Sudan’s defence minister is ‘not fit for purpose’
Is He the pot calling the kettle black?
By Dr. Mahmoud A. Suleiman
March 22, 2008 — The world continues to resist Racism and combating racial discrimination in all its abhorrent forms. This effort remains one of priorities of the United Nations, which reflects the conscience of the international community. The international organization is keen to revive a global day against racism, which is the 21st of March of each year.
Maj. Gen Abdel-Rahim Mohamed Hussein, Sudan’s Minister of Defence, was reported to have stated in a press conference at the Sudanese
Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Thursday March the 13th 2008 at 11:45pm in an answer to the question whether it was true that the Government of Sudan (GOS) was planning to settle Five Million Egyptians mainly from Upper Egypt, the Nile valley south of Cairo, in the Northern Region ”Shamaliya” by saying: ” If we assume the argument that the government seeks to resettle 5 million Egyptians in northern region why not? What is good of 8 million people in Darfur, all of whom are Africans came from abroad. Isn’t it better for you those who come from Egypt or those Africans who have come from West Africa?! “. Furthermore, he was reported to have continued to state:” I am one of the few who carried out the NIF coup d’état; I am not just a Minister or an employee, but I am a decision maker and I am responsible for any results!” The main topic for discussion was the new dam project “Kajabar Dam” being debated with people from the Northern region some of whom were carrying banners bearing slogans in opposition of its construction, protesting peacefully. Local people in the area have disputed the benefits of the Kajabar Dam Project and feared that they might lose their lands to water or end up as agricultural proletariat in the very land that they now own to feudal system, which dates from medieval times. On June 13, 2007 the GOS security forces have used excessive force to disperse a peaceful demonstration by Nubians protesting the construction of a dam at Third Cataract by Kajabar village. The security forces used tear gas and life ammunitions killing at least 6 people and wounding many others. The date palm trees in the area along the Nile were set on fire when peaceful demonstrators used them as protective shields from sporadic shooting. The security forces started shooting on the crowd from the surrounding mountains when the demonstrators came across a narrow passage on their way to an open area few kilometers south of the site of the proposed dam. Many were injured and they were taken by the local people to Dungola Hospital for treatment. Abdel-Rahim Mohamed Hussein who does not maintain any ethical standards unfairly maligned the 8000000 “Eight Million” people of Darfur.
The infamous name of Sudan’s Defence Minister Abdel Rahim Mohammed Hussein was associated with the Falling Buildings Scandal when he was an Interior Minister. It was alleged, at the time, that he was implicated in the disgrace following the collapse of a multistory building of the University of Rabat in Khartoum few years ago leading to 16 billion dinars loss. Criminal Investigation into the case of the collapsed building of the Rabat hospital medical laboratories was referred to the Ministry of Justice. However, justice was denied by orders from top brass to stop the lawsuit in the case of Rabat collapsed building for good! The Arabised Abdel Rahim Mohammed Hussein must have forgotten his African roots when he made contemptuous remarks demonizing the people of Darfur. He tried to use the unconscious Mental (Defence) Mechanism of Repression to overcome his “inferiority complex” feeling. He is “the Pot Calling the Kettle Black!” Sudan is in need of a political system with national purpose of unity that brings us together as citizens enjoying equal rights and sharing our Sudanese ideal values but definitely not the racist evil ideology of Abdel Rahim Mohammed Hussein and others of his ilk in the NCP regime.
Abdel-Rahim Mohamed Hussein and others of his type always come across on the media as shiftily smirking self-serving knaves, rogues and scoundrels. Abdel-Rahim Hussein and others of his ilk are all tarred with the same brush of racism, fascism and Arabism supremacy. It is hard to believe that a sane responsible minister in the so-called Government of National Unity (GNU) make such a divisive and offensive statement against citizens of a whole region. However, it is no wonder that such idiotic insulting contemptuous comment to come out of the rude foul mouth of this inept cabinet defence minister of a country, which tops the ranking as the state most at risk of failure for the second year in a row, scoring 486 points according to Failed State Index in 2007. The problems that plague failing states are rife in the state of Sudan lead by the NIF/NCP regime. The criteria of a failed state include rampant corruption, predatory elites who have long monopolized power, an absence of the rule of law, widespread violation of human rights, impenetrable bureaucracy, judicial ineffectiveness, military interference in politics, poor governance, massive movement of refugees and internally displaced peoples and severe ethnic or religious divisions, to name a few!
The people of Darfur demand the GNU to investigate Defence Minister Abdel -Rahim Mohammed Hussein on the insulting deplorable remarks, against the people of Darfur’ he made at his press conference in Riyadh. Will Sudan’s First Vice President Salva Kiir Mayardit put pressure on his partners in the NCP to investigate the Defence Minister Abdel -Rahim Mohammed Hussein whose credibility has been called into question? The question is who cares? “The sixty-four dollar question” ($64 question.)! His remarks were completely deplorable; he is at least to be suspended from the public post he holds followed by a public apology.
Dr. Mahmoud A. Suleiman is the Deputy Chairman of the General Congress for Justice and Equality Movement (JEM). He can be reached at [email protected].