SPLM Urges Govt to Ease South Sudan Restrictions 

Reuters, Arab News

JUBA, Sudan, 11 April 2005 — Southern Sudan’s former rebels arrived in the government-held south for the first time in two decades and urged authorities yesterday to ease war-time restrictions quickly as proof that peace had arrived. After years of failed attempts to gain control of south Sudan’s main town of Juba, former Sudan People’s Liberation Movement rebels finally arrived in the garrison town late on Saturday night — this time greeted with hugs and not bullets.

“I’m coming to tell the people of southern Sudan that this agreement has come and needs their support,” said SPLM Secretary-General James Wani, who is heading the delegation. The SPLM signed a peace deal with Khartoum to end Africa’s longest civil war on Jan. 9, but implementation has been slow. The former rebels were due to arrive in Khartoum two weeks after the date of signing, but were delayed as they made preparations and only came last week.

Wani said government restrictions in Juba had to be lifted to show the people that peace had finally arrived. “The agreement is really kind of stalled and there is some degree of stagnation,” he said. “We must make a striking difference to our people so that they can actually see that we are opening a new page of freedoms, and of peace.” Wani was speaking only 200 meters away from a dilapidated petrol station decimated by the SPLM in an attack in the 1990s, where locals said 10 people were killed. Wani fled his hometown of Juba more than 20 years ago, while being chased by the Sudanese army. “It was a nasty day my house was surrounded by three lorries full of army,” he said, adding he narrowly escaped to Kenya with his life. “But I’m really happy to be at home.”

Meanwhile, Sudan’s foreign minister on Saturday announced the lifting of restrictions on the movement of American diplomats in the country, the state run news agency reported.