Sudanese People’s Liberation Army/Movement
Quick Summary
The Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) and its political wing, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), emerged as a significant rebel force in Sudan. The movement originated from a mutiny of an army battalion in Bor in May 1983, led by Colonel John Garang de Mabior. Discontent among southerners, fueled by government corruption and disregard for their grievances, propelled the formation of the SPLA/SPLM.12
The organization became the primary southern rebel group fighting against the northern-based Sudanese government, advocating for a united, secular Sudan with equal opportunities for all regions. The SPLA/SPLM played a crucial role in the second Sudanese civil war, which officially ended with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005. This agreement led to the establishment of a semiautonomous southern Sudan and paved the way for the region's independence in 2011, with Salva Kiir Mayardit, a founding member of the SPLM, becoming the first president of South Sudan.234
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
Rapid Support ForcesOrigins…capital of Khartoum and the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) rebels. In return for assisting the Sudanese government against the rebels, the militias received supplies and free rein along the Chad-Sudan border. This state of affairs continued throughout the 1990s.
Read More…capital of Khartoum and the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) rebels. In return for assisting the Sudanese government against the rebels, the militias received supplies and free rein along the Chad-Sudan border. This state of affairs continued throughout the 1990s.
Read More
SudanResumption of civil war…under the banner of the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and its political wing, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).
Read More…under the banner of the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and its political wing, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).
Read More
South SudanResumption of civil war…under the banner of the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and its political wing, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), both led by Col. John Garang de Mabior.
Read More…under the banner of the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and its political wing, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), both led by Col. John Garang de Mabior.
Read More- South SudanResumption of civil war
As head of the SPLA/SPLM, Garang clearly opposed the policies and actions of the northern-based central government in the south. However, rather than having southern independence as his goal, Garang instead strongly advocated for a united secular Sudan in which the south (and other marginalized areas) would have equal…
Read MoreAs head of the SPLA/SPLM, Garang clearly opposed the policies and actions of the northern-based central government in the south. However, rather than having southern independence as his goal, Garang instead strongly advocated for a united secular Sudan in which the south (and other marginalized areas) would have equal…
Read More