Sudan's Vice President Garang dies in copter crash; peace deal at risk

By Symon G. Ogeto
Posted on Monday, August 1, 2005

Chicago, IL -- What began as rumor and suspicion has now become apparent that Dr. John Garang, Sudan’s first vice president and former rebel leader of Sundan’s Peoples Liberation Movement (SPLM) died Saturday night in a helicopter crush on his way from Uganda to Jube, a town in southern Sudan.

Late Garang with Colin Powell, former US secretary of state at a peace conference in Naivasha, Kenya/file photo courtsey of wp.cz

The loss of Garang, who had only served for three weeks as first vice president following his swearing in on July 9, leaves behind a fragile peace deal agreement between Sudan’s Islamic north and Christian southern that had stopped a 22-year running civil war that left over 2 million people dead.

Sudanese in Chicago, commonly referred as the Lost Boys of Sudan, spent a sleepless night Sunday following the story of Garang as it unfolded over the internet and through phone calls overseas. Well, as the news settles about Garang's fate, some have started reflecting on the future of their people. Peter Magai Bul, a Chicago-based Sudanese community leader, is among the few voices Mashariki Leo wishes to highlight, as the media in Africa and the rest of the world, continues to cover more on the late Garang:

Peter Magai Bul, Chicago-based Lost Boys of Sudan and community leader/ML File photo

It is very emotional for every son and daughter of Sudan to read or talk as we heard of sad news concerning the death of our country’s vice president and president of Southern Sudan and truly beloved talented-freedom fighter, Dr. John Garang de Mabior, but I am sharing this brief message with you in order not to lose hope as we mourn.

Almighty God knows what He plans for our people or nation that we have already lost millions of our brothers and sisters. We, the people of Sudan, must accept death and suffering while maintaining the vision of our moment (SPLM) and hope if that’s what God planned for our people. Dr. Garang’s death could result in more death as we heard of the anger attacks from thousands of Southern Sudanese in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum and Juba in Southern Sudan.

Let have hope and dream of how we can overcome this sorrow as Dr. John Garang, himself, said, “The SPLM shall continue its visions and ideals that it has sacrificed for over the last 21 years and for which we have shed tears and blood.”

Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” We can shade tears and bitterly cry, but we can still go for it even if it mean more death.

I can’t think of how Sudan's enemies of peace can make the recent peace attractive any more as our brother and leader Dr. John Garang repeatedly dreamed. Peace,

Peter Magai Bul

Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir: "We are confident that the peace agreement will proceed as it was planned and drawn up and that the future of Sudan will remain a trust in our hearts and the hearts of the brothers in the [SPLM] movement."

SPLM Deputy Leader Salva Kiir Mayardit:"We want to assure everyone that the leadership and all cadres of the SPLM/SPLA will remain united and strive to faithfully implement the comprehensive peace agreement."

Ugandan Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa: "This is very tragic for Sudan and for the region as a whole. It is a big blow to the peace process, but I hope the people of Sudan can come together to move on."

Kalonzo Musyoka, Kenyan foreign minister during peace talks: "The biggest tribute to him would be to see that the stipulations under the comprehensive peace are followed strictly. Garang worked for peace and it should not be allowed to slip through the fingers of the Sudanese people."

Lazarus Sumbeiywo, chief mediator in Sudan peace talks: "It's shocking - the loss of a visionary leader, who really crafted the agreement with Ali Osman Taha."

Jemera Rone, Human Rights Watch: "As shocking and tragic a death this is, it leaves the door open for more democratic forces to come to the fore. ... [The SPLA] made no pretence of being a democracy."

Rebecca Garang: "If they [Sudanese people] loved him, they should remain calm and carry on with his vision. It is John Garang who is dead. The vision should be kept alive."

South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki: "It is with great shock and sadness that the government and people of South Africa learned of the death of Dr John Garang de Mabior, the first vice president of the republic of Sudan.

"It is especially tragic that Dr Garang's death comes a mere three weeks after his inauguration as the first vice president of the republic of the Sudan on 9 July 2005."

Mwai Kibaki, Kenya's President: "I do appreciate that the new-found peace in Sudan was inextricably interwoven with the very person of Dr Garang. I, however, express the hope and optimism that every effort will be taken to ensure that the physical absence of Dr Garang will not in any way jeopardize the gains made towards durable peace. Indeed, the consolidation of the peace is the greatest honour the people of Sudan can bestow on the departed soul."

Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni: "The death of our brother and long time comrade-in-arms is a tragic loss to the cause of patriotic Africa. It was a great shock and source of anger to see that Dr Garang who has survived so many trials and tribulations could lose his life when peace was beginning to come back to Sudan. Dr Garang was one of the most visionary and incisive revolutionary thinkers and nationalists Africa has ever produced."

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan: "Here is a man who had lived and fought for peace and one united Sudan and just as he was on the verge of achieving what he had lived and fought for he is taken away from us."

African Union Commission Chairman Alpha Oumar Konare: "Dr Garang was readily recognized universally as the embodiment and symbol of the struggles of the people of Southern Sudan. At the same time, he never wavered in his conviction that this struggle should be waged and pursued in the context of greater struggle for a united Sudan. This seeming paradox in Dr Garang¿s convictions is what marked him out as a pragmatic statesman, a nationalist, and a visionary who held out hope for the new Sudan, a diverse, pluralistic, democratic and united Sudan."