Democracy: A political value yet to visit the Sudan

By Justin Ambago Ramba

February 19, 2009 — There is no doubt that the Sudanese like many other people in the world, have heard about the so-called democracy time and time again. Further more and as if everyone else is blind, even some of the most prominently corrupt politicians who plunged this country into the current miserable political antagonism also strongly believe that they had ruled this country in a democratic way of the highest standard.

However if you ask the opinion of the masses in the streets, they will not hesitate to tell you that they are indeed familiar with the word, but it’s not any of these things that ever happened in the entire history of the Sudan.

In 1956 when the predominantly northern riveran Arabs declared the so-called independence of the Sudan, they did so in the name of an expected democratic transformation of the Sudanese nation. Unfortunately once in power, like anywhere else they found themselves entangled in endless power struggles and the most expected democratic transformation became less of a priority. In the mess to follow, the military took power and suspended the constitution in November 1958 barely three years after the declaration of independency.

Hence all that which followed became broadly known as the Sudan’s vicious cycle of useless politics greatly marked by popular up risings to be followed by weak, corrupt sectarian governments which tend to end up being hijacked by some ambitious military adventurers. Then once again the whole thing starts all over again and again following exactly the same pattern.

Democracy has been the word mostly used in all the above scenarios but never practised, and thus testifying to the magic embodied in this great word which has for ages been used by politicians more as an anaesthetic agent than a real political change.

It is now four years since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), the Sudan finds itself facing the same situation once again. There is a clear reluctance especially from the National Congress Party (NCP) of president al Bashir as it continues to resist any changes in the rule of the game that might lead to a democratic transformation in the country.

NCP is no doubt scared of changes that might compromise its position and thus reduce its grip on power even if that change lies in the central core of the CPA. To them the CPA has turned into an unwanted document that is threatening to systematically dismantle their two decades of uncontested rule.

The NCP position on the 37 laws or so is a thing that the other Sudanese political forces find quite uncomfortable to put up with as it violates the Interim Constitution and the CPA. The NCP is still largely dependant on its partisan security agents as a tool for repressing any opposition not even sparing its partner the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).

Time is running out and sooner than later the Sudanese masses will be asked to go for elections under completely a unilaterally NCP controlled atmosphere as opposed to what is stipulated in the CPA. This is what happened with the 5th Population Census where SPLM found itself compelled to reluctantly conduct the Census in south Sudan amidst a list of unsettled issues.

As things are now, it is extremely unlikely to expect any change in how the Sudan’s security forces operate and their control over the press is here to stay. The unfortunate Sudanese masses may have to go again to the polls under the same security controlled environment. Whether you are looking for democratic and fair elections or not, the obvious is obvious.

Where do all these leave the Sudanese people whose hopes for a democratic transformation is entirely resting on the complete and timely implementation of the CPA?

To avoid any mass frustrations, the International Community must see to it that elections are conducted in a relatively conducive atmosphere. Because, it is only when the whole process takes place in the spirit of the CPA, then its transparency and fairness can be guaranteed, otherwise we may be heading towards a catastrophe.

However for any reason, should the CPA fail to bring about the expected changes to the 20 years of al Bashir’s totalitarian rule, then it would as well breed another totalitarian regime in south Sudan, now and in the future. So if there is nobody outside there to closely monitor the performance of the stakeholders under the CPA, then it is prone to be exploited by the two partners to consolidate their grips on power and hence democracy will continue to be talked of in the Sudanese politics but never practised.

Whosoever wants to see democratic rule practised in the Sudan sooner than later should come into terms with the values word stands for. We must be ready for fair elections whose results will binding in the first place and thus the only tool for peaceful transfer of power from one group to the other, However we have an immediate duty to guarantee the freedom of expression, otherwise what ever we claim to be doing will ust be a mockery if we are not free to express ourselves.

The author of this is article is a Sudanese doctor living in the UK and can be reached at: [email protected].