New Sudan Islamic Council: Obituary for Father Philip Abass Gabush

E-mail: [email protected] [email protected]?????? ?????????:

Date:…….. ???????: ………….

Our Ref:…….. ?????? : ………..

Your Ref:……. ??????: ………..

One of the greatest heroes in Modern Sudanese history had recently gone to rest, a man who burned and grow up in suppressed environment, but managed to liberate himself, and worked to liberate his people and others.

Father Philip Abass Gabush was grow in society and period described by C. A. Willis, the assistant director of intelligence in Sudan between 1915 and 1926, that “the whole social system of the northern Sudan grew to depend on the possession of slaves without whom no property could be developed or family maintained”, within such society the role of intelligent or genius person like late Gabush is not participate in human advancement, but rather to help in liberating humanity from mistakes committed by the oppressors; those victims whom British administration failed to help by abolishing slave practice in Sudan although it was abolished and enforced by British Navy worldwide, that persisted until 1925 when a Circular Memorandum gives Slaves opportunity to obtain freedom by reporting to the authority, what an odd state. Within that environment, the late Gaboush decided to work silently, alone and with others by raising awareness of the mass about themselves and the larger society, till he with other Nuba formed The All Union of Nuba Mountains, then with other marginalized they formed the Union of the Rural, Nimari military takeover deviated him to believe in military struggle, thus he contacted South Sudan Liberation Movement, headed by Gen. Joseph Lago, during his struggles he tried with others to take power militarily several times, all that efforts just to obtain freedom for the Sudanese people, dully, he was described as racist, traitor, Zionist and many others just to destroy his image among the people.

After the upraising in 1985, he formed The Sudanese National Party; it was an insight of that era, and other form for wider scope propagated by SPLM, for these great achievements Dr. John Garang de Mabiour praised him and appointed him Marshal in SPLA at Rumbek in 2003, Cdr Yousif Kuwa considered him to represent the pioneer of liberation for Nuba and Marginalized in the North.

Gabush managed to overcome religious barrier, thus we never heard any religious trend within Nuba Mountains to categorize themselves religiously within the social life, till present salvation appeared. At All Nuba Conference in Kauda on December 2002, he was one of the Stars, they came four parties, and left in one united The Sudanese National United Party, above all they gave SPLM the mandate to speak on behalf of Nuba People, thus his life was a continual linking with the people, it was deepened with humanity, it will persists forever, it can be felt among the Marginalized People of Sudan to whom he devoted his life for their freedom, may his soul rest in peace.

Mahmoud E. Yousif

Chairman of the New Sudan Islamic Council

And South Sudan Islamic Council

February 23, 2008