Page 19 - EVOLUTION OF THE SUDAN PEOPLE’S LIBERATION MOVEMENT(SPLM),

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Empirical Literature

Studies on the evolution and development of South Sudan have been conducted by historians and other

social science scholars under three interrelated themes: Egypt and its involvement in the Sudan, the problem
of South Sudan and lastly, the extent of Sudanese participation in their own administration (Muddathir
Abdal Rahim, 1969). After Mohamed Ali became the governor of Egypt in 1805, he expanded Egyptian
and Ottoman influence along the Mediterranean and the Sudan, thereby establishing the Turko Egyptian

centralized administration and rule between 1821 and 1879.Studies undertaken are thus largely historical
and focusedon the imperial expansion in the Sudan, especially the expansion into Sudan and South Sudan
for markets and commodities such as gold, ivory and agriculture.

The Turko Egyptian rule subdued and occupied new territories such as Kassala, Equatorial, Bahr El Ghazal,

and Darfur in 1874(Richard, H, 1959). The Mahdi revolt of 1885-1898 established the Islamic state against
Turkish rule. The Mahdi resistance planted early seeds of Sudanese nationalism even though he was never
accepted or recognized in South Sudan as a legitimate leader. The condominium rule under British and
Egyptian administrators failed to administer effectively or retard the growing forces of nationalism to the

extent that British agreed to political independence in 1956. Thus, modern Sudanese nationalism lacked
coherence or glue to hold people together and was immediately contested by the forces of secession and
nationalism in South Sudan after the Torit revolt and Anyanya I resistance.

The South Sudan question emerged as the most central question at independence and one that could not

immediately be resolved and took over a quarter a century of civil war and the signing of the comprehensive
peace agreement. Literature on Sudan and South Sudan was studied under four sub-headings- imperial
occupation, nationalist resistance, civil war and post-independence thematic areas of research. Imperialism,

war and decolonization have remained the most researched. The historical research has been undertaken by
Francis Deng, Douglas Johnson and Richard Hill among others and their conclusions reflect their nationalist
and anti-imperialist stand at the time.

The research on national liberation struggle have largely focused on the manner in which the

struggle was conducted, the justification of the struggle, heroic and sacrifices that informed
the struggle but very little has been done with regards to heritage of the national liberation
struggle and the type of societies that emerge in the post liberation dispensation. Studies on post
liberation societies have been conducted in the past but largely in Southern Africa- Zimbabwe,
Mozambique, Namibia, Angola, Eritrea, and South Africa and all have concluded that there

is a tendency towards authoritarianism, corruption, arrogance and oppression once liberation
movements capture state power (Wallenstein, 1996).

Fanon (1974) observed that the general tendency has been to adopt an economic policy that leans

towards neocolonialism. Post liberation governments face complex and multiple challenges
as compared to liberation movements. Whereas liberation movements move in solidarity of

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