Riots after Sudan VP Garang Dies

BBC ^ | 1 August 2005 | Staff

[Our_Man_In_Gough_Island]

Large-scale riots have broken out in Sudan's capital Khartoum following the death of the country's vice-president, former rebel leader John Garang. The BBC's Jonah Fisher in Khartoum says gangs of youths from southern Sudan, like Mr Garang, are battling the security forces and looting cars.

Mr Garang died in a helicopter crash as he was returning from Uganda.

He signed a deal to end 21 years of civil war in January and was sworn in as vice-president three weeks ago.

The protesters are throwing stones and smashing office windows. Gunfire can be heard and the security forces are trying to seal off the city centre, our correspondent says.

There are also reports of unrest elsewhere in Sudan.

Our correspondent says many of the 4m southern Sudanese living in Khartoum hoped Mr Garang would change their lives and end discrimination in favour of Arabs and they are now venting their frustration at his death.

Peacemaker

Mr Garang's death leaves a gaping hole in Sudan's political landscape, our correspondent says.

Three days of national mourning have been declared.

We are confident that the peace agreement will proceed as it was planned and drawn up

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir

Obituary: John Garang Reaction in quotes Mr Garang was returning to his base in New Site in southern Sudan after flying to Uganda to meet President Yoweri Museveni.

Six of his associates and the seven-member crew of the Mi 72 Ugandan presidential helicopter also died in the crash, which is being blamed on bad weather.

Mr Garang's deputy in the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, Salva Kiir Mayardit, will take control of the former rebel group, the SPLM said.

Mr Mayardit said the SPLM remained committed to the peace agreement Mr Garang signed in January and urged all Sudanese to remain calm.

SPLM officials stressed that Mr Garang's death had been an accident.

Iron hand

Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir said he was confident the peace agreement would remain on course.

Garang returned to Sudan in triumph after January's peace deal The mediator in the long-running Sudanese peace talks, Kenyan General Lazaro Sumbeiywo, said it was clear from the peace agreement that whoever became SPLM leader would also take over as Sudan's vice-president.

Mr Garang steered the mainly Christian and animist SPLM through a bloody war against the Islamic government in the north, which left at least 1.5 million people dead.

He ruled the disparate movement with an iron hand, and managed to keep it together.

The conflict in Sudan ended with the signing of a peace agreement in January and Mr Garang became vice-president in a new government of national unity.

With his death the future of peace in Sudan is once more in the balance, correspondents say.

[Our_Man_In_Gough_Island]

The Sudan looks like a " former country" now, and the sooner it crumbles, the better.

[Our_Man_In_Gough_Island]

Note to Moderator: While another article in this topic has recently been posted, the BBC article contains significant additional news content, namely the outbreak of large-scale rioting in the capital. This appears to be a fast-breaking news story.

[AspidistraFlying]

The sooner it crumbles, the better? What do you imagine is going to magically appear in its place?

History never repeats, I tell myself before I go to sleep.

[Our_Man_In_Gough_Island]

This so-called former ex-country has at minimum three separatist movements going simultaneously - Ganrang's Nilotic and Christian South, Darfur in the West, and another on the Red Sea. The first two are decidedly pro-USA. We have fooled around with this seedbed of anarchy for too long.

[AspidistraFlying]

In what way have we fooled around (or done anything) there?

[Our_Man_In_Gough_Island]

We set up the power-sharing arrangement with the South ( a pro-USA, large oil producing area) which lasted less than one month with Garang's flaming air-crash death.

This is a crisis situation, which requires a sharp,prompt response from Washington. As a minimum, I would say provisionally recognize the South and put forces in Djoubti on alert.

[sure_fine]

throwing stones and smashing office windows.

wow, you'd think this was just a typical European soccer game going on

[silverleaf]

throwing stones and smashing office windows

Or that the Maryland Terps won a basketball tournament.

[rabidralph]

I thought last month's rock festival was supposed to solve this problem.

[AspidistraFlying]

Hey, I knew about the peace treaty, but I didn't know about our involvement in it. And I haven't been able to find anything else about it in the last few minutes. Can you link me somewhere to read about it?

[Our_Man_In_Gough_Island]

Here is a time-line from the BBC. Note Oct 2001, when Danforth was appointed special envoy on the peace process by President Bush. You can do the rest on Google with those key-words:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/827425.stm

[Luigi Vasellini]

I hope we are arming the south.

[Our_Man_In_Gough_Island]

Yes, I was thinking of an airlift to them.

[Heatseeker]

I've wanted to do that for years now.

[eleni121]

Thanks for the link and discussion. When I heard this alst night I immediately thought about the criminal genocidal enterprise in Khartoum being behind this.

[eleni121]

"Mr Garang's deputy in the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, Salva Kiir Mayardit, will take control of the former rebel group, the SPLM said."

---

Unbelievable - this assassination is so transparent

http://www.sudanvisiondaily.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1995

[eleni121]

Museveni isn't buying "the accident". His complete statement is very interesting!

http://allafrica.com/stories/200508010097.html

[eleni121]

PING