Colonial Independence and the First Civil War
In 1956, South Sudan became independent from British rule, however they were still a part of the unified Sudan. They became independent during a time of civil war, as a result of the British decision to combine North and South Sudan. This decision ultimately lead to the first Sudanese civil war breaking out in 1955, with anticipation of independence and fear of northern dominance. The people in the south formed a rebel movement called the Anyanya, opposing the central government. This war lasted for 17 years, finally coming to an end in 1972,through the Addis Ababa Agreement, which didn’t make South Sudan an independent state but gave them a single administrative region and few defined powers. When this war ended, all the feelings of oppression and the
tensions did not end with it.
tensions did not end with it.
The Second Civil War and Complete Independence
As the agreement that settled the first war did not fulfill the wishes of the southern state, another civil war broke out in 1983. This war lasted for 22 years, from 1983 to 2005, one of the longest civil wars in history. This war had a huge death toll, at around 2 million and displacing 4 million people, along with a number of human rights violations including mass killings and slavery. The SPLA, Sudan People's Liberations Army, was founded in 1983 at the beginning of the war, which was a southern rebel group, however though it was based in the south, it was a group for all Sudanese people that felt oppressed or resentment against the central government. This was lead by Col. John Garang. Another contributing factor to this war was natural resources, as South Sudan is rich with oil and export 85% of the Sudanese oil contents. This war then came to an end in 2005, when the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed by the rebels and central government. This agreement a vote for South Sudan independence from the North in 5 years post war, 2011. The vote took place, with 99% voting in favor of the split and on June 9th, 2011, South Sudan became its own independent nation.
Modern Day Contributions
The lasting impact of decades of civil war is huge, leaving behind displaced people, instability, and a long list of other problems. The war displaced millions of people, many of which still not in adequate homes due to the lack of organization in the country. The instability in modern day South Sudan is currently a pressing issue, a direct result of so many years of war. The economy is also a mess as the nation did not have a chance to focus on growing and developing it, due to attention being focused on independence and winning the war.