Regional groups and organizations such as IGAD (Intergovernment Government Authority on Development), Arab League, Jeddah Conference (US, Saudi, Sudan) and the African Union which suspended Sudan's membership in late 2023, have been pulling their hair over the painstaking journey to find a peaceful end to the Sudanese conflict and a permanent end to the war that will satisify the Sudanese civilians, Pro Democracy movement, government and army. The Pro Democracy movement and non political Sudanese citizens have been admadant and reiterated that any political and diplomatic agreements and peace treaty must put a civilian, democratic government at the forefront and not include any military elements including current and previous military junta in a future civilian ruled Sudanese government. As a side note, Sudan has been ruled by military governments over the past sixty years since its independence in 1956. The popular 1964 October Revolution in Khartoum led by ordinary Sudanese overthrew the military government driven by repression, economic stagnation and living cost. Sound familiar? As a deja vu, Soverign Security Council was set up in 1964 and led to the civilian government of Ismail alazhari that lasted until Niamrey's military coup. Unlike the short lived civilian government, Sudanese are pushing for long standing and lasting civilian government and political stability. The Sudanese Army will function as any army functons in other parts of the world out of politics, government and strictly focused on national defense. The Jeddah Argeement members were supposed to help Sudan end its unnecessary war have been observing the conflict from the sidelines after a series of ceasefire negotiations fell apart despite the high hopes especially from ordinary Sudanese citizens on the ground who are eagered and fighting to end the war through diplomatic and non violent means. At the grassroots level, ordinary Sudanese have been tiredlessly volunteering and helping their fellow countrymen. Inspite of the collapsing healthcare, civilians as part of the Neighborhood resistance committees especially in Khartoum have been doing their best while risking their lives to provide emergency care and local hospital services to their neighbors. They have provided limited humanitarian aid as ongoing aid from remaining humanitarian agencies MSF and Relief International has been delayed at Port Sudan or has been prevented from reaching the civilians who need it must. Ongoing humanitarian aid from Turkey, UAE, US, is being further delayed with the Houthi rebels in nearby Yemen blocked American and European ships from passing through the Red Sea, in support of the Palestinians besieged and being bombed in Gaza, and to economically punish the Western nations uncritical support of Israel. The Sudanese government recently blocked aid from being delivered from neighboring country Chad into Sudan's Darfur region, condemn Chad for providing military weapons to RSF. The move is also in response to RSF control over the Sudanese-Chadian border and most of Darfur. The small town of Zurug in North Darfur, near the town of Kutum, has been bombed three times as the town is accused of hosting a RSF military supply base.
A War on farmers and lands
Keep in mind that the conflict is affecting vital agricultural land in Al Jazirah state, Khartoum, parts of North Kordofan and Darfur's five main regions. The RSF controls a huge chunk of Darfur. Most of the displaced Sudanese from Al Jazirah, Khartoum state's rural areas and Darfur are farmers and workers in Sudan's agricultural sector. Until April conflict began, Sudan was able to feed itself through its large Al Jazirah agriculture scheme. Despite the reoccuring famines and droughts due to Sahara's expanding desertification, Sudan is regarded as the bread basket of the Arab World and North Africa. The country has recieved interests and billions of dollars in investments from Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries for decades. Sudan was producing and processing food, is the number one producer of gum arabic, a natural sweetner found in abundance across Sudan and used in various products from Coke to cosmetics and agricultural products. Sudan had hosted international food expo.
The United States and Europe, currently concerned about Ukraine and dragging their feet on the genocide of Palestine have bemoaned that the Sudanese conflict has created the largest refugee and IDP populations in the world roughly 8 million people are currently displaced. This includes people who were already internally displaced, living in exile or as refugees. The United States and Europe are worried that the longer the conflict lasts, the more refugees will be running to Europe. Especially since Europe had been relying on Sudan as it had Libya, to stop, arrest and detain Ethiopian, Somali and Eritrean migrants from using Sudan as a transient hub on the migration route to Europe. The Western countries have also overlooked the ongoing conferences carried out bu Sudanese civilian groups seeking to end the war and jumpstart Sudan back on track to creating a civilian government and slowly walking towards Sudanese style "Democracy". The Sudanese groups are part of the Pro Democracy movements that toppled the Al Bashir government in 2019 and protested the military coup 2021 that brought El Burhan and Hemedti to power. Led by Taggadum, Forces for Freedom and Change, other civil society groups, the collective organizations agree on the common goal of permanently ending the war not just calling for a ceasefire and looking at ways to move the country politically forward after the conflict ends especially in Khartoum. As a side note, some journalists had assumed that Port Sudan was going to replace Khartoum as the country's new capital but were incorrect as the government plans to return back to Khartoum. The former civilian Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok, has been part of the consultations and the various meetings in Addis Ababa, Juba and Cairo.
Comments
Post a Comment