John Garang

Garang was married to Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior, who is currently serving as the Advisor for the President of The Republic of South Sudan.

On July 30, 2005, John Garang was returning on a Ugandan Mi-172 helicopter, from a meeting with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, when the aircraft crashed, killing the Sudanese politician.

The helicopter had been missing for more than a day, and Museveni showed concern over the matter. News reports were flashed that the political leader had landed safely. However, later it was found to be a false report, and his demise was announced to the public.

John Garang was born on June 23, 1945, to poor ethnic Dinka parents, in Sudan's Wangulei village. His parents died when he was just ten years old, and was educated at elementary schools in Wau and Rumbek, by a close relative.

At the age of seventeen, in 1962 he had to take part in the first 'Sudanese Civil War', also called the 'Anyanya Rebellion'. With motivation from his leaders, the young man managed to complete his secondary education from Tanzania, while the war still ravaged in his homeland.

Continuing his education on a scholarship, in 1969, he graduated in Economics from 'Grinnell College', in Iowa, USA. A brilliant student, John won a scholarship to the 'University of California', Berkeley.

However, he came back to Tanzania and joined the 'University of Dar es Salaam' to pursue a ‘Thomas J. Watson Fellowship’ in East African Agricultural Economics. At the university, he joined the 'University Students' African Revolutionary Front'.

After completing his studies in Tanzania, he came back to Sudan, and from 1972-83, he served in the nation's army. This happened after the 'Addis Ababa Agreement' was signed and the civil war came to a halt.

In the course of his servitude he was promoted to the post of a colonel after pursuing the 'Infantry Officers Advanced Course' from Georgia, USA. John also took a break for four years to complete his master’s degree and PhD in agricultural economics, from the 'Iowa State University'.

During this time he became an instructor at a military academy in the district of Wadi Sayedna. He was also employed by the 'Army Head Quarters' in Sudan's capital city Khartoum, for their research department.

The same year, he travelled to Bor, South Sudan, apparently with the aim of consoling soldiers belonging to 'Battalion 105', who refused to be transferred to North Sudan. However, Garang's actual plan was to join these soldiers and abandon the army in order to join the insurgents who were rebelling against the government.

During the attack on Bor, the soldiers left the army, and joined the mutineers in Ethiopia under the leadership of John. Within the next two months the leader had formed the ‘Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement’ (‘SPLA/M’), comprising of more than 3000 agitators.

The first Vice-President of Sudan is famous for having formed the ‘Sudan People's Liberation Army’, an association of soldiers who fought for more than twenty years in the second ‘Sudanese Civil War’ of independence. The leader envisioned a united Sudan where people of all religion will be involved in the administration and co-habit peacefully.