Can we Sudanese preserve our own identity?

By Roba Gibia

August 2, 2010 – Since inception of SPLM/A movement in 1983, Dr. John Garang has been emphasizing that social equality is the principal and fundamental basis of the country, taking into consideration Sudan’s multi-ethnic and multi-cultural diversities. He has urged on several occasions that “let us not be Northerners or Southerners but Sudanese at the first place”. Dr. Garang said the solution to Sudan’s crisis is to initiate inclusive modern state (New Sudan) based on the people’s aspiration, where justice and equality prevail but Garang’s call for Sudan’s unity on new dimensions was rejected by Khartoum. And that was evident during the Naivasha peace negotiations, as the SPLM/A suggestion for confederation was refused by the NCP and instead they (NCP) accepted separation of south at the end of interim period through referenda where people of south should choose between voluntary unity and secession as well as people of Abyei as whether to remain part of south or north. The Sudan’s unity was not taken serious during the past five years after agreement but rather it is left loose, and there is no fundamental change or indication that Sudan is undergoing democratic transformation as this date in order to make unity of the country attractive. Dr. Garang said when we talk about democracy we do not mean return to deception technical democracy of the past which was camouflage for maintenance of vested interest. Thus, as we talk today majority of Sudanese people remain marginal to be manipulated by Khartoum’s political deception, then how can we Sudanese preserve our own identity, while Khartoum is still trying to enforce unity on south by jeopardizing 2011 referenda, as it was uttered by NCP that north-south separation “cannot be allowed under any circumstances”! And this is crystal clear message that NCP is turning its back to the CPA agreement and instead trying to impose its own will on the people of south, which I believe is a red line and south will not let it happen under any circumstances.

There are voices saying that South Sudan separation or independence will cause conflicts and disintegration and it is doomed to fail, this is ridiculous notion and instead a closed way of thinking and it is a way of deceiving and jeopardizing people of south Sudan’s rights in order to remain enchain at the hands of Khartoum, which in my view will never and ever happen unless under Southern Sudanese bodies! And if one may ask, why south wanted to separate from north? I believe people of south wanted to break the chains of oppression, marginalization and servitude to preserve their own African identity and culture. And this is simply because people of north do not have attitude of sticking to their own Sudanese origin, but are looking for outside origin and identity to stick to and in most cases in the name of Islam and Arabism. Therefore, despite the fact that Vice President Ali Osman Taha said “the ethnic and racial diversity should not scare us because it represents one of the requirements for Sudan to remain one and united”, but under which system and dimensions, secular or religious is the key question here, because unity of the country under the current radical Islamic government is far reaching or impossible but it is possible for the continuity of conflicts in Sudan. The Vice President Taha went on saying that “the components of unity are many but were not sufficiently highlighted’. Yes, we know there are many components of unity but not adequately utilized for the benefit of the country but rather it has been selectively utilized to manipulate the majority of Sudanese people. Therefore, Second Vice President Taha’s statement in my view is just merely for media consumption but not practical in its real sense.

At this context, I wonder why people has just awaken now to justify Sudan’s unity, and where were they for past fifty decades, and even for the past five years they never considered country’s unity seriously! I believe at this juncture, north-south dialogue has to concentrate on post referendum and relationship between the two countries, south and north after January 9, 2011. Because since independence of Sudan in 1956 there is no recipe or common ground for Sudan’s unity, as some people say to make Sudan one and united country, all Sudanese should be Arabs and some say Africans and based on these two controversial views, it makes Sudan’s unity problematic as this date. And that was obvious in Dr. John Garang’s view when he said “some Sudanese take refuge in Arabism and failing to realize it, they find refuge in Islam as uniting factor. And some get frustrated as they fail to discover how they can become Arabs when their creator thought otherwise, and they take refuge in separation”. Thus, pro-secession forces are not “losers” as described by VP Ali Osman Taha but rather everyone has got absolute legal rights to advocate either for unity or secession, but ballots are the only determining factor for these two options if the referendum is held in free and fair atmosphere. Last but not least, it is worth noting that Eritrea is not a failed country as it was described by VP Taha, and has it were to be failed country, why Sudan has got excellent relationship with Eritrea! Thus, before we speak out we have to figure out consequences of what we are saying instead of uttering false statements just for time consumption. Therefore, I reiterate it is not south to be faulted for the secession and disintegration of Sudan but north (Khartoum), which deliberately no one tries to understand it. And that was obvious in the stand of Al-Tayib Mustafa and his Al-Intibaha newspaper which is reflecting the view of National Congress Party (NCP) and has got its blessing. As since this newspaper started in mid-2007 it has been candidly talking ill of South Sudanese people, not that only but even in TV shows describing Southerners as CANCER at the body of north which has to be removed but not South’s Oil! Why? Because Southerners are dragging north backward and lots of nasty words has been said against south such as “Even though if Southerners started converting into Islam in large numbers, they will never be part of north or Sudan”. Hence, there was nothing to be discussed because south has been already detached ever since from north, then what next! Please, please let the day earn its trouble, it is sufficient for the day.

Roba Gibia; is a Sudan Tribune journalist, He can be reached at e-mail: [email protected]