BNW

 

Biafra Nigeria World News & Archives

 

BNW News and Archives

 

 

BNW: the Authority on BiafraNigeria

BNW Magazine 

Biafra Nigeria World Forums and Message Board

 BNW News Archive

BNW Home

 

BNW Writer's Block

 WaZoBia @ BNW

Biafra Net

 Igbo Net

Africa World and BNW Africa 

Submit Article for Publication

BiafraNigeria Spacer

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

Flag of Biafra Nigeria

 

BNW News Archives

BNW News Archive 2002-January 2005

BNW News Archive 2005

BNW News Archive 2005 and Later

 

BiafraNigeriaWorld News: Weblogs Edition @ Blog Continent


« Bakassi, Nigeria, Cameroun okay new time-table | Main | At last...Aid flows into Niger Republic »

August 01, 2005

Riots after Sudan VP Garang dies

Sudanese police have quelled riots and imposed a curfew in Khartoum after anger at the death of ex-rebel leader John Garang spilled onto the streets.

Several people were reported dead in the clashes in the capital. There were also reports of unrest elsewhere.

Mr Garang, Sudan's newly appointed vice-president, died in a helicopter crash as he was returning from Uganda.

He signed a deal to end 21 years of civil war in January and was sworn in as deputy leader three weeks ago.

His death was announced just before 0800 (0500 GMT) on Monday, though he had been reported missing over the weekend.

Eerie calm

The BBC's Jonah Fisher in Khartoum says gangs of youths from southern Sudan, like Mr Garang, appeared on the streets, looting cars, throwing stones and smashing office windows.

Gunfire could be heard and there were clashes with security forces as they tried to seal off the city centre.

However, shortly after an overnight curfew was imposed at 1800 (1500 GMT), there was an eerie calm on the streets, our correspondent reports.

A number of bodies were reported to have been taken to a morgue in Khartoum. "Some of the bodies are policemen," a police official told Reuters news agency.

Mr Garang steered the SPLM rebels from the Christian and animist south through a war against the Islamic government in the north which left some 1.5m people dead.

Our correspondent says many of the 4m southern Sudanese living in Khartoum hoped Mr Garang would change their lives and they are now venting their frustration at his death.

Peacemaker

Mr Garang's death leaves a gaping hole in Sudan's political landscape, our correspondent says.

Three days of national mourning have been declared.

The Ugandan presidential Mi-72 helicopter carrying Mr Garang back from a meeting with President Yoweri Museveni at his ranch in Rwakitura crashed in mountains near Mr Garang's base in New Site, southern Sudan.

Six of his associates and the seven-member crew also died in the crash, which is being blamed on bad weather.

Officials say Mr Garang's body has been taken to his former home in New Site.

Mr Garang's deputy in the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, Salva Kiir Mayardit, will take control of the former rebel group, the SPLM said.

Mr Mayardit said the SPLM remained committed to the peace agreement Mr Garang signed in January and urged all Sudanese to remain calm.

SPLM officials stressed that Mr Garang's death had been an accident.

Iron hand

Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir said he was confident the peace agreement would remain on course.

The mediator in the long-running Sudanese peace talks, Kenyan General Lazaro Sumbeiywo, said it was clear from the peace agreement that whoever became SPLM leader would also take over as Sudan's vice-president.

Mr Garang ruled the disparate SPLM with an iron hand, and managed to keep it together.

The conflict in Sudan ended with the signing of a peace agreement in January and Mr Garang became vice-president in a new government of national unity.

With his death the future of peace in Sudan is once more in the balance, correspondents say.

Posted by Publisher at August 1, 2005 05:37 PM

Comments

Post a comment

Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)


Remember me?





BNW Writers A-M


BNW Writers N-Z

 

BiafraNigeria Banner

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BNW Forums

 

The Voice of a New Generation