Justice against Sudan’s Bashir is long over due!
By Luke Kuth Dak
January 27, 2009 — Most Sudanese people do not share Dr. Nafia Ali Nafia’s arrogant view that the embattled President of Sudan, Omar Hassan Ahmed al- Bashir, is the most qualified man to rule the Sudan, a country with over 40 million folks.
A quick look at his file tells us that, nothing could be further from the truth that the claim by his extremist followers has no chance to hold up it’s ground. After all, the man has no college education, and only a modest military training. Therefore to suggest that he the most qualified to lead the country, not only is it insulting to all of the Sudanese people, from all walks of life, but it also sends the wrong message to our children, who may now think that it’s alright not burden themselves with college education, since they can just ride their way to the People’s Palace on the back of a tank.
It’s clear the National front’s rhetoric of glorifying al- Bashir is only going to intensify even more, especially, now that the arrest warrant is only a matter of when. For the past few days, the racist trio composed of Nafia, himself, Muhammad Mandourul al- Mahadi and Dentist Mustafa Osman, were running up and down, telling the Sudanese people that, regardless of whether or not Omar al- Basher is indicted, he’s going nowhere, they said.
Amazingly, the notion that says “ For every action there is a reaction,” was not the case here! I have waited for a good three days to hear a reaction from the Sudanese political parties, including the Sudan people Liberation Movement (SPLM). It was a zero. However, given this- out- of- line-authoritative attitude from the (NCP), it’s apparent that the results of the upcoming elections- if ever conducted- have been cooked already, and the winner is the (same ole same ole) In this case, why anyone in their right mind would even bother to run, in the first place.
But who are they kidding? With all certainty, President al-Bashir’s indictment will be a welcoming event and a day of jubilation, for the majority of the Sudanese people, except, of course, for the like of Dr. Nafia and his followers, who have robed the country of every penny, for over two decades and counting. They will be the first to run away, leaving behind this poor man- al Basher, with his back only against the wall.
Understandably, there are lots of people in the South, and indeed around the country with legitimate concerns, that if the arrest warrant is granted against President al-Basher, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement will collapse and another war will begins. Given the history of the previous agreements that the northern leaders have dishonored over the past half a century long, those concerns are warranted. But still there some reasons to be optimistic, nevertheless. Based on careful analysts by expert on Sudan’s affair, it’s likely- no matter who becomes the next leader in Sudan, the CPA will survive, and here is why:
Unlike the previous agreements that were violated by the Northern leaders, the CPA is witnessed by the international community, and they will never allow it to fail.
It will be more of a suicide for the North to want to go back to war with an SPLA that far more stronger than the ill-equipped one that defeated them to singe the agreement in the first place.
The INF extremists are far smarter than most Sudanese people think. They know that to temper with CPA, it would be the end of the country that was once known as the Republic of Sudan.
Even more so, the Sudanese Armed Forces- already demoralized- can’t possibly withstand a full- scaled war from three fronts, namely: South, West and East.
Evidently, the (ICC) is going about it’s business- slowly but surly. It’s not paying attention to the scare tactic rhetoric of the (NCP) regime. Time is simply running out, and the only option remained, it seems, is for all of the Sudanese people, to join hands with Dr. Hassan Abdullah al- Turabi – the jailed cleric- in calling for President and al Basher to step down and turn himself in voluntarily.
Considering all the circumstances at hand, if the(SPLM) wisely uses it’s wide- ranged relations with the International Community, it can become a major player in deciding the outcome of the next elections, including the highest office.
If the South could have survived the lost of it’s leader late Dr. John Garang de Mabior, North, too, can survive without Omar al- Bashir.
The author is former anchorman at Juba Radio and Sudan Tribune contributor. He can be reached: [email protected].