Sudan rebel leader Garang suggests rotational presidency
RUMBEK, Sudan, Sept 30 (AFP) — Southern Sudanese rebel leader John Garang on Tuesday suggested setting up a rotational presidency for the war-torn African country, in which the government in Khartoum and the rebels would take turns in power.
Garang was speaking as the two sides prepared to resume talks aimed at ending Africa’s longest conflict that has claimed at least 1.5 million lives.
Addressing commanders of the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) in Rumbek, 900 kilometres (560 miles) south of Khartoum, he said he had proposed to mediators there should be a rotational presidency in which the current Sudanese president would rule for three years, then the SPLA would take over.
The government in Khartoum and the southern rebels were expected to resume talks in Kenya next week, this time to discuss power-and wealth-sharing, and three disputed regions — the Southern Blue Nile, Nuba Mountains and Abyei.
Sharing of Sudan’s oil revenue, an SPLA presence in all institutions of statehood and the status of the capital Khartoum, are among the other issues on the agenda.
Peace talks in July 2002 yielded some fruit when the wealthier and Arabised north agreed to six years of semi-autonomous rule in the Christian and animist south, to be followed by an internationally supervised referendum.
In Kenya last week, Garang and Sudanese Vice President Ali Osman Taha signed an agreement on crucial security arrangements for the south over a six-year interim period which is to begin after a widely-expected comprehensive peace deal.
“In Naivasha (the Kenyan town where peace talks were held), we negotiated with Vice President Taha for 21 days, each day representing one of the 21 years that we have been fighting for our freedom,” Garang said.
Garang told the rally that he had decided to sign the agreement because it treated southern rebel forces as equals with government troops.
“We accepted the agreement because it recognized the SPLA and a national army, similar to the government army,” he added.
Garang also addressed local divisions.
“There are problems ahead of us, we need unity within rank and file in the south, and people must be united so that a peace agreement is properly implemented,” Garang said.
Thousands of southern Sudanese turned out Tuesday in the war-scarred town of Rumbek — home to the UN as well as other humanitarian agencies in the south — to hear Garang describe the latest advances in efforts to end 20 years of devastating civil war.
“The road to peace is irreversible and that is why the population is happy. It is time for peace in Sudan,” Garang told the rally.
Other commanders expressed cautious optimism, warning that the Khartoum governent had a propensity to renege on agreements.
“The war has been long and people have been fatigued — the government’s side and even me — but I shall not surrender you,” Garang told the rally.