Debate: The last 25 years have been a disaster for Sudan
Has the Sudanese government been successful over the past 25 years? My
answer, without the slightest hesitation, is: No. I think that the vast
majority of the Sudanese people share my sentiments.
Written by : <
http://www.aawsat.net/author/s-alkhedr> Shafie Al-Khedr
on : Wednsday, 17 Jun, 2014
In 1989, an Islamist movement seized power in Sudan through a military coup
led by Omar Al-Bashir, who overthrew the democratically elected government
and created a new government based on their ideology. Their slogans were:
"No loyalty but to God," "There is no alternative to God's law," "Jihad in
South Sudan," "America, Russia-their decline is approaching," and so on. The
coup was a clear demonstration of the reality of the country's crisis,
connected to that crisis through the insurrectionists' platform, which
sought to address it. The result was that those behind the coup took over
not only the ruling party, but the entire state. Sudan has been independent
for more than 58 years, but somehow it is still under the rule of Bashir and
his party. The crisis has now reached its peak and Sudan finds itself in
real trouble. The country's predicament has several features.
Bashir had seized control of a unified country, but his government's
policies caused the secession of the South. They also resulted in Sudan's
transformation into a military state.
The country's civil war destroyed everything in Darfur, Kordofan, and the
Blue Nile state. The war claimed the lives of thousands of the nation's
youth, and traumatized and scarred thousands more-both physically and
mentally. It increased the number of internally displaced persons and
refugees; thousands of Sudanese are now looking for a safe haven for their
children in Europe, Australia and America.
The rule of tyranny and terrorism, as well as the violation of human rights
in Sudan, has reached an unprecedented degree in our country. Global and
regional organizations, in addition to local communities, can testify to
this. 'Ghost houses,' where deliberate and systematic torture takes place
under the direct orders of the political leadership have spread throughout
the country-the orders are not carried out by junior officers and soldiers
only.
After the secession of South Sudan, the civil service has deteriorated,
causing the displacement of thousands of qualified workers, staff and
professionals, denying them the right to work. Instead, supporters of the
regime have replaced these workers, without any care for their skills or
knowledge. The result is a monumental 'brain drain,' as well as a drain on
the skills and the labor of the people. There is complete loss of confidence
in a single national civil service, which includes the legal system.
Thousands of officers and soldiers of the Sudanese military establishment
have been discharged, and the heritage and longstanding traditions of this
institution have been eradicated. This heritage was based on the patriotism
of the Sudanese officers and soldiers, and their regard for-in all the
critical moments of modern Sudanese history-the people, and the freedom, of
Sudan, as well its progress and territorial integrity.
The total collapse in the Sudanese economy and the termination of major
projects has been a main focus of development projects. At the same time,
the rise of new types of parasites, war profiteers, brokers of famine, and
looters of public money, are the fruits of the very same system. The result
is a shortage in the basic necessities of life: the collapse of essential
services such as healthcare, education, and water treatment- in addition to
the outbreak of famine which has caused people to beg for food. The middle
class has collapsed, while rampant corruption in the country has risen to an
unprecedented degree. There is a lack of security and safety, and many
children are displaced, causing the destruction of families and the
disintegration of the social fabric.
The deterioration of Sudan's foreign relations has reached a lamentable
degree as the country enters into ill-advised alliances. This has
transformed the nation into a shelter and a haven for fundamentalist
terrorism. But the state then spins 180 degrees, opening the country to
foreign intelligence agencies to combat terrorism. With all this, the
concept of Sudanese national sovereignty has become utterly meaningless.
A backwards social project under the slogans of "Reconstructing Society" and
"The Civilizational Project" has been imposed. The project reflects the
narrow-minded goal of demonizing people the government disapproves of, and
its desire to impose the notion of the superiority of a certain religion and
ethnicity. It forcibly imposes the visions of one party throughout the
country, and the result is rampant prejudice, blind racial intolerance, the
promotion of a culture of murder and brutality, and the forced recruitment
of students and youth for the purpose of using them as human shields in the
civil war. There is an amazingly backward attitude towards women, while
superstition and the widespread belief in legends are reinforced. There are
attempts to eradicate the country's cultural and artistic heritage,
including Sudanese art and singing. The country has witnessed, for the first
time in its history, plundering and alienation. Cities are becoming
ruralized, and civil society institutions are falling apart with no
confidence left among the public regarding their efficacy. These
institutions include political parties, and therefore citizens are
retreating into the protection of their tribes and clans in search of safety
and security. This could cause serious problems for the country.
For these reasons, among many others, Bashir and his regime have been able
to stay in power for 25 years and have led the country to the edge of
collapse, creating what can only be described as a failed state.
The counterpoint to this article can be read
<
http://www.aawsat.net/2014/06/article55333338> here.
Received on Wed Jun 18 2014 - 09:13:34 EDT