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| SPLM | |
|---|---|
| Name | Sudan People's Liberation Movement |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Founder | John Garang |
| Leader | Salva Kiir Mayardit |
| Leader1 title | First Vice President (historical) |
| Leader1 name | Riek Machar |
| Headquarters | Juba |
| Ideology | South Sudanese nationalism, left-wing politics, Christian democracy |
| Country | South Sudan |
SPLM is a political movement and party that emerged from a prolonged insurgency in Sudan and became the principal political force leading to the creation of South Sudan. Originating in the early 1980s, it combined military struggle, political mobilization, and international diplomacy to challenge the Khartoum-based administrations and to negotiate autonomy and later independence. Over decades its trajectory intersected with key regional actors, peace accords, and post-independence state-building processes.
Founded amid the insurgency that followed the collapse of the Addis Ababa Agreement and renewed conflicts in Southern Sudan, the movement drew leadership from figures such as John Garang and activists linked to Anya Nya. During the 1990s and 2000s it engaged with states and organizations including Eritrea, Uganda, Ethiopia, Egypt, Kenya, Libya, United States foreign policy, United Kingdom foreign policy, Norway, and international bodies like the United Nations and the African Union to secure support and mediation. Negotiations culminated in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement with the Government of Sudan in 2005, a milestone that involved actors such as Thabo Mbeki and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development. The movement led the landmark 2011 referendum that resulted in the secession recognized by members of the United Nations General Assembly.
The movement's structure incorporated political, military, and civil wings with leadership centered in figures like John Garang, later succeeded by Salva Kiir Mayardit after the 2005 death of John Garang. Prominent leaders and rivals have included Riek Machar, Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior, Barnaba Marial Benjamin, and Deng Alor. Organizational organs referenced international models and incorporated regional representatives from areas such as Upper Nile (state), Jonglei State, Bahr el Ghazal, and Equatoria. During transitional periods the movement engaged institutions including the Interim National Constitution of Southern Sudan drafters and liaised with missions like the United Nations Mission in Sudan and later United Nations Mission in South Sudan.
The movement articulated a blend of South Sudanese nationalism, appeals to regional autonomy from Khartoum, and socioeconomic platforms reflecting influences from left-wing politics and Christian democracy. Its stated goals shifted from seeking Sudan reform to demanding self-determination for southern populations represented by ethnic groups such as the Dinka, Nuer, Shilluk, and Fertit. Policy pronouncements referenced resource control in regions like Upper Nile (state), revenue sharing related to oil fields near Heglig, and constitutional arrangements comparable to examples from Eritrea and Ethiopia federal models.
The movement maintained an armed wing that fought in extended conflicts such as the Second Sudanese Civil War, engaging in battles and campaigns across territories including Blue Nile State, Unity State, and Kapoeta. Commanders and units included veterans who had contacts with foreign militaries and militias from Uganda People's Defence Force interactions and logistical links via corridors through Ethiopia and Kenya. Military operations influenced negotiations like the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and were implicated in clashes with Sudanese Armed Forces and rival southern factions during episodes such as the 2013–2018 South Sudanese Civil War.
The movement was the principal architect of the 2011 independence process following the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005 and the subsequent 2011 South Sudanese independence referendum monitored by international observers from entities including the European Union and African Union. Leadership engaged in diplomacy with capitals such as Washington, D.C., London, Cairo, and Addis Ababa to secure recognition and aid from donor states and multilateral funds like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. The declaration of independence resulted in the recognition of Republic of South Sudan membership in the United Nations.
After independence, the movement transitioned into the dominant ruling party in institutions located in Juba and staffed ministries and regional administrations across states including Warrap State and Central Equatoria. Its governance involved figures who served in cabinets, assemblies, and delegations to bodies such as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the East African Community. The movement participated in power-sharing accords such as the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan and in peace negotiations mediated by envoys including Olusegun Obasanjo and representatives of the Troika (the United States, United Kingdom, Norway).
Throughout and after the insurgency, alleged abuses have drawn scrutiny from organizations including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the United Nations Commission on Human Rights mechanisms. Accusations involved incidents in locations like Bentiu, Malakal, Juba and reports cited ethnically targeted violence affecting communities such as the Dinka and Nuer. Investigations by panels and commissions referenced violations of international humanitarian law, calls for accountability involving senior figures, and debates over impunity, reconciliation, and transitional justice institutions including proposals for hybrid courts and truth commissions supported by actors like the African Union and European Union.
Category:Political parties in South Sudan