Page 49 - EVOLUTION OF THE SUDAN PEOPLE’S LIBERATION MOVEMENT(SPLM),

Kampala, Uganda) and SANU led by William Deng Nhial (operating then from Khartoum),
(Johnson,2014).

On 16 March 1965, the Conference, chaired by Professor Nazir Daffa Allah, the Vice Chancellor of

the University of Khartoum then, assisted by Dr. Mohamed Omer Bashir (the Author of “Problem
Southern Sudan: The Background to Conflict, also a lecturer at the University of Khartoum at
the time, as the Secretary of the Conference. The Conference, which was heavily attended by UK
and Egyptian Governments (former colonial rulers of the Sudan, from December 1899 to first

January 1956.)Some OAU member countries of Uganda, Kenya, Algeria and Tanganyika, among
others(SAD.533/1/39). Transitional Government delegation led by Prime Minister Sir Al Khatim
Al Khalifa. The group, represented by 18 delegates, were the Northern Sudanese parties: The
Umma Party, National Unionist Party, NUP, Islamic Charter Front, ICF, and the Sudan Communist

Party, SCP. Represented by 24 delegates were also the Southern Sudanese Parties: SANU based in
Kampala, led by Aggrey Jaden, Southern Front led by Clement Mboro in Khartoum and SANU led
by William Deng Nhial. Other representatives came from the Sudanese professionals, Religious
leaders and Native Chiefs from the Northern and Southern Sudan. The Conference opened and

started its deliberations over one single topic in the agenda: “The Constitutional Relationship
between Northern and Southern Sudan.”(Zhao, 1998).

Opening the Peace Conference, the Provisional Prime Minister, Sir Al Khatim Al Khalifa Al Hassan,

welcomed the Political Parties, Northern and Southern, the African Countries delegations, from
Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Algerian, Egypt and foreign Ambassadors in Khartoum who
attended the opening, the guests and observers(SAD.533/1/39). The Prime Minister introduced the
peace process by saying that “we are here today and, until the 25 March to intensify the regional
interests of the South as well as the national interests of the Sudan.”(Johnson 2014).

During the deliberations, from 16-25 March 1965, the Northern parties, represented by 18
delegates: The Umma Party, Islamic Charter Front, National Unionist Party, NUP, People’s
Democratic Party, PDP, and the Sudan Communist Party, SCP, had a joined position paper. The
position of Northern parties had not changed since 1942 when the Northern Graduate Congress

started political campaign for the right of self-determination or union with Egypt and in the
administrative conference, organized and led by the Condominium colonial civil Secretary,
James Robertson 1946 in which Southern Sudan was annexed to Khartoum. Southern Sudanese

unfortunately, were not consulted(HD2123.5 .Z8).

The Deputy Governor General and his assistants in Juba, Wau and Malakal who were the true
rulers of the Southern Sudan were not even consulted. Thus cancelling the “Closed Districts
ordinance of 1920-30,” which protected and distinguished Southern Sudan as a Christian and

English speaking autonomous territory under the Condominium rule from 1899 to 1956. Without
change of minds and hearts, the Northern parties unanimously agreed to maintain the status
quo: centralized system of government, recommending Islamic Constitution to replace the
British made provisional secular constitution and some kind of a bogus “regional autonomy.”

The Southern Parties, which were also represented in the Conference by 24 delegates, strongly
disagreed (Zhao, 1998).

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