Here Is A Timeline Of Everything That Is Happening In Sudan
The Sudanese run for democracy is now.
In the popular uprisings of the 2010 Arab Spring, there was one country that was regrettably left out- Sudan. Ruled by Omar al-Bashir since 1989, it proved to be a safe haven for terrorist fugitives all around the world. After subverting the already present democracy through a military coup, Omar al-Bashir and Hassan al-Turabi sought to establish a truly Islamist country that would give refuge to all the militants who had gone stateless post the 1989 withdrawal of the Soviets from Afghanistan. These militants had been trained in Jihad by the Mujahideen and al-Qaeda and, following the defeat of the Soviets, had no place to go to. Their home states- Egypt, Yemen and Saudi Arabia- were not ready to accept jihadis indoctrinated by the takfiri ideals of Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda. Yet, the Islamist take over of Sudan gave them a safe opportunity to start anew.
Whilst Omar Bashir symbolically led Sudan, Turabi was the true architect of the new nation. He invited well-known jihadists like Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri- the current leader of al-Qaeda- promising them full support in their calls for jihad. Osama helped rebuild Sudan from the ground up. He financially aided the nation and loaned them vast amounts of money- most of which he was never paid back. In return, he was allowed to run his terrorist cells with impunity.
After having a covert hand in incidents like the Darfur genocide and the bombing of the World Trade Center, the country came to be recognized as a state sponsor of terror and the cutting of diplomatic ties along with harsh sanctions stunted the poor nation’s economy. Osama was driven out of Khartoum and the United States government aided the local government in counter-insurgency measures.
Almost 30 years hence, the country is torn yet again.
As stated earlier, the country didn’t have popular uprisings bidding for democracy as other Arab countries did in 2010. This may partly have been due to the preoccupation of the country, as the people of South Sudan seceded to form their own sovereign nation.
Mass Protests Against A Dictatorial Regime
In December last year, economic concerns and an ever-increasing price of bread brought people onto the streets, gradually turning the mass protest into one opposing the dictatorial regime of Omar Bashir. The protesters were faced with severe repression. Two months in, Bashir declared a state of Emergency in the country and, with time, the internet, electricity and civil rights were all suspended. This only gave the military powered regime in Sudan more authority to deal with the demonstrators. Yet two months following this suspension of rights, there was a far more interesting development- the military had arrested the dictator.
For the record, Sudanese military has itself had a hand in most of the war crimes of Omar. Moreover, with 80% of the budget allotted towards their upkeep, one can only imagine their might and importance in the country. This created fear in the minds of many, questioning the legitimacy of their victory. Although the military junta had deposed the dictator and promised to organize elections within the next three years, they were still a part of the same regime. Instead of toppling all the dominos, the change had stopped at the fall of the first.
A few months hence, there has been a great backlash at the idea of the military assuming power and protests and sit-ins were staged outside the military headquarters in Khartoum. Yet, the state of emergency was still in place. The rights of the citizens were in a precarious position and the regime was still the same. In this essence, the state of Sudan is in a similar place as Egypt once was – the stepping down of the dictatorial head was only followed by the insertion of the military. This, in itself, puts the people of Sudan at mortal risk. Military juntas are known to be as vicious as, if not more than dictators that may have preceded.
On June 3, the non-violent demonstrations were met with brutal hostility on the part of the military. The paramilitary took charge, sweeping neighbourhoods and ensuring no dissident was seen outside. This particular stage has called for humanitarian action in the country. Not only have dozens of people been killed, but the impunity that the military has garnered has protected them from any charges against raping women and as has recently been reported, “Throwing 40 into the Nile river”. The Sudanese Professional Association- the main organisation leading the demonstrations – has said: “We shall stand our ground”. This statement complements the high hopes of democracy that the people maintain their solidarity for. Hundreds of youth around the world have taken to the Internet, showing their solidarity to the people of Sudan, creating awareness about the situation in Sudan and vying their governments to aid the scarred country.
Women Raise Their Voices
One of the most forthcoming victories in Sudan has been of the women. It is rare for women in such an oppressive regime to raise their voices against injustice, but this confidence of the Sudanese women has bolstered the movement into being one of all people in the Sudanese society. With the power that the junta assumes, it is a hard bet to assume they’ll ever leave it.
What we need now, more than ever, is to ensure that the situation doesn’t get out of hand. We have to ensure that democracy wins over authoritarianism. Harsher sanctions by opposing countries may be the only way to force the military to abandon power. As in 1993, the people in power would be forced to change their ways, concede their defeat and make way for a civilian government.
The worst way for this to go down in history books would be as a possible civil war like that of Syria, tearing the country apart, creating another influx of refugees who would have nowhere to go. Thirty years post the Tiananmen Square massacre in China, we can only hope that the world community has learnt a lesson. The fight for democracy must not die.