The recent Darfur crisis and the humanitarian catastrophe have put some public view on the Sudan. Voices to intervene have been raised and quick connections to the massacres in Rwanda in 1994 are made. The fact that the Sudanese people have been suffering from almost 40 years of intermitted civil war seems to play at best an inferior role. Despite the neglect by a vast majority of the public the southern regions are just recovering from devastating civil war and peace is still fragile. The transition to a democratic system is far from being realized, droughts have increased nutrition problems in the South and the revenues from economic growth are distributed very unevenly. In addition to these problems, neighbouring states are either dictatorships with rivalling interests, in a period of uncertain transition or former stable states such as Chad and Kenya which are tumbling towards domestically crisis.
Nevertheless to understand the aims of the opposing actors and how these conflicts were able to develop it is necessary to have a close look on Sudan’s recent past. The essay covers Sudan’s way from a British colony to its independence, followed and accompanied by two severe civil wars and their reasons up to the Darfur crisis today. In the second part the author analyses the aims of the different, local, national and international actors and assesses reasonable strategies for a lasting peace in Sudan. The leading thoughts in this essay are expressed by the main questions: How did the Sudanese civil wars, which culminated in the recent Darfur crisis, evolve? What would be a reasonable
strategy to secure a stable peace in Sudan? The author wants to emphasize the necessity to bring Sudan to a stable peace. As the
biggest country in Africa this could contribute to stability in the whole eastern African region, preventing humanitarian crisis and agony. Hasty decision derived from compassion and quick accusations without the necessary background may lead to false directions. This analysis shall provide objective evidence about the current situation and is intended to contribute to a wider comprehension among students of international politics.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Scientific Approach
2. Historic Background
2.1 From Independence to Civil War 1955 - 1972
2.2 Rebellion in the South: Anya-Nya I
2.3 The Second Civil War 1983-2005
2.4 Darfur Crisis 2003 - Present time
3. Actors and Strategies
3.1 The Comprehensive Peace Agreement
3.2 John Garang and the SPLM/A
3.3 Salva Kiir
3.4 Omar al-Bashir and the National Islamic Front
3.5 Peace efforts by IGAD
3.6 Strategic interests
3.7 United Nations
3.8 Internal opposition in the North and South
4. Sudan at the Crossroads
4.1 Consolidating Peace in the South
4.2 Peace Enforcement in Darfur
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this work is to analyze the historical development and the diverse political actors involved in the Sudanese conflicts, specifically examining how the civil wars and the humanitarian crisis in Darfur evolved. The research aims to evaluate existing peace strategies, such as the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), and proposes robust, evidence-based measures to secure stable peace in the region.
- Historical analysis of Sudan's transition from colonial rule to independence and the subsequent civil wars.
- Evaluation of political strategies adopted by national and international actors, including the SPLM/A and the government in Khartoum.
- Assessment of the effectiveness of peace mediation efforts, particularly those by IGAD and the United Nations.
- Examination of the impact of strategic interests, such as oil resources and Islamic nationalism, on conflict escalation.
- Development of recommendations for consolidating peace in South Sudan and implementing peace-enforcement in Darfur.
Excerpt from the Book
2.2 Rebellion in the South: Anya-Nya I
As mentioned above political issues concerning the South were mainly rejected or ignored by the ruling parties and politicians. To add another line of conflict to the absence of political co-determination President Abboud “launched a controversial effort to accelerate Islamisation of the South” (ICG Africa Report 2002, p. 9), which cumulated in repressions and displacements in the South. On the one hand this led to formation of the Sudan African National Union (SANU) as a political voice and on the other hand a guerrilla movement, the Anya-Nya. In the early years of the insurgency the different groups of the Anya-Nya were mainly occupied with “survival” (O’Ballance 2000, p.18) meaning there inability to appeal to the population as an actor of political awakening. Rather the movement was characterized by a lack of military structure, discipline and “no comprehension of real guerrilla warfare” (O’Ballance 2000, p.18).
Ironically the rigorous steps that were taken by Abboud to counter the insurgency turned out to be counterproductive. Loyal troops of the Sudanese Defence Force (SDF) were ravaging through Equatoria region to quell the opposition inflicting what would be later described with the euphemism of ‘collateral damage’. Therefore Abbouds reaction doubtlessly served as a spoiler for the rebellion. Until 1963 the war intensified and even the SANU who had condemned the Anya-Nya tactics before flocked to the insurgency due to the fact that the government still “refused to acknowledge [...] the lack of southern political and economic power” (ICG Africa Report 2002, p. 9). Woodward emphasizes the fact that the movement was at no point “under the control of SANU (Woodward 1990, p. 107)” but rather a pool of insurgents of differing or worse, rivalling interests.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter provides the foundation by outlining the recent Darfur crisis and the enduring Sudanese civil wars, setting the stage for the research questions regarding conflict evolution and peace strategies.
2. Historic Background: This section details the historical progression of Sudan from independence through two severe civil wars to the Darfur crisis, highlighting the accumulation of ethnic and religious cleavages.
3. Actors and Strategies: This comprehensive chapter examines the motivations and strategic actions of key internal and external actors, including the CPA, the SPLM/A, individual leaders, IGAD, and the UN.
4. Sudan at the Crossroads: This chapter offers normative strategies for stabilizing South Sudan via the CPA and discusses the urgent need for peace-enforcement mandates in the Darfur region.
5. Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, arguing that Sudan’s failure to develop into a viable state is rooted in the intensification of conflicts through accumulation and that massive external support is essential for future stability.
Keywords
Sudan, Civil War, Darfur, Comprehensive Peace Agreement, SPLM/A, Omar al-Bashir, John Garang, IGAD, United Nations, State Building, Human Security, Oil Resources, Ethnic Cleavages, Peace Enforcement, Sovereignty
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this work?
The work focuses on the historical evolution of conflicts in Sudan, the role of various political actors, and the challenges of achieving a lasting, sustainable peace in both South Sudan and Darfur.
What are the primary themes addressed?
The main themes include the history of Sudanese civil wars, political power dynamics, the impact of international mediation, the role of strategic resources like oil, and the limitations of current state institutions.
What is the core research question?
The research explores how the Sudanese civil wars evolved into the Darfur crisis and determines what reasonable strategies are necessary to secure a stable peace in the country.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The author employs a political theory approach to state building and human security, specifically utilizing Mary Kaldor's "New Wars" framework and historical analysis of political developments.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main section covers the historical background, profiles of key actors like John Garang and Omar al-Bashir, the functions of the CPA, and the effectiveness of international organizations like IGAD and the UN.
Which keywords best characterize this analysis?
Key terms include Sudan, Civil War, Darfur, CPA, SPLM/A, state building, humanitarian crisis, and international mediation.
How does the author evaluate the effectiveness of the UN?
The author argues that UN missions have been significantly marginalized by institutional complexity and restrictions imposed by the Khartoum government, often serving as blunt instruments rather than effective peacekeepers.
What stance does the author take on the 2009 elections?
The author suggests that the 2009 elections are likely to be illusory as a democratic cornerstone, noting that the regime in Khartoum controls the necessary financial and state machinery to manipulate the outcome.
- Quote paper
- Dipl. Volkswirt Jens Parnow (Author), 2008, Sudan at the Crossroads - Between Consolidation and a Failing State, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/139427
