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WASHINGTON - Today I mourn the passing of John Garang, Vice President of Sudan, and leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM). I also send my condolences to Vice President Garang's wife and family, as well as the people of Sudan for this tragic loss.
John Garang has left a legacy as a man of great vision and leadership -- and ultimately a purveyor of peace. After nearly 22 years of civil war in Sudan -- Africa's longest -- John Garang helped to oversee the historic January 2005 peace agreement between the Muslim Khartoum government, and the mainly Christian SPLM of southern Sudan. This peace agreement would see Mr. Garang become the First Vice President of Sudan -- a position he formally occupied for only three weeks before his untimely passing.
In this time of shock and sorrow, it is my hope that both the leadership of the Khartoum government and the SPLM will set an example for the people of Sudan, by coming together and forging ahead with the hard-fought peace agreement.
I have been encouraged today by statements from Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, and SPLM deputy leader Salva Kiir which reasserted their commitment to the peace process and urged calm among the Sudanese citizenry.
The maintenance of the North/South Peace Agreement is especially important considering the ongoing civil conflicts which remain in other parts of Sudan -- namely Darfur. If peace with southern Sudan fails, it will have grave implications for the resolution of the Darfur conflict, which has seen some progress in recent months.
While much attention will be paid in the coming days to his death, we would all do well to reflect on the course of his life. Though he spent 22 years fighting for the people of southern Sudan, John Garang, in the end, remained dedicated to the prospect of a Sudan unified in peace, equality, and prosperity. Though he has passed away, his dream of a united Sudan is still very much alive, and we must all strive to ensure that dream comes to fruition.
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