The Sudan Handbook

sudan’s fRaGilE statE, 1956–1989 157

number of reforms intended to make a break with the country’s experi-

ences since independence. One of the first was peacemaking with the

south. There had been hopes of that when Nimeiri first came to power,

but the southern SCP leader, Joseph Garang, had linked the pursuit of

peace to socialism, which alienated his fellow southerners, rather than

providing a basis for reconciliation. After the attempted SCP coup of

1971 Garang was executed and Nimeiri turned to less overtly ideological

southerners, most notably the respected lawyer Abel Alier. The southern

Anyanya rebels had achieved sufficient unity for negotiation. Sudan’s

African neighbours, especially Uganda and Ethiopia, were supportive

and the latter hosted the peace talks. With the defeat of the SCP there

was also encouragement from Western countries with suggestions of

potential aid projects. There were acceptable mediators in the form of the

All Africa Council of Churches (AACC) supported by the World Council

of Churches (WCC). The successful outcome was known as the Addis

Ababa Agreement of 1972. It brought the establishment of a new regional

government in the south. However early optimism encountered growing

problems in the 1970s with growing ethnic tensions including complaints

of ‘Dinka domination’ in the new government.

Another major reform was in the field of local government. Despite a

series of experiments with local government since the 1940s, tribal leaders

had maintained their role as the bottom tier of the state. Reformists had

opposed this for some while, and following the October Revolution of

1964 the system came under sustained attack. ‘Native Administration’

had survived then, but in the early 1970s was to be swept away and

replaced by a system of elected local councils. It seemed a progressive

step, but with time questions were to be asked about the ability of the

state to provide the human and financial resources to make a reality of

the new system, while in rural areas in particular the informal influ-

ence of the tribal leaders was still felt and in time they were to make

something of a comeback.

Both the regional settlement in the south and the new local government

system were incorporated in a new Permanent Constitution proclaimed

The Sudan Handbook, edited by John Ryle, Justin Willis, Suliman Baldo and Jok Madut Jok. © 2011 Rift Valley Institute and contributors in 1973. At the centre of the new constitution was the creation of an

(www.riftvalley.net).