Sudan dictatorial shift and Prok’s expulsion

Editorial, the Sudan Tribune

October 23, 2006 — Since the signing of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA), Sudanese government is under huge pressure to accept the transfer of the African Unions forces to UN peacekeepers. As direct result of Sudanese al-Bashir’s stubbornness, the government of the national unity is divided on the issue. Also we realize say after day the deepening rifts between the two partners of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

But, the most important consequence of this stubbornness is the growing shift within the ruling National congress Party NCP. Slowly, we observe that Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir is marginalizing an embourgeoized party that dreams of normalization with the international community and seeking the left of the US economic sanctions.

Bashir is come back to his initial support: the Sudanese army.

Since, it is quit clear that repetitive Sudanese army press statements and public positions on various national issues are not the fruit of the hazard. They indicate that Sudanese al-Bashir is working to make the army his main support for the coming stage. We see already the repression of democratic opposition demonstrations, the wave of press censorship and the systematic transgression of the Interim Constitution in different fields. And we know very well that all these deeds are not the NCP decisions but al-Bashir clique orders.

We see also, that, not only the CPA is violated but the young DPA never been implemented.

In this context, the expulsion of the UN Secretary General Special Envoy to Sudan, Jan Pronk, after a press release by the Sudanese army against him, comes as confirmation to this slip towards a military dictatorship. Nowadays, Sudan is not ruled by a political party, Sudan is governed by one man and his generals.

The marginalization of Ali Osman Taha after “concessions he offered to SPLM” in the CPA and Garang’s death killed any hope in the democratic transition of the country and the resolution of Sudan’s conflicts. Taha –and his NCP’s faction — in spite of his last time hard position against the deployment of the international forces, was committed to a democratic transformation in the country. But as he tries to survive within the regime he was forced to adopt the hardliners position on Darfur.

Pronk’s eviction should be noticed as a clear indication of the Sudanese regime weakness; he is supported now only by minority of the NCP and the mobilization of the army comes to fulfil this empty space.

International community now should rightly assess the situation and adopt the right steps. Beyond all this noise, we have a grave humanitarian crisis in Darfur, we have a shaky implementation of the CPA. The current regime wants to set back the end of Darfur crisis and the carryout of the CPA. For Khartoum it is a question of the survival of a dictatorial regime, for us it is the realization of peace and democratic transition in the country.

Pronk expulsion is an attempt to intimidate the international community. Every one should measure his responsibility, are we going to allow Khartoum to carry out its dangerous plan or we shall put the necessary political and diplomatic efforts to stop it.