Sudan Conflicts

Overview of Conflicts
 Sudan’s Geography and Background
 Sudan North/South Civil War
 Darfur Conflict
 East Sudan Conflict
 Lord Resistance Army (LRA)

Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) Between North and South

 What is it?
 Who was involved?

Dialogue Work and Peace Stability in Sudan

 Importance of CPA and Is It Working
 Darfur
 Ambassador Tom Eric Vraalsen’s Viewpoint and Our Personal Reflections

Overview of Conflicts
Sudan’s Geography and Background

http://www.sudan.net/government/natmap.html
 http://www.sudan.net/government/regmap.html

Basic Facts:
Ethnic groups: 9 tribes and hundreds of subtribes total. Main ethnic groups
include: Black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other
1%
Religions: Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), indigenous beliefs 25%,
Christian 5% (mostly in south and Khartoum)
Languages: 137 languages total. Main languages include: Arabic (official),
Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic,
Sudanic languages, English
Sudan (2005). The New York Times. See references.

The People:
Sudan is divided into three main groups.
 The northerners live mainly near the Nile river above 12 degrees of
latitude. They consist of Arab and Nubian groups, Muslim (majority
Sunni), and speak Arabic.
 The westerners live mostly in central Sudan and are Muslim. They
emigrated primarily in the 20th century from West Africa.
 The southerners are Nilotic and Sudanic people, who have traditional
religious beliefs or are Christian. The majority of southerners speak Nilotic
languages. Ethnic groups in the south are the Dinka, Nuer, Shiluk, Bari,
and the non-Nilotic Azande.
Brief Background:
From 1899-1955 Sudan was under joint British-Egyptian rule, making Sudan a
British colony. In 1956 Sudan became independent, but soon there after broke
into a 16-year civil war when the south’s demands for autonomy were rejected.
As Lonely Planet describes, “Ever since, war in the south, flirtations with
democracy and military coups have been regular features of the Sudanese
political landscape” (“Sudan,” 2007, p. 1).

Sudan North/South Civil War

The north/south Sudan conflict is Africa’s longest-running civil war. In short, the
conflict is between the Muslim north and Christians about south’s independence.
According to BBC, 1.5 million people have died as a result of the conflict (“Q&A
Peace,” 2005).

In 1969 Colonel Jafar Numayri took power of Sudan for 16 years and signed
Addis Ababa Agreement to grant the south a measure of autonomy. From 1972-
1983, was the only time Sudan was not enduring a civil war.

But in 1983, war started again. After pressure from Islamic parties, President
Numayri declared the introduction of Sharia, Islamic Law, even in areas where
the majority is not Muslim. The non-Muslim southern population, upset over the
lost of their autonomy and Islamic Law, resumed hostilities almost immediately.
Army commander John Garang formed the Sudanese People’s Liberation
Movement and Army (SPLM/A) which took control of the majority of south
Sudan.

African Christians and rebel groups in the south accuse the government of
favoring Arabs and oppose the introduction to Islamic Law. The SPLA, however,
has never clearly stated if they are fighting for independence for the south within
Sudan, or outright independence (“Q&A Peace,” 2005).

Darfur Conflict

Darfur is a western, impoverished province of Sudan. The Darfur conflict is not

directly related to the north south civil war. Tensions have always exists
between mostly black African farmers and mostly Arab herders. They compete
over the land because it is the key to money and power.

Although the rebel black Africans are Muslim, they are non-Arabs. Like in the
south, rebel groups say the government discriminates against non-Arabs.
The United Nations has accused Sudan’s government and the pro-government
Arab militias of war crimes against Darfur’s black African population. In
September 2004, the United States called the Darfur conflict a genocide, while
the UN still have not used the term.

The conflict began in 2003 when rebel groups started attacking government
targets. In retaliation, the government organized “self-defense militias.” The
government, however, denies any ties with Janjaweed, a pro-government rebel
group. The two main rebel groups are the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and the
Justice and Equality Movement (Jem). These groups disagreed with the May
2006 peace deal with the government and have now merged into the National
Redemption Front.

Two million people have fled their homes. Many of them say the government
aircraft bomb villages and afterwards the Arab Janjaweed follow to slaughter,
rape, and steal (“Q&A: Sudan’s Darfur,” 2006, p. 1)

East Sudan Conflict

Around 2005, a third conflict arose in Sudan. Some say the north-eastern region
of Sudan is on the verge of becoming another Darfur conflict.

As in Darfur and the south, Beja and Rashaida communities say the government
is discriminating against them in favor of the Arabs. The government also has
strengthen Islam in the area.

According to BBC analyst Julie Flint, the eastern rebels are using guerrilla “hit
and run” tactics such as in Darfur. The government has Arab groups using a
“scorched earth policy” (“Q&A: Sudan’s eastern,” 2005, p. 1). There is concern
that a government backlash could result in similar violent results as in Darfur.

Lord Resistance Army (LRA)

The Lord Resistance Army has been fighting Ugandan President Museveni in
north Uganda and southern Sudan for the past 20 years. The LRA want to
replace the Uganda constitution with the Bible’s Ten Commandments. The LRA
is known for their brutality in both Uganda and Sudan and for abducting
thousands of children and turning them into soldiers (Allen, 2006, p. 1).

Comprehensive Peace Agreement

 Between North and South

What is the CPA?

The comprehensive peace agreement (CPA) was a ceasefire between the

government of Sudan (GOS) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army
(SPLM/A). This peace framework was put together through the process of
negotiation by both sides to end a 21-year old civil war that has torn Sudan
apart. The goal of this peace process was to establish protocols and agreements
that both sides can agree upon and govern themselves peacefully according to
these protocols. The CPA was held in both Naivasha, and Nairobi, Kenya where
it was mediated by members of the international community. The comprehensive
peace agreement is made up of nine protocols and agreements signed by Sudan
Government and SPLM/A.

Who was involved?

The comprehensive peace agreement involved negotiations where both sides

were in sessions makings decisions about how to end the civil war between the
north and south. The North and South began peace negotiations in 2002 and
started to progress quickly by reaching terms by the year 2004. Disagreements
between the two sides delayed the negotiation process until January 9, 2005, the
day that the peace deal was finalized with a signing ceremony. Both
governments had representatives in Nairobi to establish the peace agreement.
These representatives were Dr. John Garang De Mabior, chairman of the
SPLM/A, First Vice President Ali Osman Mohammed Taha, from the Government
of Sudan, U.S. Special Envoy Senator John Danforth, and Lt. Gen. Lazaro K.
Sumbeiywo, who is an ambassador and a Kenyan Special Envoy for the Sudan
Peace Process. The interest of both the north and south was well represented in
this negotiation because it was vital that both sides come to an agreement.

The negotiation between the north and south involved a small amount of
dialogue and a debate at the same time. There were times where both sides
couldn’t reach an agreement on an issue such as wealth sharing which was a
problem. Sharing oil revenues was one of the issues that both north and south
struggled to reach an agreement about how to divide the oil wealth evenly. The
oil is found in the south and it is the major wealth that Sudan has as its natural
resource. The CPA granted southern Sudan six years of self-rule, after which the
south will vote in a referendum on whether to remain part of Sudan or secede.
In addition, south Sudan will be exempt from Sharia Law. The agreements in this
ceasefire were power sharing, wealth sharing, security, energy, health,
transportation and other vital parts of government structure.
 Dialogue Work and Peace Stability in Sudan
Importance of CPA

The CPA is vital in bringing peace and stability to Sudan as a whole. In order for
Sudan to achieve stability and peace, the comprehensive peace agreement needs
to be implemented successfully because it is a document that holds protocols
and agreements between the North and South. These documents will possibly
bring an end to other conflicts occurring inside of Sudan. Ambassador Tom
Vraalsen stated that the CPA was a blueprint for all four conflicts in Sudan (T.
Vraalsen, personal communication, January 25, 2007). All conflicts in Sudan
depend on the effectiveness and the success of the CPA. The second importance
of the comprehensive peace agreement is, it allows for the reconstruction and
the developmental stage in Sudan to begin. The international community has
provided funds and aids to use toward the reconstruction and the developmental
process. The CPA also insures the safety and security of the Sudanese people
especially in the regions where the people have been oppressed.

Is the CPA working?

The CPA is the first step, not the last, in establishing peace. At the signing of the
peace agreement, Dr. Garang encouraged every Sudanese citizen to join forces
in collaboration to implement the comprehensive peace agreement. The lost of
Dr. Garang brought challenges of the CPA being implemented effectively. Dr.
Garang didn’t leave a well-qualify successor who is familiar with his works.
Currently the CPA is being slowly implemented with fears that it might fall apart
because both governments haven’t put in much effort to implement it at a
speedy pace to avoid failure.

CPA Conclusion

The comprehensive peace agreement was a peace deal signed between the
government of Sudan and SPLM/A government. Vice-President Ali Osman
negotiated this agreement for the Sudan government and Dr. John Garang, the
chairman of South Sudan government represented SPLM/A. This landmark deal
was established to end a 21-year old civil war that has torn Sudan apart and
have displaced millions of Sudanese all over the world. The CPA is important in
bringing stability to Sudan and for future development of infrastructures.
Darfur

The Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) was signed in May 2006 with help from the
African Union. The Sudanese government backed the deal, but only one of the
three rebel groups signed the agreement. Although the government agreed to
disarm the Janjaweed in the agreement, there is little evidence that it is taken
place. The other two rebel groups that did not sign the DPA split into eight other
opposition forces. This opposition even after the signing of the DPA has led to
increased violence. Ambassador Tom Eric Vraalsen credits the failure of the
agreement to the lack of agreement from all rebel groups (T. Vraalsen, personal
communication, January 25, 2007). So in general, peace stability and dialogue
has not been established in Darfur.

East Sudan

According to Ambassador Vraalsen the eastern rebel groups are a weak force as
of right now (T. Vraalsen, personal communication, January 25, 2007). The
government set up a body to discuss the rebels’ demands, but the body only
consists of pro-government representatives, not rebel leaders. In general
dialogue and peace stability has not taken place in East Sudan.

Lord Resistance Army

Peace talks between the LRA and the government in Uganda began in July 2006.
Recently the LRA has said they will not continue discussing peace if they are in
south Sudan’s capital, Juba. The south Sudanese President Salva Kiir also
recently said the LRA group was not welcome in Sudan anymore. LRA asked
Kenya or South Africa to be considered as venues and new mediators. The
peace talks are going slow. After six months in Juba, they have only reached
item two on their agenda (“Uganda’s rebels,” 2007). Meanwhile violence
continues throughout this region.

Ambassador Tom Eric Vraalsen’s Viewpoint and Our Personal

Reflections

We had the opportunity to meet with Ambassador Tom Eric Vraalsen on January
25, 2007 at Pacific Lutheran University. Vraalsen has worked to bring peace to
Sudan for the past twenty years. He stressed the complexity of all four conflicts
in Sudan. Sudanese are not just fighting over one issue—it is intergraded
conflicts about religion, ethnicity, land use, governmental control, oil rights, and
more.
Vraalsen emphasized the importance of dialogue, but said after Sudan’s fifty
years of fighting there is no trust and confidence in each other. When asked
about the specific dialogue practices in Sudan, he simply answered, “there is no
dialogue.” He believes that dialogue practices are fundamental in establishing
and upholding peace agreements, but he feels many opposing leaders do not
want to talk or even establish peace.

Vraalsen puts much of his hope in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between
north and south Sudan. He feels that if the CPA failed, all hope for the near
future for other agreements would also fall through. As Vraalsen said, “it’s not
good news.” He in convinced that we need to work on Sudan peace with all four
conflicts. It’s impossible to establish peace in one area without having stability in
other parts of the country. Nevertheless, Vraalsen says he knows that everyday
is a new day and has passion for his work in Sudan (T. Vraalsen, personal
communication, January 25, 2007).

After studying the four Sudan conflicts and dialogue practices, we believe more
effort should go into organizing dialogue between conflicting parties. As
Vraalsen explained, dialogue is not happening and as we see with the Darfur
agreement, the government and all rebels groups must agree to the agreement
or it will fail. In the Balkan conflicts, dialogue is used not only at the national
government level, but also with the public and everyday citizens. Nansen
Dialogue centers bring in groups of teachers, local leaders, business
professionals and other individuals to participate in dialogue at a lower level. As
a result, the public is questioning its government, which assists with peace talks
between the national leaders. Even if the CPA was fully established, dialogue
practices would still be effective in the area to help communities be put back
together.

The Sudan conflicts will not be solved overnight. Even then, the peace
agreements are the first phases towards establishing peace. We may not see
stability in our lifetimes, but we must always have hope for the region. Every
step towards peace is an accomplishment.

Work Cited:

Allen, K. (2006, January 11). Sudan military ‘still aiding LRA.’ BBC News.
Retrieved January 25, 2007, from
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4602882.stm

Doyle, M. (2006, May 10). Sudan’s interlocking wars. BBC News. Retrieved
January 25, 2007, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4759325.stm
Loyn, D. (2005, September 30). Sudan struggles as millions head south. BBC
News. Retrieved January 25, 2007,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4297508.stm

Q&A: Peace in Sudan (2005, July 8). BBC News. Retrieved January 25, 2007,
from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3211002.stm

Q&A: Sudan’s Darfur Conflict (2006, November 16). BBC News. Retrieved
January 25, 2007, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3496731.stm

Q&A: Sudan’s eastern rebellion (2005, June 23). BBC News. Retrieved January
25, 2007, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4118678.stm

Quick guide: Darfur (2006, September 6). BBC News. Retrieved January 25,
2007, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5316306.stm

Sudan (2005). The New York Times: Reference Search. Retrieved January 25,
2007, from http://query.nytimes.com/gst/search?
srchst=ref&query=Sudan#Stats

Sudan Background Info (2007). Lonely Planet. Retrieved January 25, 2007, from
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/africa/sudan/esse
ntial?a=culture

Timeline: Sudan (2006, December 23). BBC News. Retrieved January 25, 2007,
from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/827425.stm

Uganda claims success in Sudan raid (2002, March 29). BBC News. Retrieved
January 25, 2007, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1901343.stm

Uganda’s rebels ‘sack’ mediator (2007, January 17). BBC News. Retrieved
January 25, 2007, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6270255.stm