Adam Graham

Eco 357

Sudan: Dr. Garang’s Frontline Tour

            Dr. Garang is the chairman of the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).  He has been trying to get diplomatic support from Botswana and now is assuring the Sudanese that they have it.  Col. Garang went to Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe to ask these frontline states to mediate in his country’s six year civil war.  He wanted these states to go to Khartoum and present his people’s views.  The SPLM has made a four-point peace program that is basically a network of governments of national unity that will work towards establishing a better Sudan.  Namely, to prepare a constitutional conference and free general elections.  This program seems to be very popular with the people, with the exception of the National Islamic Front, who thinks it is inconsistent with their policies.  With the unsupportive NIF, Dr. Garang says their program is falling through and hence, the SPLM has no plan to partition Sudan.  Therefore, he demands the restructuring of power in Khartoum and to go on with the idea of a broad-based government.  He finally states that his forces are committed to unity and territorial integrity of their country and that their current leaders have no strength.