National Convention of New Sudan

The National Convention of New Sudan was an assembly organized by the Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M) in Chukudum, Eastern Equatoria April 2-13, 1994.[1][2] Over five hundred delegates took part in the event. [3] The convention focused on questions of governance, rather than strategies of the ongoing war with the government in Khartoum.[4]

The National Convention had initially been scheduled to coincide with the tenth anniversary of the founding of the SPLA/M, May 16, 1993. It had however been postponed.[5] A Convention Organising Committee (COC), consisting of 35 military officials of SPLA, had been formed to prepare the event. The COC was led by Yousif Kuwa, who also chaired the convention.[6]

In his opening speech at the convention, the SPLA/M Chairman John Garang declared the convention as sovereign body.[5] The convention established a system of three branches of government in New Sudan; legislative, executive and judicial.[1]

The issue of union (i.e. unity of Sudan) and separatism was dealt with at the convention. John Garang, who preferred unity, accepted a shift in policy of the movement which accommodated separatist demands. 'New Sudan' was defined as applying only to the 'liberated areas' under the control of SPLA/M, in contrast to the unionist definition in the original SPLA/M Manifesto which had defined 'New Sudan' as a future united, secular Sudan.[4] The election of the new SPLA/M leadership carried the mandate of 'to fight and achieve the right of Self-determination for the oppressed people of the New Sudan'.[7] A system of local governments was formalized, with five levels (boma, payam, county, region and central). Five regional administrations of New Sudan were created, namely Bahr el-Ghazal, Equatoria, Southern Blue Nile, Southern Kordofan and Upper Nile.[1] The convention instituted reforms of the legal system in the areas under SPLA/M control. Various laws, such as the New Sudan Penal Code and New Sudan Traffic Act, were drafted.[8]

The convention elected a new National Liberation Council/National Executive Committee of SPLA/M. John Garang was elected chairman and Salva Kiir deputy chairman, both unopposed.[3]

References
  1. Yongo-Bure, Benaiah. Economic Development of Southern Sudan. Lanham, Md. [u.a.]: Univ. Press of America, 2007. pp. 197-198
  2. Rolandsen, Øystein H. Guerrilla Government: Political Changes in the Southern Sudan During the 1990s. Uppsala: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, 2005. p. 81
  3. Rolandsen, Øystein H. Guerrilla Government: Political Changes in the Southern Sudan During the 1990s. Uppsala: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, 2005. pp. 108-110
  4. Guarak, Mawut Achiecque Mach. Integration and Fragmentation of the Sudan: An African Renaissance. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2011. p. 383
  5. Rolandsen, Øystein H. Guerrilla Government: Political Changes in the Southern Sudan During the 1990s. Uppsala: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, 2005. p. 83
  6. Rolandsen, Øystein H. Guerrilla Government: Political Changes in the Southern Sudan During the 1990s. Uppsala: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, 2005. p. 84
  7. Sudan democratic gazette, ed. 56–67. 1995. p. 144
  8. Rolandsen, Øystein H. Guerrilla Government: Political Changes in the Southern Sudan During the 1990s. Uppsala: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, 2005. p. 116
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