Sudan has been in civil war for 37 years divided into two separate periods. The last period has now lasted for 20 years with a loss of more then 2 million lives and 4 million displaced people. The conflict lies between the Karthoum Government and the opposition force SPLA- Sudanese Peoples Liberation Army. The SPLA are demanding power and wealth-sharing as well as freedom of religion.
August 2003: At the moment there is a cease-fire and the peace talks are on their second year. There are still serious conlicts between the government and the rebel-groups SLA - Sudanese Liberation Army and the JEM-Justice and Equality Movement, in the Darfur district in the west, still everybody says that peace is closer than ever!
The Sudanese people are suffering, they are tired and impoverished. Young boys with long experience as soldiers long for another life, but as the most of the population, they've never known peace and don't have any reference as to what to expect. They've heard promises of peace before and had their hopes rise and fall several times in the past. People of Southern Sudan are hopeful, although sceptical to the new promises. They need food and medicines, education and security.

Because of the war there is no development and no infrastructure making it very difficult to bring in relief. Political unstability and risk of attack , aid organizations have from time to time been forced to close down operations in the south. The NPA - Norwegian People Aid is one of the NGO's, non-governmental organizations that have stayed in Southern Sudan despite the risks. Their hospitals have been bombed by the Sudanese government because of their co-operation with the SPLA on health- and relief matters for the people in Southern Sudan.
In spite of the slow progress in the peace talks, there is optimism among the soldiers. They want peace, but they also feel stronger and better armed than before. It's not only SPLA who are fighting for their cause, but a lot of local rebel-groups in the south, that haven't necessary fought against SPLA, but not with them either, and now for the first time they are standing together. As SPLA commander Paul Boul Maken said, August -2003: -We are ready for peace, but with out an agreement - we are ready for war - and strong enough to take Karthoum"
In August 2003 G.T.Booth was on assignment with journalist and author, Gunnar Kopperud, for Bistandsaktuelt - NORAD, the Norwegian Agency for Developement,to cover the peacetalks and emergency help to Southern Sudan. Places visited in S-Sudan, Equatoria district, were the border town of Nadapal, Narus - a village built up by internally displaced people, the SPLA camp in Kapoeta and NPA's hospital in Chukudum.

February 2004: The peace really is getting closer. They have already reached an agreement on wealth sharing, next one up is the negotiation about who do the three provinces on the border between North and South belong to - Southern Blue Nile, Nuba Mountains and Abyei. Then the final question of power sharing.

August 2003: At the moment there is a cease-fire that is followed in most of Sudan and the peacetalkes has gone on for over a year. They are closer than ever they say. One of the SPLA commanders says -We are ready for peace, but with out an agreement we are ready for war!
February 2004: The peace really is getting closer. They have already reached an agreement on wealth sharing, next one up is the negotiation about who do the three provinces on the border between North and South belong to - Southern Blue Nile, Nuba Mountains and Abyei. Then the final question of power sharing.