sudan cannot be forgotten, and the rest of the world should be crossing their fingers in the hopes that their independence will be achieved.  And if it is we should all be there to support southern Sudan in this glimmer of hope.