Former Sudanese rebel greeted with cheers

KHARTOUM, Sudan -- Former rebel leader John Garang made a triumphant return to Khartoum yesterday, greeted as a brother by the president and as a pop star by hundreds of thousands of supporters hopeful for a new era after Africa's longest civil war.

His arrival was a landmark step in a US-backed January peace deal that requires Sudan's Muslim-dominated, northern-based regime to share power and wealth with long-marginalized southerners. Garang was slated to be sworn in to the government's second-most powerful post today.

A red-carpet greeting at Khartoum's airport was followed by an official welcoming reception during which President Omar el-Bashir held his former enemy's hand in the air and repeatedly called him ''our brother."

A smiling Garang was interrupted by ululating women and shouts of ''Allahu akbar," or ''God is great," and ''Hallelujah" as he told nearly 400 guests under a tent at the ruling party headquarters that he was home among his people.

''I congratulate the Sudanese people. This is not my peace or the peace of el-Bashir, it is the peace of the Sudanese people," Garang said.

Garang, a burly warrior from southern Sudan's large Dinka tribe, was a key partner in peace negotiations that resulted in January's agreement. The deal ended the 21-year civil war that left more than 2 million dead, mostly through war-induced famine.

Many in Khartoum welcomed Garang's arrival as a prelude to better times and an end to long years of fighting. A new government is to be installed in August, giving hope for many of a better life in Africa's largest country.

Hundreds of thousands of people who had been waiting up to six hours for Garang's arrival screamed with joy when he stepped onto a stage. He waved and blew kisses, each one greeted with roars of approval.