Umbane is getting help from Sudan

MBABANE—On Thursday during a Breakfast Meeting with editors, the Prime Minister, Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini, ostentatiously declared that the four banned progressive formations were already dead.

This week, the Times SUNDAY presents proof that the organisations, the Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYOCO), the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), the Swaziland People’s Liberation Army (Umbane) and the Swaziland Solidarity Network (SSN), are still very much alive.

In addition, information at our disposal suggests that some of the organiszations are getting foreign assistance to strengthen their insurrectionist apparatus’.

This publication has been informed, and has seen documents that suggest that the Swaziland People’s Liberation Army (Umbane) is getting assistance from a similar organisation from Northern Africa.

It is alleged that Umbane signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army—for the provision of financial assistance and the training of its members.

Banned

According to sources, a popular known member of one of the banned progressive movements announced the deal, during a meeting held at an undisclosed location in South Africa.

Some known members of SSN, PUDEMO and SWAYOCO have been linked to Umbane, and the alleged marriage with the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army.

Lucky Lukhele of the SSN, who was surprised that the document had been leaked, wanted to know its source.

He had been asked about the alleged agreement and the assistance thereof. He initially denied any links with Umbane, or the document detailing the alleged agreement. "I do not know anything about that document, where did you get it," said Lukhele, in his initial response.

"It is not a secret though that SPLA (SUDAN) is a liberation movement. There are other movements in countries such as Botswana, Namibia, Tanzania, to name a few, and they are all our friends," he said.

"As much as I agree with the principles of Umbane, which I only saw in the Swazi press, I am not part of it," he said. PUDEMO officials have distanced the party from the activities of Umbane, in spite of the fact that some of its members’ names appear in its high command.

During a meeting of Umbane, the announcement of a purported agreement was made known, according to our information.

The announcement was that, "the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), and its military wing has signed a MoU with us in solidarity, in financing our programme; this they will do in the form of giving us business to run and manage in Southern Sudan, where the SPLM is in control, and they will train our soldiers in all our military needs."

It further alleges that the organisation was allocated a piece of land there, where a commercial housing project was proposed. The SPLA publicists had not responded to our e-mailed questionnaires at the time of going to press.

According to the Global Security Organisation, SPLM and its armed wing are largely Southern Sudan-based, non-Arabic and secular, in contrast to the predominantly Muslim and Arab north. As a rebel group, it was formed in 1983 by rebellious south Sudanese soldiers of the Sudanese Army based in Bor, Pochalla and Ayod (Bor Mutiny). These joined remnants of the Anyanya rebels of the First Sudanese Civil War based in Ethiopia.

It was founded by Colonel Dr John Garang, Captain Salva Kiir Mayardit, Major William Nyuon Bany and Major Kerubino Kuanyin Bol. It fought against the governments of Gaafar Nimeiry, Sadiq al-Mahdi and Omar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir in what is now called the Second, Sudanese Civil War.

War

SPLA/M’s declared aim was to establish a democratic Sudan with it as the leading party in control of the southern areas. The war has been largely described in religious and ethnic terms, and also as a struggle for control of the water and oil resources located in the southern and the western Sudan.

In 2005, a treaty between the SPLA/M and the Sudanese Government led to the formal recognition of Southern Sudanese autonomy. The political wing, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (Al-Harakat Ash-Shaabia Le Tahreer As-Sudan) is now a political party. It joined the government as part of the peace agreement, gaining about one-third of government positions. On October 11, 2007, the SPLM withdrew from the government, alleging violations of the peace agreement; this raised concerns about the future of the agreement.

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