BY HAMAH HOSEN-
In the past 9 months, Sudan has been characterised by civil unrest, mass demonstrations, and power struggles. Fast forward to the current, the African Union has lifted its suspension of Sudan, Mr. Bashir has finally been removed as the leader and is on trial, and a transitional government has been set in place under the Khartoum Power-Sharing Agreement. On the face of things, Sudan looks to be turning over into a new chapter. However, it remains uncertain whether these efforts will be enough to ensure that Sudan learns from the previous chapters and closes that part of the story before moving on to the new.
The previous chapter on Sudan began with the Bashir government’s decision to impose emergency austerity measures following the recommendations of the International Monetary Fund. From here, the story began to unfold as people reacted to this decision through mass protests that escalated into calls for the Bashir government’s fall. The story reached a peak of trouble when security forces began and continued to act with force throughout this period of civil unrest. According to, Human Rights Watch this led to “hundreds killed and many more injured” and some individuals also being arrested. Eventually the call for the removal of Al-Bashir was fulfilled after sit ins outside the defence military’s headquarters to demand that the army forcefully remove the president. However, the goal was achieved in an unfortunate manner, namely, through a coup d’état. Rather than bringing the power back to the people, it seemed that the power remained still within the hands of the powerful. It was concerning given that such means of removing Al-Bashir was conducted by military officials that were close to the former president and was involved in the problems that people were demonstrating about in the first place. These concerns were materialized after a military council was appointed as the transitional government and continued to act out against protestors. The most disheartening part of this chapter occurred during the 3 June assault on the Khartoum protest sit in. At least 100 young civilian protestors were shot or bludgeoned after which their bodies were allegedly thrown in the Nile River. This was the point, like in most stories, where it seemed that all hope was lost for the protagonists. It seemed that the people were never going to win amidst a situation that left power back in powerful individuals once again.
But the story isn’t over yet. If we close this chapter and turn to the new, again like most stories, it’s the moment where hope is re-introduced into the story. Although tension and instability continued to occur within the country, the Transitional Military Council (TMC) eventually signed a political accord with the Forces of Freedom and Change Alliance. Such an agreement between the TMC and the Alliance, which consisted of groups who were leading the protests, consisted of an agreement to form a power-sharing body. Even though at the time negotiations were still underway, it provided a sense of hope that things were looking hope. This hope further seemed possible when the power-sharing agreement was finalised and citizens celebrated the victory of a nation that is becoming one step closer to democracy. The final version included an agreement on a constitutional declaration outlining the division of responsibilities and power for a three-year transitory period before attempting elections. This led to the appointment of a new Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok, and a sovereign council with 5 military and 6 civilian members represented. For once, the civilians will be represented and have a say in how their country is ruled rather than having power concentrated in a handful of individuals again. However, the signal that a new and more positive chapter is occurring heightened when Omar Al-Bashir sat in court on trial for corruption and eventually being formally indicted.
“A pivotal moment of change and hope” – UN Secretary General
The idea that a new chapter is occurring is echoed and recognised internationally. In particular, the African Union lifted the suspensions it had placed on Sudan after June 3rd. The decision came after the appointment of PM Hamdock, and subsequently the cabinet, as it marked the beginning of the three-year transitional power-sharing agreement. Similarly, the UN Secretary General made remarks that suggest Sudan is at a “pivotal moment of change and hope.”
But at the same time, there remains a potential for some rocky paths ahead before we can fully claim that the story of Sudan is closed. There might be storylines and chapters that materialise ongoing concerns despite the progress discussed above. In particular, there is concern that the generals still hold a considerable amount of power. The new sovereign council although having a mix of solider & civilian representatives, it will still be led by Lieutenant Genera; Abdel Fattah al-Burhan for 21 months. Additionally, on the council, Muhammad Hamdan Dagalo’s appointment can be perceives as worrying. He is said “to be one of the richest men in Sudan, having strong armed his way into the gold business … [and] his Rapid Support Forces led … [the] crackdown on protesters in June.” Another concern is that Omar Al-Bashir is still not getting trialled for his war crimes as Sudan’s military have noted that it will not extradite him to face the International Criminal Court. To some, this seems like more work needs to be done in order for justice to occur in Sudan.
Although there seems to be a positive storyline emerging in Sudan, it still remains uncertain how the next three years will play out. It is certain however, that this new chapter will be challenging for all.
