Sudan African National Union
Encyclopedia
The Sudan African National Union (SANU) is a political party formed in 1963 by William Deng Nhial
and other Sudanese exiles in Uganda
. In the late 1960s the party contested elections in Sudan
seeking autonomy for South Sudan
within a federal structure. The exile branch of the party meanwhile supported full independence. A party with this name was represented in the Southern Sudan legislature in 2008.
, Joseph Oduho
and Alexis Bakumba.
Saturnino Ohure and Joseph Oduho moved from Uganda to Kinshasa
, Zaire
, where they were joined by William Deng and founded the Sudan African Closed Districts National Union (SACDNU).
The exiles moved back to Kampala
in Uganda in 1963, with the movement renamed the Sudan African National Union (SANU).
Joseph Oduho was the first president of SANU (1962-1964).
The new name was designed to show solidarity with other African nationalist movements of the period.
The SANU leaders did manage to organize a loose guerrilla movement, the Anyanya
, which began operating in Equatoria
in 1963, conducting isolated raids and largely remaining independent of the politicians in Kampala.
SANU was formally registered as a political party in Sudan at a rally in Omdurman
on 11 April 1965 attended by about 2,000 southerners.
Deng's wing of SANU and the Southern Front, a mass organization led by Stanislaus Paysama
, contested the April 1965 parliamentary elections. SANU was an active force in Sudanese politics for the next four years, advocating southern autonomy within a federal structure.
In the 1968 election, William Deng won his seat by a landslide, but was assassinated just as the results were announced.
, Uganda.
Between 1965 and 1967 Joseph Oduho was president of the Azania Liberation Front. He finally broke with the exile groups in 1971 due to disagreement with Joseph Lagu
, commander of the Anyanya
guerrilla fighters, who wanted to subordinate the political wing of the movement to the military wing.
Oduho was committed to the unity of Southern Sudan, while Lagu wanted to withdraw into a smaller "Equatoria" region.
Deng was the father of Nhial Deng Nhial
, the current South Sudan
Minister for Sudan People's Liberation Army
(SPLA) Affairs.
The party advocated self-determination and independence for the south. The current Chairperson of SANU is Dr. Toby Maduot
. SANU has 4 members in the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly.
William Deng Nhial
William Deng Nhial was an early political leader in the struggle for the independence of South Sudan who was assassinated in 1968.-Background:William Deng was of Dinka origin, and was born in Tonj, then in Bahr al-Ghazal state....
and other Sudanese exiles in Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
. In the late 1960s the party contested elections in Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
seeking autonomy for South Sudan
South Sudan
South Sudan , officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the Sahel region of northeastern Africa. It is also part of the North Africa UN sub-region. Its current capital is Juba, which is also its largest city; the capital city is planned to be moved to the more...
within a federal structure. The exile branch of the party meanwhile supported full independence. A party with this name was represented in the Southern Sudan legislature in 2008.
Origins
Some time after the army took power in 1958, William Deng fled into exile, as did other southern politicians including Fr. Saturnino OhureSaturnino Ohure
Saturnino Ohure Hilangi, or Saturnino Lohure, was a Roman Catholic priest and a politician who played an important role in the early movement for secession of South Sudan.Saturnino Ohure was of Lotuho origin...
, Joseph Oduho
Joseph Oduho
Joseph Oduho Haworu was a leading politician from South Sudan who was active in the struggle for independence and a founding member of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement .-Early years 1929-1960:...
and Alexis Bakumba.
Saturnino Ohure and Joseph Oduho moved from Uganda to Kinshasa
Kinshasa
Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is located on the Congo River....
, Zaire
Zaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
, where they were joined by William Deng and founded the Sudan African Closed Districts National Union (SACDNU).
The exiles moved back to Kampala
Kampala
Kampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.-History: of Buganda, had chosen...
in Uganda in 1963, with the movement renamed the Sudan African National Union (SANU).
Joseph Oduho was the first president of SANU (1962-1964).
The new name was designed to show solidarity with other African nationalist movements of the period.
Party in exile
In Kampala, SANU became the voice of the 60,000 refugees who had fled to camps in Zaire and Uganda, but was unable to establish a political presence in Sudan.The SANU leaders did manage to organize a loose guerrilla movement, the Anyanya
Anyanya
The Anyanya were a southern Sudanese separatist rebel army formed during the First Sudanese Civil War . A separate movement that rose during the Second Sudanese Civil War were, in turn, called Anyanya II...
, which began operating in Equatoria
Equatoria
Equatoria is a region in the south of present-day South Sudan along the upper reaches of the White Nile. Originally a province of Egypt, it also contained most of Northern part of present day Uganda including Albert Lake...
in 1963, conducting isolated raids and largely remaining independent of the politicians in Kampala.
Attempt at democracy
In February 1965 William Deng split with the exiled SANU leaders and returned to Sudan, causing a split into SANU-inside and SANU-outside wings, with Deng leading the "inside" wing and Aggrey Jadein leading the "outside" wing.SANU was formally registered as a political party in Sudan at a rally in Omdurman
Omdurman
Omdurman is the second largest city in Sudan and Khartoum State, lying on the western banks of the River Nile, opposite the capital, Khartoum. Omdurman has a population of 2,395,159 and is the national centre of commerce...
on 11 April 1965 attended by about 2,000 southerners.
Deng's wing of SANU and the Southern Front, a mass organization led by Stanislaus Paysama
Stanislaus Paysama
Stanislaus Paysama was one of the founders of the Liberal Party in Anglo-Egyptian Sudan a few years before Sudan gained independence in 1956.-Early years:...
, contested the April 1965 parliamentary elections. SANU was an active force in Sudanese politics for the next four years, advocating southern autonomy within a federal structure.
In the 1968 election, William Deng won his seat by a landslide, but was assassinated just as the results were announced.
Later years
The exiled SANU leaders did not accept Deng's moderate approach, and formed the Azania Liberation Front in KampalaKampala
Kampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.-History: of Buganda, had chosen...
, Uganda.
Between 1965 and 1967 Joseph Oduho was president of the Azania Liberation Front. He finally broke with the exile groups in 1971 due to disagreement with Joseph Lagu
Joseph Lagu
Joseph Lagu is a South Sudanese military man and politician...
, commander of the Anyanya
Anyanya
The Anyanya were a southern Sudanese separatist rebel army formed during the First Sudanese Civil War . A separate movement that rose during the Second Sudanese Civil War were, in turn, called Anyanya II...
guerrilla fighters, who wanted to subordinate the political wing of the movement to the military wing.
Oduho was committed to the unity of Southern Sudan, while Lagu wanted to withdraw into a smaller "Equatoria" region.
Deng was the father of Nhial Deng Nhial
Nhial Deng Nhial
Lieutenant General Nhial Deng Nhial is a South Sudanese politician and leading member of the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement . He was appointed the new Minister of Foreign Affairs of the newly independent Republic of South Sudan on August 26th, 2011 after having served as the caretaker...
, the current South Sudan
South Sudan
South Sudan , officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the Sahel region of northeastern Africa. It is also part of the North Africa UN sub-region. Its current capital is Juba, which is also its largest city; the capital city is planned to be moved to the more...
Minister for Sudan People's Liberation Army
Sudan People's Liberation Army
The Sudan People's Liberation Movement is a political party in South Sudan. It was initially founded as a rebel political movement with a military wing known as the Sudan People's Liberation Army estimated at 180,000 soldiers. The SPLM fought in the Second Sudanese Civil War against the Sudanese...
(SPLA) Affairs.
The party advocated self-determination and independence for the south. The current Chairperson of SANU is Dr. Toby Maduot
Toby Maduot
Dr. Toby Maduot Parek is the chairman of the Sudan African National Union political party , also known as and a member of the Sudanese Group for Human Rights . He currently serves as a member of parliament in the government of southern Sudan Legislative Assembly.Early in his career he was elected...
. SANU has 4 members in the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly.