SPLM flashes back to history of first traditional liberators of South Sudan

May 16, 2010 (JUBA) – The Secretary General of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), Pagan Amum Okiech, in his reference to the upcoming referendum, flashed back to the history of liberation of South Sudan , saying it goes back to the time of community-based wars during the time of Ngundeng and other spiritual and traditional leaders.

The liberation struggle which was began in 1890s forced foreign colonial administrations to decide to leave the region and resulted to the merger of northern and southern Sudan into one political entity that became independent in 1956.

He said the people of Southern Sudan as communities have determined to liberate themselves from political domination and other injustices since the time of Turkish and British and will continue until the referendum by 9th January when they shall have achieved their destiny.

Amum made the remarks at Bilpam SPLA headquarters during the Sunday’s televised celebration of the 16th May 27th Anniversary when the SPLM/A was formed in 1983. Thousands of people including the leadership of the Government of Southern Sudan, senior officers from the SPLA and other organized forces and foreign guests were present at the occasion.

He criticized the current national government under the leadership of Omer Hassan Al-Bashir for dragging its feet on the process of the referendum, explaining that this is in the similar way “the same Bashir” violated referendum in the 1997 Khartoum Peace Agreement on self-determination with the incumbent Southern Sudan Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar.

Amum pointed out that there is no more chance to make unity attractive now and that the people of Southern Sudan are expected to vote for separation. He blamed the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) for failing to make unity attractive during the last five years.

Among the communities and leaders he named that participated in liberating the region from pre-independence colonialists included the Nuer, Dinka, Shilluk and Azande.

He said the war to liberate the South from the British colony was spearheaded in the Nuerland by Guek Ngundeng, the son of Prophet Ngundeng Bong who died more than a hundred years ago in 1906 and whose spiritual rode was brought back from England to Southern Sudan on the same day, 16th May, last year.

In recognition of his great role in the initial phase of war against colonialism, the Government of Southern Sudan last year organized an occasion, which was representative of various Southern Sudanese communities in Juba, in honor for the reception of his 150 years old spiritual rode called ‘dang’, which officials described as a symbol of national liberation in Southern Sudan.

Amum also recalled that another spiritual leader among the Dinka community by the name Kon Anok, also resisted the British colonial administration in addition to tribal-based resistance among the Azande and Shilluk communities.

He equally recalled the continued struggle by Southern Sudanese traditional and political leaders at different stages until Anya-nya One movement was formed out of 1955 Torit mutiny, followed by Anya-nya Two in Akobo in 1974 until it developed into the current stage of the struggle by the SPLM/A in 1983.

The SPLM Secretary General earlier warned that the current elected parliament in Southern Sudan would unilaterally facilitate the conduct of the referendum in the South without involving the North if the northern dominant National Congress Party (NCP) will continue to delay the process.