Second Sudanese Civil War

A long war happened in Sudan.

It lasted for many years. The war was between two groups. One group was the government. The other was a rebel group.

People fought over land and oil. Oil is a thing found in the ground. It can be used for power.

The war was very hard. Many people had to leave home. Some people got sick too.

Later, things changed. A new land called South Sudan was made. It became its own country.

A long war took place in Sudan.

This war lasted from 1983 to 2005. It was a very long fight. The central government fought a rebel group. This group was the Sudan People's Liberation Army, or SPLA. A leader named John Garang led the SPLA.

There were many reasons for the war. The two sides fought over oil. Oil is a resource found deep in the ground. It can be used for power. The north also wanted to use Islamic law, called Sharia, in the south. This caused much tension.

The war was very hard for people. Many people died from war, hunger, and sickness. About two million people died. Four million people had to leave their homes. This was a very sad time for the country.

In the end, things changed. After the war, a new country was born. It was called South Sudan. It became independent six years after the fighting stopped.

The Second Sudanese Civil War was a very long conflict in Africa. It lasted for almost 22 years, from 1983 to 2005. This fight was between the central government of Sudan and a rebel group. This group was called the Sudan People's Liberation Army, or SPLA.

The war started in southern Sudan. Later, it spread to other areas like the Nuba Mountains and the Blue Nile. It is known as one of the longest civil wars in history. The fighting eventually led to the birth of a new country called South Sudan.

Many different things caused this war to happen. One big reason was the control of natural resources. Large oil fields were found in places like Bentiu and Heglig. The government in the north wanted to control this oil wealth. Another reason involved different laws and religions. In 1983, the government tried to use Sharia law across the whole country. This was a set of Islamic laws. Many people in the south were not Muslim. This caused great tension between the north and the south.

History shows that there were problems between the north and south long ago. When the British ruled Sudan as a colony, they kept the two areas separate. They treated the north and the south very differently. In 1946, the British began to join the two areas together. This change caused many problems for leaders in the south. After Sudan became independent, most of the power went to the north. This made many people in the south feel left out.

During the war, many leaders made big decisions. John Garang led the SPLA rebel group. He wanted to fight for the rights of people in the south. In 1985, a military leader named Abdel Rahman Swar al-Dahab took control. Later, in 1989, Omar al-Bashir led a military group to take power. This group was called the Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation. The war was very hard for everyone living there. About two million people died from war, hunger, and sickness. Also, four million people had to leave their homes.

The war changed the map of Africa forever. After the fighting ended in 2005, things began to settle. Six years later, South Sudan became its own independent nation. This was a major change for the people living in the region. The history of this war shows how much resources and laws can matter. It also shows how people work to change their countries. Today, the history of Sudan is still shaped by these events.

The Second Sudanese Civil War was a massive conflict that lasted nearly 22 years. It began in 1983 and continued until 2005. The war was fought between the central government of Sudan and a rebel group called the Sudan People's Liberation Army, or SPLA.

While the fighting mostly happened in southern Sudan, it eventually spread to the Nuba Mountains and the Blue Nile. This war is recognized as one of the longest civil wars in recorded history. It fundamentally changed the region by leading to the independence of South Sudan six years after the fighting ended.

Several deep-seated causes led to this long period of violence. One major cause was the struggle over natural resources, specifically oil. Significant oil fields were discovered in areas like Bentiu, Heglig, and the Unity oilfields between 1978 and 1982. Because oil revenue makes up about 70% of Sudan's export earnings, control over these fields was vital. The central government in the north wanted to control these resources. Meanwhile, the south has more fertile land and better water access due to the Nile river tributaries.

Religious and legal differences also fueled the conflict. In 1983, President Gaafar Nimeiry declared Sudan an Islamic state. He attempted to impose Sharia law, which is a system of Islamic law, on the entire country. This move terminated the Southern Sudan Autonomous Region, which had previously given the south religious and cultural autonomy. Many people in the south were not Muslim and resisted these changes. This decision to apply Sharia law nationwide was a primary trigger for the outbreak of the war.

Historical tensions dating back to colonial rule played a significant role. When the British governed Sudan as a colony, they administered the northern and southern provinces separately. They treated the north more like Arabic-speaking Egypt and the south more like East African colonies. In 1946, the British integrated the two areas under pressure from the north. This led to Arabic becoming the language of administration in the south. Southern leaders, who were often trained in English, felt excluded from the new government structure.

Leadership changed many times during the decades of fighting. The SPLA was founded in 1983 and was led by John Garang. Garang initially campaigned for a united Sudan but fought to protect oppressed citizens. In 1985, General Abdel Rahman Swar al-Dahab led a military coup. His government suspended the 1983 constitution and tried to rescind the decree for an Islamic state. However, the Sharia laws remained in place. Later, in 1989, Colonel Omar Hassan al-Bashir led a coup that established the Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation.

The human cost of the war was incredibly high. Roughly two million people died due to the war, famine, and disease. The conflict caused massive displacement, with four million people in southern Sudan forced to leave their homes at least once. The civilian death toll was one of the highest of any war since World War II. The war was also marked by serious human rights violations, including mass killings and slavery.

Despite the heavy fighting, there were attempts at peace. In 1986, the government and the SPLA began peace negotiations. They met in Ethiopia and reached the "Koka Dam" declaration, which suggested abolishing Sharia law. Other plans were discussed in 1988 to freeze Sharia law and end the state of emergency. However, these efforts often failed due to political shifts and economic instability. The war only truly ended after decades of struggle, eventually allowing for the creation of a new nation in the south.