Sudan People's Liberation Movement

{{More citations needed|section|date=July 2014}}

The SPLM was formed as a Marxist-Leninist,{{cite web |date=1998 |title=THE SPLA: FIT TO GOVERN? QUESTIONS THE SPLA CAN NO LONGER IGNORE |url=http://www.espac.org/spla_pages/spla_fit_to_govern.asp |access-date=2025-01-16 |publisher=The European Sudanese Public Affairs Council |language=en}} socialist{{cite web |date=2014-02-10 |title=Disenchantment and bickering in party politics brings ruin to South Sudan |url=https://sudantribune.com/spip.php?article49896 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210718183347/https://sudantribune.com/spip.php?article49896 |archive-date=18 July 2021 |access-date=2025-01-15 |publisher=Sudan Tribune |language=en}} rebel movement on 16 May 1983, after the Government of Sudan's abandonment of the Addis Ababa Agreement signed between the government of Gaafar Nimeiry and the Anyanya leader Joseph Lagu, who had first introduced the southern Sudanese to the effective political, economic, social, educational, and religious situations they would face after Sudan's independence. The movement published a manifesto setting out its positions and attracted a group of rebellious southern Sudanese soldiers of the Sudanese Army based in Bor, Pochalla, and Ayod (first called the Bor Mutiny).{{Cite web |last=SudanTribune |date=2011-05-07 |title=Anniversary of SPLA inception to be celebrated in Bor, Jonglei state |url=https://sudantribune.com/article38396/ |access-date=2024-07-22 |website=Sudan Tribune |language=en-US}} These joined remnants of the Anyanya rebels of the First Sudanese Civil War based in Ethiopia. Founders of the SPLA (the military wing of the movement) included Captain Salva Kiir Mayardit, Samuel AbuJohn Khabas, Major William Nyuon Bany, Major Kerubino Kuanyin Bol and many other southern Sudanese officers of the Sudanese Armed Forces. Joseph Oduho was made chairman of the SPLM and Colonel John Garang, a Dinka army officer, was made commander of the SPLA. Oduho was later deposed by Garang, who made himself overall leader of the combined movement (SPLA/M).{{cite web |date=19 April 1985 |title=A CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY |url=http://www.espac.org/peace_process/search_for_peace3.asp |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929211721/http://www.espac.org/peace_process/search_for_peace3.asp |archive-date=29 September 2011 |access-date=17 August 2011 |publisher=European Sudanese Public Affairs council}}

The Government of Sudan has been associated with Islam and Arab descent and culture since then, in deep contrast with the SPLA, associated instead with Africanism, indigenous beliefs, African culture and, to a degree Christianity.{{cite web|title=Islam, State and Identity|url=https://chronicle.fanack.com/sudan/culture-and-media/islam-state-and-identity/|website=Fanack.com|access-date=9 August 2016}}{{Dead link|date=June 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }}

It fought against the governments of Gaafar Nimeiry, Sadiq al-Mahdi and Omar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir in what is now called the Second Sudanese Civil War. SPLA/M's declared aim was to establish a democratic Sudan with it as the leading party in control of the southern areas. The war has been largely described in religious and ethnic terms, and also as a struggle for control of the water and oil resources located in southern and western Sudan.

In the late 1980s, Marxism-Leninism was abandoned in favor of a broadly Socialist platform.

In 1991, the SPLA-Nasir faction led by Dr Riek Machar and Dr Lam Akol attempted to overthrow chairman Garang. The attempt failed but led to widespread fighting in the south and the formation of other rebel groups, such as Kerubino Kuanyin Bol's SPLA Bahr-al-Ghazal faction. These internal divisions hampered negotiations with the government. SPLA-Nasir renamed itself SPLA-United and then transformed itself, with substantial personnel changes, into the South Sudan Independence Movement/Army. Several smaller factions signed the Khartoum Peace Agreement with the government in April 1997 and formed the United Democratic Salvation Front (UDSF).

In July 1992, a government offensive seized southern Sudan, and captured the SPLA headquarters in Torit.{{cite book |author=DeRouen |first1=Karl R. |title=Civil wars of the world: major conflicts since World War II |last2=Heo |first2=Uk |date=10 May 2007 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1851099191 |edition=1st |volume=1 |page=748 |language=en}} The Sudanese government accused Uganda and Eritrea of supporting the SPLA/M, who were alleged to have operated on the Ugandan side of the Sudanese border with Uganda at the southern limit of Sudan.

In 2005, a treaty between the SPLA/M and the Sudanese government led to the formal recognition of Southern Sudanese autonomy. SPLM joined the government as part of the 2005 peace agreement, gaining about one-third of government positions. On 11 October 2007, the SPLM withdrew from the government, alleging violations of the peace agreement; this raised concerns about the future of the agreement.{{Cite web |date=11 October 2007 |title=Southern Sudan party pulls out of unity government |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/10/11/africa/AF-GEN-Sudan-South.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013041555/http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/10/11/africa/AF-GEN-Sudan-South.php |archive-date=13 October 2007 |publisher=The Associated Press}}

In 2012, as a consequence of South Sudanese independence, SPLM became the new country's governing political party and the SPLA the country's army. The Sudan branch separated from the movement and formed SPLM-N to carry out anti-government activities in Sudan.

• SPLM-DC (Democratic Change, 2009–present)
• SPLM–N (North, 2011–present)
• SPLM-IG (In Government, 2013–present)
• SPLM-IO (In-Opposition, 2013–present)
• SPLM-FD (Freed Detainees, 2015–present)
• R-SPLM

As a result of the South Sudanese Civil War in 2013–2014, the SPLM factionalised into the SPLM-Juba, led by President Salva Kiir,{{cite web |url=https://radiotamazuj.org/en/article/political-parties-reject-president-kiir%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%98red-line%E2%80%99 |title=Political parties reject President Kiir's 'red line' | Radio Tamazuj |access-date=2014-07-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304193116/https://radiotamazuj.org/en/article/political-parties-reject-president-kiir%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%98red-line%E2%80%99 |archive-date=2016-03-04 }} and SPLM-IO (in opposition), led by former Vice President Riek Machar.{{cite web |url=https://radiotamazuj.org/en/article/splm-io-criticizes-%E2%80%98rush%E2%80%99-form-unity-government |title=SPLM-IO criticizes 'rush' to form unity government | Radio Tamazuj |access-date=2014-07-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140710175951/https://radiotamazuj.org/en/article/splm-io-criticizes-%E2%80%98rush%E2%80%99-form-unity-government |archive-date=2014-07-10 }}

• Abdullah Albert, South Sudanese politician{{Cite web |title=Ex-presidential adviser forms new rebel group |url=https://radiotamazuj.org/en/news/article/ex-presidential-adviser-forms-new-rebel-group |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230108002646/https://radiotamazuj.org/en/news/article/ex-presidential-adviser-forms-new-rebel-group |archive-date=2023-01-08 |access-date=2023-01-08 |website=Radio Tamazuj |date=11 January 2018 |language=en}}
• Zakaria Chol Gideon Gakmar (1957–2010), Sudanese politician
• Barnaba Okony Gilo, South Sudanese politician
• Rachu Jakin Korok Lom, South Sudanese politician

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book|last=Akol|first=Lam|author-link=Lam Akol|title=SPLM/SPLA: The Nasir Declaration|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LrzQuCz5H1kC|year=2003|publisher=iUniverse|isbn=978-0-595-28459-7}}
• {{cite book|last=Eggers|first=Dave|author-link=Dave Eggers|title=What Is the What|year=2009|publisher=Knopf Canada|isbn=978-0-307-37137-9}}

{{commons category}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20141006115502/https://radiotamazuj.org/en/article/who%E2%80%99s-who-splm-juba-faction-riek-gai-kok Who's who in SPLM-Juba]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090808031327/http://www.crisisgroup.org/library/documents/africa/horn_of_africa/b030_garang_s_death_implications_for_peace_in_sudan.pdf Garang's Death: Implications for Peace in Sudan] by the International Crisis Group, 9 August 2005 (PDF)
• [http://www.ryanspencerreed.com Sudan Photographic Exhibition] – Documentary photographer's images of Sudan's displaced

{{South Sudanese political parties}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Factions of the Second Sudanese Civil War

Category:Guerrilla organizations

Category:Political parties established in 1983

Category:Political parties in South Sudan

Category:Rebel groups in Sudan

Category:Rebel groups in South Sudan

Category:Separatism in Sudan

Category:National liberation armies