SPLM needs to call another convention
By Amir Idris
Feb 9, 2006 — I do not intend to attack the current leadership of the Sudan People’s
Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A). However, I wish to encourage both the
leadership and the members of the SPLM/A to engage in constructive
conversations on the state of the SPLM/A in the post-war period.
The signing of the ‘Comprehensive Peace Agreement’ (CPA) on January 9,
2005, and the untimely death of Dr. John Garang de Mabior, former First
Vice President of Sudan and leader of the SPLM/A, on July 30, 2005, have
ushered a new era in the political history of Sudan. While the CPA
officially ended the war between the Government of Khartoum and the
SPLM/A, the CPA has failed to address the underlying causes of the
conflict. Although the NCP has made some cosmetic changes at the
administrative and structural level to accommodate the SPLM/A, the
ideological and political principles of the old regime remain in place.
Sadly, the old regime of the National Congress Party (NCP) continues to
dominate the Government of National Unity. The NCP also lacks the
political commitment to embrace genuine power sharing, and elections.
The death of Dr. John Garang has also exposed the political and
structural weaknesses of the SPLM/A, and the inability of the current
leadership to cope with the new reality of the post-war period. The
SPLM/A currently lacks a clear political vision, a strategy for social
and economic development capable of confronting new challenges. The new
leadership has yet to articulate a political vision and acceptable
principles of governance that could transform the movement into a
competitive and an inclusive political force. More importantly, the
SPLM/A has to strengthen its capacity to fulfill two important tasks:
confronting the NCP violations of the CPA, and building democratic
political institutions that carry the processes of peace-building and
development of Southern Sudan.
Currently, there is a growing frustration among many members and
supporters of the SPLM/A as the expectations of the peace have not been
realized. Of course, the first National Convention of 1994 had set up
the rules and principles of governing and conducting the internal
affairs of the SPLM/A. It is true that the SPLM/A needs to make some
fundamental changes in the way it operate. These changes, however,
cannot be made unless the leadership convenes a second National
Convention. This convention would be timely important for several reasons.
First, to formulate a clear political vision and strategy for the
post-war period. The period of the post-war requires the SPLM/A to come
up with a realistic vision that takes into consideration both the
signing of the CPA and the NCP behavior and tactics during the
implementation phase.
Second, to outline a clear timetable for the process of internal
democratization and transition to government.
Third, to set up measures to ensure the sustainability of the
peace-building process and development in Southern Sudan .
Lastly, to consolidate the unity of the SPLM/A by giving the new
leadership the chance to seek legitimacy from the Second National
Convention.
* Amir Idris is An assistant Professor of African Studies, Dept. of African and African American Studies, Fordham University , New York City. He is the author of Sudan ‘s Civil War (2001) and Conflict and Politics of Identity in Sudan (2005). Email: [email protected]