CHRONOLOGY-Key events during Sudan’s 21-year civil war
LONDON, Dec 31 (Reuters) – Following is a chronology of some of the main events since Sudan’s civil war began 21 years ago:
1983 – The government, dominated by northern Arabs, adopts aspects of Islamic sharia law and later martial law. Relations with mostly animist and Christian south deteriorate.
1983-84 – Rebels organise Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and its political arm, Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).
April/May 1986 – Sadiq al-Mahdi becomes prime minister and starts three years of chaotic coalition government.
June 30, 1989 – Lieutenant-General Omar Hassan al-Bashir takes power in bloodless coup.
Jan 1, 1992 – Bashir announces return to civilian rule.
1992 – Government offensive seizes southern territory, including the SPLA headquarters at Torit.
May 1994 – Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), a regional conflict-solving body, urges self-determination for the south. Khartoum quits IGAD talks.
March 1996 – Elections keep Bashir in power.
April 1997 – Khartoum signs deal with South Sudan Independence Movement and other rebel groups, isolating SPLA.
Aug 1997 – Government, facing military losses and regional isolation, says it will return to the IGAD process.
Oct 29, 1997 – Peace talks open in Nairobi.
Nov 4, 1997 – United States imposes sweeping economic sanctions on Sudan, accusing it of sponsoring terrorism.
Dec 1999 – Bashir removes Islamist ideologue Hassan al-Turabi, formerly his chief ally, from positions of power.
Feb 2000 – Talks resume but end after five days when rebels accuse Sudan of indiscriminate attacks on civilians.
Feb 2001 – Turabi arrested for signing deal with rebels.
Sept 28, 2001 – United Nations lifts five-year-old sanctions against Sudan. Unilateral U.S. sanctions remain in force.
2002:
July 20 – Five weeks of talks in Machakos, Kenya, yield government-SPLM deal on key issues of religion and self-determination. They sign the “Machakos protocol”.
July 27 – Bashir meets rebel chief John Garang for first time, but negotiations collapse in September after rebels seize strategic garrison town of Torit.
Oct 15 – Government and SPLM sign ceasefire for duration of latest round of peace talks, the first such truce.
2003:
Jan 27 – Sudanese rebels say government captures southern town of Ler in renewed fighting, contravening ceasefire terms.
Sept 25 – Government and SPLA sign security deal, clearing a major stumbling block in peace talks.
Oct 13 – Government releases Islamist leader Turabi.
2004:
Jan 7 – Government and rebels sign accord on how to share the country’s wealth when war ends.
May 26 – Government and SPLA sign three protocols resolving outstanding issues, clearing way for full peace deal.
Nov 19 – Government, SPLA sign pledge in front of all 15 U.N. Security Council members meeting in Kenya to end war by Dec 31.
Dec 31 – Government and SPLM sign final two chapters of peace accord, paving the way for ceremony in January at which government and rebel leaders will sign a comprehensive peace agreement, signing for the first time all eight peace protocols agreed earlier by junior colleagues.