William Deng Nhial
Encyclopedia
William Deng Nhial was an early political leader in the struggle for the independence of South Sudan
who was assassinated in 1968.
, then in Bahr al-Ghazal state.
He joined the government as an administrator.
William Deng believed in Democratic Socialism, and in solidarity of African Sudanese in resisting Arab colonialism. He aimed for political partnership with indigenous African Sudanese people of Nuba, Fur, Beja, Nubia, Ingesenia and other parts of northern Sudan.
, 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).
William Deng was appointed Secretary-General of SACNDU in 1962.
William Deng and Joseph Oduho published the first formal declaration of Southern Sudan objectives in The Problem of the Southern Sudan (1962). In this paper they argued for independence of the non-Muslim south from the Muslim north of Sudan.
The exiles moved back to Kampala
in Uganda in 1963, with the movement renamed the Sudan African National Union
(SANU).
The new name was designed to show solidarity with other African nationalist movements of the period.
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
, which began operating in Equatoria
in 1983, conducting isolated raids and largely remaining independent of the politicians in Kampala.
William Deng was responsible for the Bahr al-Ghazal insurgents, who remained quiet until January 1994.
That month a well-armed force led by Bernadino Mou Mou staged a successful attack in the state capital, Wau, killing over twelve soldiers and capturing automatic weapons. Although not a serious security threat, later attacks elsewhere and civilian demonstrations steadily eroded the authority of the military government.
In response to mounting pressure, the military ruler Major General Ibrahim Abboud
announced the return of Sudan to civilian rule in November 1964, with elections planned for April 1965.
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.
The exiled SANU leaders did not accept Deng's moderate approach, and formed the Azania Liberation Front in Kampala
, Uganda.
SANU-outside saw no case for retaining union with the north, while the Southern Front wanted a plebiscite to choose between autonomous rule, federation, unity or secession.
The optimism in the south with the return to democracy quickly wore off as the new government under president Mohamed Ahmed Mahgoub began a savage persecution of educated southerners in Khartoum and in the south.
Despite this, William Deng invested considerable time and effort trying to convince government leaders of the benefits of solving the north-south conflict. He pointed out the unwanted truth that the northern soldiers stationed in the south were in charge in daytime, but not at night. If the stalemate were ended, military costs would drop and the south could supply the north with food, with enough left over for export. He was not successful in his arguments.
Deng and others in his party were killed on 5 May 1968 in Cueibet County, Lakes State
in a place that is now called William Bridge.
There was little doubt that the army was responsible, although the government accused the rebels. The government ordered an investigation, but never issued a report on what had happened. According to Muhammad Omar Bashir, "The murder of William Deng represented a great setback in North-South relations. Deng's decision to return to the Sudan in 1965 to attend the Round Table Conference and his participation in that event, in the Twelve-Man Committee, in the Political Parties Conference and in the National Constitution Commission had all made a positive contribution to the search for a solution of the Southern problem.
After his death, William Deng was buried in his home town in Tonj South County. Deng is now considered a national hero. However, his grave fell into disrepair, partly used as a garbage site, partly for local breweries. In May 2011 residents in the immediate area of the grave were given one month's notice to leave so that the site could be cleaned up.
His son Nhial Deng Nhial
later became a leading politician in the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement, and in December 2008 was appointed Minister for SPLA Affairs, or Defense Minister.
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...
who was assassinated in 1968.
Background
William Deng was of Dinka origin, and was born in TonjTonj
-Location:The town is located in Tonj South County, Warrap State, in northwest South Sudan. Its location lies approximately , by road, northwest of Juba, the capital and largest city in the country....
, then in Bahr al-Ghazal state.
He joined the government as an administrator.
William Deng believed in Democratic Socialism, and in solidarity of African Sudanese in resisting Arab colonialism. He aimed for political partnership with indigenous African Sudanese people of Nuba, Fur, Beja, Nubia, Ingesenia and other parts of northern Sudan.
Exile
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).
William Deng was appointed Secretary-General of SACNDU in 1962.
William Deng and Joseph Oduho published the first formal declaration of Southern Sudan objectives in The Problem of the Southern Sudan (1962). In this paper they argued for independence of the non-Muslim south from the Muslim north of Sudan.
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
Sudan African National Union
The Sudan African National Union 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...
(SANU).
The new name was designed to show solidarity with other African nationalist movements of the period.
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 1983, conducting isolated raids and largely remaining independent of the politicians in Kampala.
William Deng was responsible for the Bahr al-Ghazal insurgents, who remained quiet until January 1994.
That month a well-armed force led by Bernadino Mou Mou staged a successful attack in the state capital, Wau, killing over twelve soldiers and capturing automatic weapons. Although not a serious security threat, later attacks elsewhere and civilian demonstrations steadily eroded the authority of the military government.
In response to mounting pressure, the military ruler Major General Ibrahim Abboud
Ibrahim Abboud
El Ferik Ibrahim Abboud was a Sudanese president, general, and political figure. A career soldier, Abboud served in World War II in Eritrea and Ethiopia. In 1949, Abboud became the deputy Commander in Chief of the Sudanese military. Upon independence, Abboud became the Commander in Chief of the...
announced the return of Sudan to civilian rule in November 1964, with elections planned for April 1965.
Return to Sudan
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.
The exiled SANU leaders did not accept Deng's moderate approach, and formed the Azania Liberation Front in 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...
, Uganda.
SANU-outside saw no case for retaining union with the north, while the Southern Front wanted a plebiscite to choose between autonomous rule, federation, unity or secession.
The optimism in the south with the return to democracy quickly wore off as the new government under president Mohamed Ahmed Mahgoub began a savage persecution of educated southerners in Khartoum and in the south.
Despite this, William Deng invested considerable time and effort trying to convince government leaders of the benefits of solving the north-south conflict. He pointed out the unwanted truth that the northern soldiers stationed in the south were in charge in daytime, but not at night. If the stalemate were ended, military costs would drop and the south could supply the north with food, with enough left over for export. He was not successful in his arguments.
Assassination
In the 1968 election, William Deng won his seat by a landslide, but was assassinated just as the results were announced.Deng and others in his party were killed on 5 May 1968 in Cueibet County, Lakes State
Lakes (state)
Lakes is one of the 10 states of South Sudan. It has an area of 40,235 km². Rumbek is the capital of the state. Lakes is in the Bahr el Ghazal region of South Sudan, in addition to Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Western Bahr el Ghazal, and Warrap states. Bahr el Ghazal itself was a former province...
in a place that is now called William Bridge.
There was little doubt that the army was responsible, although the government accused the rebels. The government ordered an investigation, but never issued a report on what had happened. According to Muhammad Omar Bashir, "The murder of William Deng represented a great setback in North-South relations. Deng's decision to return to the Sudan in 1965 to attend the Round Table Conference and his participation in that event, in the Twelve-Man Committee, in the Political Parties Conference and in the National Constitution Commission had all made a positive contribution to the search for a solution of the Southern problem.
After his death, William Deng was buried in his home town in Tonj South County. Deng is now considered a national hero. However, his grave fell into disrepair, partly used as a garbage site, partly for local breweries. In May 2011 residents in the immediate area of the grave were given one month's notice to leave so that the site could be cleaned up.
His son 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...
later became a leading politician in the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement, and in December 2008 was appointed Minister for SPLA Affairs, or Defense Minister.