Page 90 - EVOLUTION OF THE SUDAN PEOPLE’S LIBERATION MOVEMENT(SPLM),

7.1 Background to Post Conflict Reconstruction

The reconstruction of South Sudan began after the signing of the comprehensive peace agreement
in 2005 and the formation of the transitional government and ended with the independence
in 2011 following the referendum. The government and 14 international partners to support
reconstruction, poverty reduction, governance and social development created a multi donor trust

fund. The project was launched in 2005 and was the single and authoritative source of funding
for South Sudan. The World Bank self-evaluation report concludes that the project financed over
300 public projects including hospitals, infrastructure, government offices, and classrooms.

“The plan was good but an over ambitious plan that failed to take care of the more fundamental
problems. The local partners in the program, the south Sudan government/SPLM was not

conscious of its population needs, they were implementing the plan withfollowing a wrong. Lot
of money ended in personal accounts other than towards what the money was meant for”(OI,
Timothy Thowl, 19/03/2017).

The fund failed in addressing youth unemployment, agriculture, high maternal mortality rates,
limited access to education and insecurity. The World Bank reconstruction phase ended in

May 2013 but its full impact assessment is yet to be undertaken. However, studies undertaken
elsewhere on post conflict reconstruction in Iraq, Eritrea and Mozambique concluded that choices
and models made for war torn societies are not only inappropriate but also poorly implemented.

Furthermore, it ignores social and economic problems confronting countries coming out of civil
war, South Sudan included. In fact such models increases poverty and insecurity just as it is the
case with South Sudan. Thus, such projects are self-serving and reflecthegemonic and national
interests of the western powers.

7.2 From national reconstruction to civil war

We have noted that the Multi donor Trust Fund officially ended in May 2013 and civil war
effectively started on 15 December 2013 and spread to equatorial, and upper Nile. The war

started following extra ordinary SPLM convention on 14 December 2013. A group led by Riek
Machar at that time as his capacity as the deputy chairperson of SPLM and former vice president
had sought reforms into the SPLM manifesto and constitution to democratize the party to
allow anyone within the party to contest for any seat through competitive elections. The SPLM

convention discussed the thesis for reforms and rejected them. The civil war broke out at the
presidential guard headquarters marking the beginning of the civil war that persists to date.
Military units loyal to Riek captured towns such as Bentiu, Bor, Akobo, Malakal and Jonglei.
The Inter-Governmental Agency on Development (IGAD) a regional body was tasked with the

responsibility of ending the civil war in South Sudan negotiated a peace agreement in 2015 that
has failed considerably after fresh war broke out in July 2015. The war had hallmarks of the
traditional grievances that have gripped the SPLM since its inception in 1983 and accelerated
elite polarization from 1991 onwards.

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