Sudan’s President al-Bashir is a separatist
By Khorhok Gal Gar
July 22, 2006 — The unwillingness by the Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir and his National Congress Party (NPC) to implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) shows that Omar al-Bashir is a separatist, who is goal, is to divide the country. The National Congress Party is not only advancing the Islamic agenda; they are dividing the country as well. The National Islamic Front (NIF) has not yet signaled any major change in the direction of its separatist policy. If unity of Sudan shall be realize and prevail, Northern Sudanese leading elite must take a radical change and accept the idea of multicultural/ethnic Sudan with freedom of worship inclusive. The NIF is the only party in the history of Sudan to approve the constitutional amendment of Self-determination clause. If NIF have an agenda for the county they should explore other avenues. Separation should be the last resort.
The Comprehensive Peace Agreement has been the only chance for many marginalized Sudanese, hoping that the agreement will change their lives. But the outcome was disastrous after the untimely death of SPLM/A chairman Dr. John Garang de Maboir and the refusal by the NIF to share the power with its peace partner (the SPLM). The loss of the portfolio of Ministers of defense and that of finance to National Islamic Front by the SPLM was a major setback for the people’s movement to convince the African Sudanese that there is still hope. During the 22 years of struggle; the late SPLM/A chairman used to tell his audience that the NIF is there to divide the county. Some people took it as a joke, but in reality, it was true.
In 2005, I visit Khartoum for the second times after my first visit in 2004 since 1982 for several years. I thought this time the atmosphere will change because the Comprehensive Peace Agreement had been signed in January 9, 2005 between the National Congress Party and the SPLM, but I’m shocked by the magnitude of racism and corruption among leading elites in the Sudanese Capital.
The so called modern Sudanese capital has no running water in every public building, no public toilet, and no traffic lights in every street to guide the traffic and pedestrians, not to mention the visible scare of poverty among the citizens. If the reason for six year interim period is to make unity attractive to Southern voters, why then is the ruling party not willing to share power and resources with the south as well as all those in other marginalize areas? I believe NIF has no agenda for the county, except they are looting its natural resources to enrich themselves, regardless whether the country is on the brink of disintegrating into mini countries or not. Their goal is to stay in power event if it means to divide the country into five countries.
We the Sudanese people both from South and North should hold this government of NIF and Omar al-Bashir accountable for fragmentation of the country into many countries. Some Northerners see Omar al-Bashir as their hero who stands up to defend their faith from infidels in Southern Sudan, but these northerners should learn the lesson from late former Yugoslavian President Slobodan Milosevic whose Serbia Socialist Party destroyed the former Yugoslavia in the name of Serbian Nationalism. I believe it is time for Northerners to desisted from their ideas of one identity and accept the concept of a New Sudan where equality based on citizenship and not religion, ethnic background or geographical location.
* Khorhok Gal is based in the USA, he can be at [email protected]