A precarious peace

Khartoum, Sudan

A fragile peace accord in Sudan’s civil war began to unravel this week, after Vice President John Garang was killed in a helicopter crash. Garang, 60, was a top rebel leader, and his appointment as vice president three weeks ago was meant to cement a power-sharing deal that ended the civil war between the Arab-Muslim north and the black, Christian, and animist south. He was also expected to help mediate an end to the separate conflict in Darfur. Rumors of foul play immediately spread through the capital, Khartoum, despite assurances from Garang’s widow that her husband’s death was an accident. Thousands of people rioted in the streets, breaking shop windows and burning cars. The U.S., which helped broker the peace deal in January, asked the Sudanese to “honor his memory by restoring peace.”

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