John Garang was the leader of the southern movement, Sudan’s Peoples’ Liberation Army (SPLA) which is now known an SLPM (”M” for Movement). The late John Garang died in a mysterious plane crash. He was a very charismatic leader. Contrary to popular belief, many northerners liked John Garang. Some liked him due to the principle of “my enemy’s enemy is my friend”. Others like me liked him because we think he was a strong leader capable of reforming and balancing the Khartoum government. Many of us are sad he’s gone. If he was still alive he would have been able to do much more. His current successor Salva Kiir isn’t as charismatic as Garang was but he’s still alright. I honestly fear the day the south will announce they want to separate and form their own country. I think that will be bad for us northerners, as the Christian southerners are a good force that can help us “edge further” towards reform and balance. If they’re gone, the current Khartoum government… Ops no wait, I meant dictatorship, will be free to do what they want without much opposition from southern elements. We will be left all alone to oppose them. The coming elections that should take place in 2008 will be a critical time for all of Sudan.
SudaneseThinker
SudaneseThinker
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Drima,
When I started following the Sudanese Civil war I was intrigued by John garang as well mainly because he seemed like a legitimate counterbalance to the Islamists. However, I have read that the SPLA was involved in atrocities every bit as repellant as the Islamist militias; atrocities that garang was complicit in. What is your take on such accusations?
rated r superstar, there were defintely atrocities Garang was somehow complicit in and obviously I was repelled by such acts. Some happened under his watchfull eye but he did nothing about them. War isn’t free from atrocities. Most of the time it’s always “power and glory above everything”. I know 2 southerner friends who fought in the war. They’ve told me stories about how some of the senior soldiers would pass by a small village and decide to rape some women in it just for the fun of it. My 2 friends would stand there watching not being able to help. One of them almost wanted to cry once as he told me his account. He wanted to help but couldn’t because he knew he and his family would later get killed by those same senior soldiers. Talk about dilemmas man!
One of the biggest problems of Sudan in places like the south and west is the tribal mentality of people there. Tribalism is still alive and vibrant in those regions. From a bird’s eyeview you would view Sudan’s conflict during the south and north war as north VS south when infact southerners had and still have many problems amongst themselves. Some of my relatives died in the north and south war from southern bullets. They died from bullets of soldiers that Garang was commanding. I certainly feel anger towards him even though I could relate to his cause of fighting for justice for his people, his people mainly being the Dinka tribe and then other tribes. My analysis of him however in this post is from a political perspective and how he could have brought balance.
Drima, don’t you think everybody could bring balance if their tribe was gonna get in power?
I mean: isn’t that the reason they all fight each-other now, and collectively the Khartoum gov’t.?
Tse.
Tse, you’re absolutely right. A coalition government made up of tribe representatives from all over Sudan is the only way forward for peacefull and united Sudan. But then comes the issue of how they will rule together. Incase you didn’t know, many people in rural areas in Sudan haven’t even hear of the word “democracy” let alone “secularism” which is contradicting to Islamic teachings. The system of goverment isn’t even agreed upon. Also the Sudanese parliament itself is infested with tribal loyalties. I wish it was easy. Education is the ONLY way forward. I’m afraid we’re still way behind.
Difficult, Drima. Extremely difficult. Maybe the only way forward is through what Sudan is going through right now, this being a sort of evolution through eliminating bad experiences with every step they take, slowly, slowly - Each time a problem is overwon reaching closer to a regime that’s fitted for the needs of that country and its complexity.
Tse.
Drima,
the Civil War in the Sudan was often portayed as a war carried out by the christian and Animist forces in the South against the imposition of Sharia law by the Khartoum Government. Is this an accurate basic portrayal? I have read that many Muslims in Sudan supported the SPLA.
As for Garang, thanks for the info. I had to ask about the atrocities of the SPLA because it is hard sometimes to separate the truth from simple propaganda. Seeing how much of the stories came from the Khartoum government, it was hard for me to assign any credibility to it. I find you to be a much more credible source than the Khartoum Government.
To me it seems that despite the warts of the SPLA they were by far the lesser of the 2 evils. I hope you are not offended by that statement
“Is this an accurate basic portrayal?”
Yes it is. While religion was part of it, the main reasons were imbalance of power and wealth sharing.
“I hope you are not offended by that statement”
No, don’t worry I’m not. You’re right and I agree with you. The south is impoverished because they didn’t have their fair share at power and wealth especially. Now after the agreement has been signed, I hope the south will develop basic infrastructure (hospitals, clean water, schools etc.)
My fear is that southerners in power now will be just as corrupted as northerners in the government are and will only care about enriching themselves. It’s already happening but not to the disgusting degree of the northerners.
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