Therefore, this paper attempts to express the major factors of the conflict in Sudan and the main purpose of the conflict. Historically, the conflict has been going since the 1800’s, but became worse in 1965 after the expelling of the Whites (Christian missionaries) from Sudan and the massacre of thousands of black Africans in particular Christians by the Sudanese Arab Government of Khartoum. I am not a man of racism and discrimination because the materials herein are all about Islam and Christianity, Arabs and Black Africans but because I am a human being with feeling that justice and Human Rights must be experienced by all.
Back Ground of the Conflict
Sudan got her independence on 1st January of 1956 and only after three years, an Arab military Officer, General Abboud toppled (overthrown) the Civil government of Sudan. Until now, Sudan has been run by a military Government. The main aims of overthrowing the First President of Sudan were to Arabize and Islamize the country and rid Sudan of Christianity.
The Agenda of the Government of General Abboud was the Arabization and Islamisation of entire Sudan and in that very year (1958), he imposed Islamic Law (Saria) in Sudan and this geared out the first Civil War of 1965 which lasted for at least 10 years (from 1965-1975) when the Addis Ababa Peace Agreement was signed.
The major issue that led to the Signing of the 1975 peace agreement was the Agreement on the Freedom of Religion. It stated that, both Islam and Christian must be honoured by the State but none should be a State owned religion. However, the Government of Sudan dishonoured this Agreement and again in 1978 the Islamic Government of Khartoum imposed another Islamic Law in Sudan, which led Sudan into Civil war in 1982 under the leadership of Col. Dr. John Garange, the Chairman and Commander in Chief of the Sudan People Liberation Movement and Sudan People Liberation Army- (SPLA/M).
This fact hints about the conflict in Sudan is only to give us answers to our questions of the purpose of the conflict in Sudan. The fact about the conflict in Sudan is that, the conflict is not for political leadership or power, it is not for economic gain or control, but the conflict is about defending Christian and Islamic Faiths and culture from being demolished by either the Arabs or Black Africans. The Conflict is for the Democracy of the south, Liberty and freedom of south as well as the human rights of the south. This meant that, the Conflict in Sudan is between good and evil, freedom and slavery, God and Satan’s and above all between the spiritual forces in physical senses. Whether we like it or not, the conflict in Sudan must be our concern and we all going to face it.
“For we do not wrestle against the flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against rulers of darkness of this ages, against Spiritual host of wick ness in the Heavenly places” Ephesians 6:2
This was the verse of Sudanese and they were always ready to fight, to die, to suffer and to be persecuted for the sake of their faith and identity as Christians and Muslims, Arabs and Black Africans. Indeed, the conflict in Sudan will never have its end unless if the Black Sudanese are free from the power of Islamisation and Arabisation, and when both religions are freely practicing their culture and faith.
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