Sudanese youth role in sustaining authoritarian status quo
By Odongi IbaluKirram *
April 12, 2006 — Sudanese people are addicted to autocratic misrule, they value oppressive regimes and have since collectively excelled in harnessing the longevity of this sacred-cow to their own detriment. They also consider the critique of it a sacrilege of the highest order. Rather contradictory and hypocritical is their omni-present evocation for outside intervention to solve what may aptly be call a crisis of choice.
The mention of a name Sudan in world bulletins provokes an irritating embarrassment, because it conjures in mind a banana republic, lawless state, well infested with starve children, highly illiterate adults, war-consumed youth and careless hedonists, opportunist and war-lords priding themselves as leaders while their business is crystal-clear: more repression, a state of anarchy, the pillaging of resources and the mass enslavement of their own citizens through senseless civil-wars.
As evil-doers continue to prevail with their activities ever active and thriving, the mass slaughter of innocent civilians, children, and women in Sudan, it is apt to inquire where are the good thinking Sudanese and what precisely are they doing seriously?
The only response to this country’s problems has always been in form of arm rebellion, which has been found wanting and heavily costly. Instead of liberating the people, arms rebellions have empowered incumbent and past dictator(s) and breeds new ones within the liberation ranks who eventually impose heavy-handily to their masses a leadership style and system they initially opposed.
Vocal youth who dare question every aspect of Sudanese society and reject lectures from across the political ideological spectrum on leadership cult worshipping are rebuked and branded, at least in late John Garang words, for engaging in “premature political masturbation”. Some youth who choose to remain prisoners of their own ignorance wants others to join them in sustaining an authoritarian status quo because of the minimal short-term inceptives they receive. The bizarre case of some youth and students in selected Sudan universities rejecting UN/NATO peace enforcement efforts in Sudan is a case in point. If youth can play such a greater role in sustaining the reign of autocracy why not they unite their energies for the good cause, say by ending autocracy itself and relieve the country from evil once and for good?
A Catholic priest once in Nairobi declared John Garang the “only God-send leader” with supernatural insight and talent to shepherd Sudan to the promised destiny. Now some youth declare Salva Kiir the “last gift of God” whose acts are incorruptible, therefore criticism of any nature meted to his unfocused and disorderly SPLM is sedition. Despite having gone bankrupt of ideas healthy to Sudan societal arrangements, Sadig Al-Mahdi still suffers from delusions of grandeur. Al-Margani on the hand claims he is the one and only master of people in eastern Sudan, he demands nothing but absolute obedience. Last but not least is the self-proclaim military emperor of Sudan; Omar Al-Bashir whose supporters emphasize his regime is the only available medicine to heal Sudan wounds.
It is high time Sudanese stop crying and relying on the outside world to resolve issues socially engineered, implemented and tenaciously maintain within their land, and must begin searching and brewing indigenous solutions that could have far-reaching ramifications to their misfortunes. It is time all existing liberation organs and political parties forge a common front. Sudan principal enemy can rarely be outmanoeuvred let alone depose through a fragmented arms struggle.
External powers, certainly are keen to end war in Sudan for reasons clear to them, but their efforts will falter as long Sudanese are divided into pro-war and antiwar camps. Existing evidence tell a story i.e. one of unwillingness by those in power to resolve the integral question of power corruption and the inherent political and economic malaises still besetting the country.
A regime that must slaughter its own citizens enthusiastically to stay in power and disdainfully refuse humanitarian assistance access to them deserve no friendly support or relations but its urgent sheer dismantling. As Khartoum Islamic-oriented regime continue to assert its dictatorial arrogance, the ongoing series of petty peace endeavors that first ended conflict in south, with the view of ending Darfur and subsequently eastern Sudan etc., need to be viewed with caution and a healthy amount of scepticism.
It is the attitude of inaction, indecision and expectation for a top-down reorganization of the country that would see existence of anarchy for generations to come. Make no mistake, neither the NCP-SPLM alliance nor any political body currently in existence possess the will and power to usher in extensive political reformation.
It is in the power and interests of Sudanese people to order and tame their leaders to act and behave according to the majority wishes.
* Odongi IbaluKirram is a freelance researcher, journalist and a media & communications consultant based in South Africa.