Sudan rebels commence rehabilitation programs as peace nears

KAMPALA, April 9? 2004 (Xinhua) — Commander Kuol Manyang of the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) said Friday that the SPLM is interested in recruiting vanilla farmers from Mukono district in southeast Uganda as part of rehabilitation efforts.

A group of SPLM officials led by the commander are in the district to learn how to grow vanilla.

Manyang said in the district that with peace due to return to southern Sudan, a series of rehabilitation programs have been earmarked to start development including agriculture.

He said the SPLM has already secured funding from the US administration for the rehabilitation of the agricultural sector and vanilla growing is high on the list of crops to be promoted.

Manyang invited Ugandans to explore the various market opportunities.

The commander said 10,000 Ugandans are carrying out business in the area.

The Sudanese government and the SPLM are reportedly to sign a peace deal this weekend, clearing the last major hurdles to settlement of the 20-year civil war in southern Sudan.