The SPLA, or Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement, is a Southern Sudanese rebel group and political party that advocates Southern Sudanese autonomy. From 1983 to 2005, the SPLA fought against the Sudanese government in the Second Sudanese Civil War. In 2005, the SPLA signed a comprehensive peace agreement with Sudanese government, contributing representatives to the national assembly and taking control of governance of the now semi-autonomous souther region. Led by John Garang until 2005, the SPLA is now lead by the President of Souther Sudan and Vice President of Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit. The SPLA has been accused of a wide range of human rights abuses by both humanitarian groups and mainstream media. In 1996, the United States contributed nearly $20 million in weapons and military equipment to Southern Sudanese rebels seeking to overthrow Omar al-Bashir. Today, the United States claims that, while they did fund southern rebels, the equipment was never intended to go to the SPLA.