Sudanese Uprising: What lesson can we learn from the downfall of Omar Al-Bashir?
By Kuach Loch Garang Deng, Calgary, Canada
Saturday, April 13, 2019 (PW) — Arab Springs and Africa revolt has been fruitful political movement since it started back in 2011! For the last 3 months and so, Sudanese have been protesting and lately moved and picketed in strategic national institutions such the state house and the military headquarters.
Given the history of Arab Spring and African revolt that went ugly, one can at least credited Sudanese protesters and military generals for putting their national interest first. At this juncture, Gen. Omer Hassan Ahmed Al Bashir should not be totally demonized as the worst dictator more than other dictators that fall before him.
When Al Bashir came to power in 1989, He fought a very fierce war with South Sudanese/SPLM by using jihadists as tools to achieve their NCP political goals to Arabize and Islamize the whole Sudan .His NIF/NCP had capitalized on Islamic principles as mean ways to assimilate southern population who are non-Arab and non-Muslims to make Sudan into Arabian and Islamic country.
Nevertheless, as a military man who experienced this war first hand in Southern Sudan before 1989 coup, he knew NCP will not win SPLM militarily since they were using guerrilla tactics. As a result, he opted for peaceful solution and he signed the peace deal with SPLM and bought some time to stay in power.
Indeed, former Sudanese president Gen.Al Bashir had a great opportunity to destroy and deny CPA because SPLM leaders started rampant corruption and fighting each other’s over small money from the oil revenue before independence of South Sudan.
Yet, Al Bashir was able to implement CPA by allowing South Sudanese to cast their votes and declared their independence and Al Bashir went to Juba himself and blessed the secession.
Even though, there were other reasons that forced him to implement the agreement, he would have used similar negatives reasons to reject peace or dishonor referendum result but he was courageous enough to convince his Arab Muslim fundamentalists to abide by CPA.
In the beginning of this uprising, President Al Bashir, knew he was and would be on hot soup but he tried to end this war smartly! Few months ago, he made a smart plan by reshuffling his government and appointed new cabinet mostly military generals. It was another way of buying a time but was also a very troublesome and was completely rejected by Sudanese professionals Association!
Indeed, Al Bashir was able to foreshadow the most dangerous path he was about to take if he continued on ignoring these mighty political movements. Therefore, he stepped aside and allowed Gen. Awad Ibn Auf to takeover! Yet he had very great opportunity to destroy Sudan and kill hundreds if not thousands or millions before he get his fate or arrested.
Therefore, Congratulations to Gen.Al Bashir and Gen. Awad Ibn Auf for handing over the power with less blood and big congratulations to Sudanese professionals association and to all the Sudanese in different walk of lives for standing steadfastly against injustice.
With recent step down of Gen. Awad Ibn Auf, and Chief of Staff Gen. Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan takeover, Sudanese should feel proud for achieving a tremendous milestone of overthrowing dictatorship Al Bashir, a dream many nations cannot achieve for decades but Sudanese uprising did it in few months.
It’s a golden hard won freedom achievement that Sudanese Professional Association need to monitor closely and be ready to end military and NCP rule once and for all in upcoming elections.
Thousands Congratulations to Sudanese freedom movements led by Sudanese professionals Association in collaboration with all different groups. People unity is power.
Your comrade in solidarity
Kuach Loch Garang Deng is a South Sudanese living in Calgary, AB, Canada. He can be reached at lochdit2002@yahoo.ca
The opinion expressed here is solely the view of the writer. The veracity of any claim made is the responsibility of the author, not PaanLuel Wël Media (PW) website. If you want to submit an opinion article, commentary or news analysis, please email it to paanluel2011@gmail.com. PaanLuel Wël Media (PW) website do reserve the right to edit or reject material before publication. Please include your full name, a short biography, email address, city and the country you are writing from.