Sudan at the Crossroads: The path to peace starts in Switzerland
Switzerland: A new ligh
Towards an integrated approach to stopping the war first and then ending it
Will the army choose the people or the remnant of the former regime?
Yasir Arman
Chinese wisdom says, “A man in anger should not start a war, for his anger will pass but the victims will not return.” Most of the world’s wars have been declared by men, and often war is male while peace is female. Blessed are the women, the first victims of wars.
Since the beginning of the war on April 15, based on our long experience, I have been writing in an attempt to reach a common understanding among the democratic forces, the true advocates for stopping the war and the genuine stakeholders in peace, to clarify concepts and form common positions. There are two interconnected stages within a comprehensive process and an integrated approach: the first is to stop the war by committing its parties to address the humanitarian catastrophe, halt violations, and protect civilians with on-ground monitoring; the second is to end the war by addressing its root causes, establishing the state, and completing the tasks of the revolution. These two stages are interconnected as one package. War is a closed space, and stopping the war provides an open and healthy space for the political process. Now, there is a new light with the invitation from the Jeddah platform hosts, which can lead to this integrated approach:
1. It must be emphasized that Switzerland is exclusively a humanitarian platform, as clearly stated in the US Secretary of State’s statement calling for a new phase of negotiations on August 14. The parties of the humanitarian platform are not tasked with drawing and shaping the political platform that determines Sudan’s future. If we want sustainable solutions, we must listen to the voice of the people and their revolution, which called for the establishment of the state, the building of a professional single army, and a democratic state based on citizenship, freedom, peace, and justice without rewarding the remnant of the former regime for their war.
2. The importance of what is happening in Switzerland is that it is supported by the Security Council in a rare and important agreement among its members, and now has strong backing from the United States. This represents significant importance for the forgotten war in Sudan. Moreover, Sudan’s neighbours, the region, and its organizations seem increasingly interested in stopping the war.
3. The Rapid Support Forces have expressed their agreement and readiness, which is good and deserves to be welcomed.
4. The geopolitical situation in the Red Sea and its surroundings is witnessing rapid developments, and regional and international forces know that Sudan connects the Red Sea, the African Sahel, and the Horn of Africa. This is an important motivator for interest in Sudan’s war.
5. The Djibouti meeting this week, which includes regional and international forces, increases the unprecedented momentum to address the humanitarian catastrophe, protect civilians, and stop the war.
6. Switzerland is part of Europe; however, the representation of the European Union as an observer and its countries being close to the war in Sudan, the Sahel, and the Horn of Africa is required.
7. The army and its leadership are dealing with a strategic issue, and the invitation extended to them for this meeting falls within a vital sphere. They need to employ reason and wisdom and not listen to the remnant of the former regime and their lies, especially since the National Congress Party has openly declared its support for stopping the war, though zebras can’t change their stripes.
Finally, the invitation genuinely serves the people and the parties to the conflict. Continuing the war will tear Sudan apart, further displace its people, and lead to the state’s collapse. Those who want war can return to it, but peace is a rare currency. Let us look twice at the wars around us. Our people deserve peace and the cessation of the war so that the displaced can return to their villages and cities, and a credible political process can begin to build a new system and state, in an open space.
For the new and rapidly developing events to gain real momentum, the issue of stopping the war is agreed upon among the forces of the revolution and those desiring civilian democratic governance. This should be the basis of their unity to achieve a critical mass with a comprehensive vision and establish an integrated approach to managing the processes of stopping and ending the war. There should be no reward for the remnant of the former regime or a return to a miserable partnership, but rather, the establishment of the state and the completion of the revolution to achieve sustainable peace.
The revolution is more enduring than war.