1.   He heard Christians complain that they were persecuted by the Islamic north.

2.   His statements came shortly after peace talks in Kenya during which the SPLA suggested forming a loose confederation between the Islamic north and the south.

3.   Like Afghanistan, Sudan has been plagued by a bloody civil war between the Islamic north and the Christian and animist south.

4.   Sudanese rebels want greater autonomy for the Christians and animists in the south from the Islamic north.

5.   The SPLA is fighting for more autonomy for the predominantly Christian and animist southerners from the Islamic north.

6.   In the mainly Islamic north groups have sprung up to enforce the Sharia law code, exacerbating tensions with the Christian minority.

7.   The separatists consider that the mainly animist Casamance has been colonised by Senegalese from the Islamic north.

8.   The SPLA is seeking to free mainly animist and Christian south Sudan from domination by the Islamic north.

9.   It considers that the mainly animist Casamance has been colonised by Senegalese from the Islamic north.

10.   SPLA leader John Garang said the war to free the largely Christian and animist south of Sudan from domination by the Arabised, Islamic north was now over.