SPLA Leader Arrives in South Sudan Capital Amid Wild Jubilation

RUMBEK, Sudan, 23 January 2005 — Amid scenes of wild jubilation, Sudan’s former southern rebel leader arrived yesterday in the south’s new provisional capital for the first time since signing a historic peace deal. Several thousand people were packed into the town’s Freedom Square to welcome the head of the former rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Army, John Garang, on his return.

Along the route dozens of bulls were offered to him as gifts by the population. Garang, set to be named as Sudan’s new vice president, will install in Rumbek a transitional administration which will take charge of the region after the Khartoum government and his rebels signed a final peace accord this month in Kenya.

He told the crowd that the deal would be ratified by the Parliament of the semi-autonomous south within 48 hours, paving the way to a new era in the country’s history. “Your movement has delivered to you peace,” Garang told the cheering throngs.

“The next 48 hours, the agreement will be ratified by the National Liberation Council (the southern Parliament). With the comprehensive agreement, the suffering of our people will come to an end. There will be no more deaths and displacement because of war.”

Garang said he hoped the peace accord would serve as a model for the western Darfur region, where an estimated 70,000 people have died in fighting between ethnic rebels and government forces and their militia allies since February 2003.

“Peace for Sudan is for the region and peace for Africa. We will act so that it is also peace for Darfur,” he said. The agreement ended Africa’s longest-running civil war, which claimed the lives of 1.5 million people displaced four million more in 21 years of conflict between the Muslim-dominated government and the mainly Christian and animist south.

As Garang arrived at the town’s landing strip, locals slaughtered a white bull in a traditional welcome and Garang, in line with the regional custom, stepped over the blood that spouted out onto the tarmac. As Garang emerged from the plane, six men held down a struggling white bull yards away and one slit its throat. Garang then stepped over the body in a ritual of honor and welcoming, and was greeted by his second in command Salva Kiir Mayardit.

Music poured from a brass band wearing red coats adorned with gold buttons and tassels and children waved posters that said: “We ask for the seed of peace to replace the seed of war.” At the rally Garang and Salva Kiir were presented with a live bull each.

Hundreds of supporters were at the airstrip as he landed, chanting slogans in favor of the peace deal and waving the multicolored flag of the south as children danced to the music of drums and other traditional instruments.

“Plant seeds of peace and remove seeds of war” and “Our country will be a fountain of life very soon” were among the words emblazoned on banners displayed in welcome. Aliap Andrea, who had traveled since early in the morning to see Garang, expressed happiness at the events she was witnessing.