Second Sudanese Civil War
The Second Sudanese Civil War was a major conflict in Sudan that lasted from 1983 to 2005, marking it as one of the longest civil wars in modern history. Here are key points about this conflict:
Background
- The war can be seen as a continuation of the First Sudanese Civil War (1955-1972), which ended with the Addis Ababa Agreement, granting autonomy to the southern region.
- The peace was short-lived as President Jaafar Nimeiry's government introduced Sharia Law in 1983, sparking tensions due to religious and cultural differences between the predominantly Muslim north and the Christian and animist south.
- The dissolution of the Southern Sudan Autonomous Region and the division of the south into three smaller regions further fueled discontent.
Outbreak of Conflict
- The war officially began when Colonel John Garang de Mabior, a southerner in the Sudanese military, led a mutiny which evolved into the formation of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA).
- The SPLA's primary goal was to establish a united, democratic Sudan with a secular government, though over time, the goal shifted towards achieving independence for South Sudan.
Key Events
- 1983-1985: The war's early years were characterized by SPLA guerrilla warfare against government forces.
- 1989: A coup led by Omar al-Bashir brought the National Islamic Front to power, intensifying the Islamist nature of the conflict.
- 1991: Factional fighting within the SPLA weakened the movement, with Riek Machar breaking away to form his faction, leading to significant internal strife.
- 1994-1997: The conflict escalated with Sudanese government support for militias and increased military offensives, including the use of child soldiers and forced displacement.
- 2002-2004: Peace negotiations in Kenya led to the Machakos Protocol, which laid the groundwork for the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
End of the War
- The Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed on January 9, 2005, in Nairobi, Kenya, officially ending the war.
- Key elements of the CPA included:
- Power-sharing arrangements.
- Wealth-sharing mechanisms.
- A referendum for southern Sudan on independence, which was eventually held in 2011, leading to South Sudan's independence.
Impact
- The war resulted in approximately 2 million deaths, mostly due to famine and disease.
- Over 4 million people were displaced, creating one of the world's largest refugee crises.
- The war devastated Sudan's economy and infrastructure, particularly in the south.
Legacy
- Despite the peace agreement, tensions and conflicts continued in Sudan, leading to further unrest and the South Sudanese Civil War in 2013.
- The legacy of the war includes ongoing challenges in governance, resource management, and ethnic tensions in both Sudan and South Sudan.
Sources
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