SUDAN-POLITICS: COMPULSORY MILITARY TRAINING FOR STUDENTS

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

CHARLES WACHIRA

NARIOBI, Nov 17 1994 (IPS) - COMPULSORY MILITARY TRAINING FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPILS WAS ANNOUNCED THURSDAY BY SUDAN’S ISLAMIC REGIME, FIGHTING A BITTER CIVIL WAR WITH SOUTHERN REBELS.

A DECREE BY MILITARY PRESIDENT LT-GEN OMAR HASSAN AL-BASHIR REPORTED BY THE OFFICIAL SUDAN NEWS AGENCY (SUNA) MONITORED HERE, SAID TRAINING OF FINAL YEAR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN PEOPLE’S DEFENCE FORCE CAMPS WOULD RAISE LEVELS OF DISCIPLINE, PHYSICAL FITNESS, NATIONAL AWARENESS AND RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE.

THE PEOPLE’S DEFENCE FORCE, KNOWN AS THE MUJAHADIN, WAS FORMED FIVE-YEARS-AGO TO HELP THE ARMY PUT DOWN REBELLION IN THE SOUTH SPEARHEADED BY THE SUDAN PEOPLE’S LIBERATION ARMY (SPLA).

THE SPLA, COMPOSED LARGELY OF CHRISTIANS AND ANIMISTS FROM THE MAJORITY-BLACK SOUTH, TOOK UP ARMS IN 1983 IN OPPOSITION TO THE ALLEGED POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DOMINANCE OF THE COUNTRY BY THE ARABISED AND MOSLEM NORTH.

MEANWHILE, LAM AKOL, THE LEADER OF A BREAKAWAY REBEL FACTION REITERATED HIS MOVEMENT’S CALL FOR SELF-DETERMINATION FOR THE SOUTH IN A STATEMENT HERE THURSDAY.

“IT IS OUR DEMAND THAT THIS RIGHT BE GIVEN TO AND FREELY BE EXERCISED BY THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH SUDAN,” THE HEAD OF SPLA- UNITED SAID. “IT IS THE ONLY OBJECTIVE AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE ONLY SOUND BASIS FOR ANY PEACE TALKS LEADING TO A JUST, HONOURABLE AND DURABLE PEACE BETWEEN OUR PEOPLE AND THE ENEMY.”

AKOL WARNED THAT FACTION FIGHTING AMONG THE REBELS HAD DIVIDED FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES AND TRIBES, AND “THE TIME HAS COME FOR UNITY.”

HE ADDED THAT THE SPLA-UNITED IS “COMMITTED TO THE PRINCIPLE OF PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF THE WAR IN SUDAN. IN THIS RESPECT, WE RESTATE AND REAFFIRM SUPPORT AND COMMITMENT TO THE INTER- GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY FOR DROUGHT AND DESERTIFICATION (IGADD) TO BRING PEACE TO THE SUFFERING PEOPLE OF SOUTH SUDAN.”

THE SEVEN MEMBER EAST AFRICAN REGIONAL BODY HAS STRUGGLED TO ARRANGE A CEASE FIRE BETWEEN KHARTOUM AND THE REBELS ON THE ONE HAND, AND THE SPLA AND AKOL’S NUER-BASED FACTION.

SPLA-UNITED BROKE AWAY FROM THE MAINSTREAM SPLA IN 1991, ACCUSING THE MOVEMENT’S LEADER JOHN GARANG OF “DICTATORIAL TENDENCIES” AND FAVOURING HIS OWN DINKA ETHNIC GROUP.

PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE THE SUDAN CONFLICT HAVE RESULTED IN A HOST OF FAILED AGREEMENTS FROM THE FRANKFURT FRAMEWORK IN JANUARY 1992, THROUGH TO THE NAIROBI COMMUNIQUE IN MAY 1993.