Sudan: Rebel leader for top job

2005-07-08 14:48

Khartoum - John Garang, the rebel leader in a two-decade civil war for southern autonomy, returns to Khartoum for the first time in 22 years on Friday to take up his new position as first vice-president in the government he fought.

President Omar el-Bashir would welcome Garang at the headquarters of the ruling National Congress Party before they go to Khartoum's central Green Square, where thousands of people were expected to turn out for a massive public reception.

William Ezekiel, managing editor of the Khartoum Monitor, a newspaper suspended by the government, said: "Garang is a hero who succeeded in leading his people to victory.

"His coming means a new page in Sudan ... a new era in Sudanese politics whereby a non-Muslim can take up such a position."

Comprehensive peace agreement

No Christian or a southerner had ever held such a high position in Sudan's largely Islamic government.

The stage was set for Garang's arrival and vice presidency by the January signing of a comprehensive peace agreement that called for a coalition government, wealth and power sharing and democratic elections within three years.

Earlier this week, the national assembly and Garang's Sudan legislative council approved an interim constitution that said Islamic law would not be applied in the mainly Christian and animist south.

Garang, 50, would be sworn in as first vice-president on Saturday, after which he and el-Bashir would sign the constitution.

1983 civil war

Garang's visit to the capital - he had not been here since the civil war began in 1983 - had been the lead story in newspapers and television broadcasts this week and the subject of chatter around the city.

Albino Maamon, 42, a broker in downtown Khartoum said: "Frankly, we as southerners never expected to see Garang in Khartoum.

"There were so many scenarios. Some people expected the south to secede, but he is now coming to Khartoum. That is something to reckon with."

Albino, a southerner from the Upper Nile region, said he expected many changes from Garang and the national unity government.

Freedom of worship

He said: "We for once will have more freedom of expressions and freedom of worship and other freedoms. That is what everybody expects."

A northern Sudanese lecturer who preferred not to be named said he was surprised that Garang was coming to Khartoum.

He said: "There was such a huge amount of enmity and bad feelings, you would expect Garang to be killed. But to come to Khartoum, that we never expected."

The new constitution was the first Sudanese charter to lay out freedoms of religion and expression as human rights, articles hailed mainly by southerners who had felt discriminated against by the Islamic and Arab government.

Oliver Benjamin, managing editor of the pro-government Sudan Vision newspaper, praised the constitution and Garang's arrival.

- AP