Historical BackgroundThe battle for South Sudan's independence dates back to the era of British imperialism. Struggling to remain and gain independence since the late 1800s, Sudan finally became fully independent in 1956, breaking free from combined Egyptian-British rule. A poorly assembled constitution marked the beginning of the long history of violence that continues to define Sudan and South Sudan today. The constitution ignored several key issues that divided the country. The first problem is the state religion; whether Sudan would be an Islamic state or whether it would remain secular. With the northern part of Sudan being predominantly Muslim and the south being predominantly Christian and animist, this division quickly escalated into the first of two major civil wars. Between 1955 and 1972, southern fighters, called Anya Nya, clashed with the majority Arab-led government for southern autonomy. Taking control of much of southern Sudan in 1960 and merging their forces with the South Sudan Liberation Movement in 1971, the government of Sudan and the SSLM signed the Addis Ababa Accord, giving the southern Sudan considerably increased autonomy. The agreement also stipulated that the Abyei region, which sits on the border between the north and the south, was allowed to vote on which region it would be a part of. The second civil war began in 1983 when the government of Sudan instituted Shari'ah in 1983. the Abyei region and withdrew the part of the Addis Ababa agreement that allowed the Abyei region to vote on its status with regard to its consideration in southern or northern Sudan. This fighting lasted until 1989, when a peace agreement was reached between the Sudanese government and the SSLM. Fighting, however, resumed when the Sudanese tried to change their image globally, only caring about the money they invested in developing countries and not caring who is in the developing countries. in development. burden on these countries, or the resulting human rights violations. Second, China has significant interests in Sudanese oil. Having begun its relationship with Sudanese oil production in the mid-1990s, China has since continued to invest increasingly in Sudanese oil. Importing up to 80% of South Sudan's oil exports each year, China has money to lose as fighting continues, and even more money to make if South Sudan returns to stability. Given China's tight grip on Sudan's oil market, it may be difficult for the United States to benefit from increased investment in South Sudan, and the United States may even inadvertently help the gains financiers from China to South Sudan.