The Anxiety of National Reconciliation in Sudan
By Roba Gibia
Feb 20, 2007 — President Bashir in several occasions has called for the nationwide reconciliation amongst the Sudanese communities and political powers as the only way to inclusive peace in the country, but without any commitment or desire to initiate or foster real concession at the midst of Sudanese peoples or political powers. The glimpse of national reconciliation has to be adopted by the government in its real sense, but not just mere slogan to distort public opinion, while on the other hand the government continues to implement its policy of favoritism and disparity. The Sudan’s deep rooted conflicts require genuineness, practicality and openness in tackling its crisis far from partisan and power voracity. The concentration of power in the hands of extremists in Khartoum in spite of the Naivasha accord and Sudan Interim Constitution, is still casting gloomy shadow on the country’s stability and future. As the only piercing and vigorous voice in Sudan is Bashir’s and NCP hardliners in all affairs and the other voices were dormant, as we are seeing in row over hybrid force deployment in Darfur to neutralize the situation on ground. And despite the fact that the Abuja treaty was born premature and requires intensive care to save the ill-fated toddler, but Khartoum is adamant that the birth was mature and requesting non-signatories to join and give their consent without further re-negotiation or modification of the Darfur Peace Agreement. This is not the essence of countrywide reconciliation, as to achieve the absolute concession amongst the Sudanese sons and daughters regardless of their political affiliation or opinion, the door has to be open to all groups without pre-conditions as a catalyst to building confidence, removal of barricades deterring convergence of worrying parties as a good gesture towards commencement of fair deliberations with open hearts, because as Sudanese with equal rights we have to open our hearts to each other as brothers and sisters for the welfare of our country without imposition of one’s or group’s ideology on the others.
When we talk about the peace prevalent, we have to consider it from peripheral view, whether being environmental peace, state and food security has got different component which forms the overall peace. As you can’t feel secure if you have no work, house, food, school for your children, healthcare, clean drinking water, security, peace of mind and free movement and self expression. Thus, peace in its real sense is indivisible and its non-prevalence in every corner of the country generates absolute destruction and poverty. And this is Sudan’s case since independence due to the government failure to figure or develop the entire country based on equitable distribution of wealth regardless of its diverse ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds. And the persistent hostilities and crisis in Sudan, has changed absolutely the social fabric relationships among the ethnic and tribal groups in one way or another.
The tribal clashes and war has got a perilous impact on the lives of the Sudanese in general and particularly marginalized Sudanese peoples. And the inhabitants lost not only their way of living but loved ones, homes, land and disintegration of families as a result of displacement. All this has got tremendous consequences on the production capacity of rural population as well as lack of rainfall in some areas, food and water scarcity particularly during the dry season, is increasingly driving the villagers or rural populations to apparent starvation and eventual annihilation. This in fact due to the fact that the cultivation whether being in south or west or east depend utterly on rainfall, which is the key factor shaping the entire lifestyle of the population between cattle owners, primitive shifting and subsistence cultivators. And due to the decades of conflicts, bitter war and intentional disregard of south by Khartoum governments since independence, south has not witnessed a single development whether being in the field of industry, education, urbanization and rural areas, which indeed has kept south backward into profound illiteracy and poverty that has become the main feature of the region.
The comprehensive peace agreement (CPA) grants fabulous prospects and aspirations to the marginalized people of Sudan in its first history, if only it is applied faithfully to the letter as basis of inclusive and nationwide reconciliation. CPA concerns with creation of democratic society with equal opportunities, empowerment of grassroots and development of rural areas to improve the living conditions of the population in every locality, by creating formal stability which is the basis for the development and sharing of wealth and power equitably. Thus, if the dream of CPA is translated into tangible practicality on the ground with developmental projects, it will change the entire country’s phase subjected that there is inclusive peace prevalent. As the causes of Sudanese misery and poverty due to lack of peace and failure of government-led development policies which created inequality at the midst of Sudanese sons and daughters, and deprivation of large portion of Sudanese population from their rights, was or is the immediate cause of continued conflicts and war in the country.
And despite setbacks on the road of Naivasha implementation, yet it is the hope and choice of majority and the most ever sustainable treaty and gateway for national reconciliation, as well as Asmara agreement which has been overcome by Darfur crisis, and partly by disagreement among the Eastern Front in presenting list of nominees for the posts allocated to under the accord, and other procedural formalities which has to be discussed between the two partners at the government of national unity to incorporate it into the constitution and allocation of parliamentary seats. Thus, it is imperative to let Asmara agreement on motion with developmental projects and to commence constructing of fundamental infrastructure as peace dividend and step forward to national reconciliation.
The most crucial and influential factors hindering the country’s reconciliation, are the hardliners and extremists within the NCP/NIF institutions, whom see themselves superior to the other races. And that is obvious in Darfur crisis despite the fact that they share same faith but never considered themselves on equal foot with black African tribes. In other words the superiority complex and power voraciousness are the main challenges barricading inclusive peace in Sudan! These are the forces working hard to accomplish their agenda in Darfur, derail Naviasha peace process and Sudan’s peaceful and democratic transformation, which they view as potential threat to their strategy of Arabization and Islamization.
Apart from all these, there are some negative signals which don’t comply with the spirit of nationwide reconciliation, as CPA implementation process is still overpowered by distrust and uncertainty between the parties, Abyei dispute and oil revenue related issue with south-north border demarcation, continued insecurity and displacement of populations in areas of oil exploration and impediment of UNMIS Radio which is meant for fostering peace and unity at the midst of Sudanese to go in air from Khartoum, all these reflect clear resistance to national synchronization. And in spite of some positive interaction with some individuals and universities on the issues of peace agreement according to UN report, yet there remains total reluctance on the part of Khartoum institutions and some individuals to embrace the tone of national unity and letter implementation of CPA. But the overall perception is that, the visible and invisible effects of war, poverty, marginalization, profound differences, lack of confidence and mistrust will remain influential factors in determining the national reconciliation and unity of the country.
* Roba Gibia is a Sudan Tribune columnist. He can be reached at [email protected]