SPLA: An Army Of The People, For The People

by Avi Dixit

As children sit down everyday in class and talk about peace and improving our world, Emmanuel Jal reminisces about the times when he held a gun, being forced to kill anyone and everyone in his way.

SPLA were known to be the blackguards in the conflict. However they have changed Sudan for the better, so far fewer people have died, and finally there is peace.

Recruited as a child soldier and defending his principles like his father had, wasn’t exactly something that Jal had enjoyed doing.

Jal says “I don't know where to begin, or where to start. I was born in war torn Sudan. I do not know when I was born, but I believe I took my first breath of air sometime in the early 80s.”

Jal was born in Sudan, the largest country in Africa but brought up in Ethiopia. Sudan was a place for hope, dreams and huge growth. Regrettably, the religious war forced them to lose two decades of progress development.

Sudanese People Liberation Army, or SPLA, was originally founded in 1983 by John Garang, a Sudanese rebel who wanted to fight for freedom of their religion, Christianity. War broke out when the North decided that everybody should follow Islam, their religion, but Southern Sudan on the other hand were not giving up on Christianity.

This led to the first Sudanese conflict which lasted for over a decade.

"SPLA was fighting in self-defense, which is our legitimate role to protect the territories of South Sudan," said Aguer one of the soldiers who fought.

For years on end, the SPLA was at war with the Sudanese government for their religious rights. After much blood, sweat, tears and two civil wars, which lasted more than a decade each, this battle was finally dying down. As the FAS say, “By 1986 the SPLA was estimated to have 12,500 adherents organized into twelve battalions and equipped with small arms and a few mortars. By 1989 the SPLA's strength had reached 20,000 to 30,000; by 1991 it was estimated at 50,000 to 60,000.” As the strength of this army grew, the protection of South Sudan was inevitable. Just eight years ago in 2005, there was some modicum of peace between the North and South Sudan.

Unfortunately, today this calm has been shattered and there is regular bombing and shooting at the border and all around the nation today. “Armed rebels that South Sudan believes are backed by Sudan opened fire on a United Nations convoy on Tuesday, killing five U.N peacekeepers from India and at least seven civilians,” officials said on the 10th of April 2013.

Over time, in addition to fighting for religious rights, the SPLA has evolved into a group fighting for control over oil with clear commercial objectives. Their tactics, weapons and strategies have all become much more sophisticated. Due to this, they are often perceived as the offenders.

Even with the death of John Garang, the former leader of the South Sudan army, the SPLA are not done. 80 percent of the oil refineries situated in Sudan are in the South, close to the border with the North. SPLA is fighting to protect these assets which provide employment and funds for the growth of Southern Sudan. In this way, they are ensuring that growth of people remains steady in Southern Sudan which is one of the many positive outcomes of this entity. Jal has also found another way of bringing hope for Sudan and that is through the music he writes and performs.

Jal is what every Sudanese war soldier would want to be. He survived and now is living a life full of optimism. He is an example for all due to his perseverance and not giving up attitude. After struggles that killed many, Jal found that making his own music was something that he could use to heal the people of Sudan. As he says, “A unique form of hip hop, not only healed the wounds of his former life but helped spread a message of unity and peace around the world.” After all this success, he created a group called Gua Africa which helps the Sudanese warriors that were unlucky during the war by assisting them.

Jal is now very popular in Sudan because of what he has accomplished. Donating money to those in need and raising awareness for all his fellow friends. He remembers his younger brother holding on to his pants whilst they walked and hugging his legs as planes crashed the sound barrier above whilst dropping bombs trying to penetrate South Sudan.

To many others around the world Jal is an inspiration. He fought for years on end and he persevered. He worked hard and believed in hope. Look where he is now. The day when he talks in front of crouds all listeners are inspired.

Nevertheless, he still remembers the early years. Holding a gun. Fighting for his nation.

Sources:

"The Manifesto of the Sudan People%u2019s Liberation Movement." The Manifesto of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement | splmnsudan news. splmnsudan news, n.d. Web. 25 March 2013.http://splmnsudan.net/en/the-manifesto-of-the-sudan-peoples-liberation-movement/.

"New Sudan Vision | splmnsudan news." New Sudan Vision | splmnsudan news. splmnsudan news, n.d. Web. 25 March 2013.http://splmnsudan.net/en/category/new-sudan-vision/.

Hennessy, Selah. "Amnesty International: Arms Imports Fuel S. Sudan Violence." Amnesty International: Arms Imports Fuel S. Sudan Violence. n.p., n.d. Web. 27 March 2013.http://www.voanews.com/content/amnesty_international_says_arms_imports_fuel_south_suden_violenc….

"South Sudan profile." BBC News - South Sudan profile - Timeline. BBC News, n.d. Web. 27 March 2013.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14019202.

DOKI, CHARLTON. "5 UN troops, 7 others killed in South Sudan - World news - Mideast/N. Africa | NBC News." 5 UN troops, 7 others killed in South Sudan - World news - Mideast/N. Africa | NBC News. NBC News, n.d. Web. 11 April 2013.http://www.nbcnews.com/id/51477787/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/t/un-troops-others-killed-sou….

February. "Sudan: A Historical PerspectiveMan has lived in the Sudan for at least nine million years and the valley of the Nile which wanders more than 4,000 miles from the lakes of Central Africa to the Mediterranean may well he the cradle of civilisation rather th." History of Sudan and Timeline. Sudan, n.d. Web. 11 April 2013.http://www.sudan.net/history.php.

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