Sudan is a resource rich country in Africa. Its capital is Khartoum. The country is on boil since 2018 protest against price rise and austerity measures by the government to avoid collapse of the economy and cutting of bread and fuel subsidies. The economic problems brought Sudanese from all walks of life to the streets, but the organisation of demonstrations was taken on by the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) – a collaboration of doctors, health workers and lawyers. People’s protests are still going on despite the overthrow of its long-serving (30 years) ruler Omar al-Bashir’s in April 2019 and usurpation of power by military.
The military and pro-democracy movement have since been locked in a tussle for power that has led to mass protests and killings. Subsequently, a council of generals assumed power on 11 April, 2019 but it has struggled to return normality to the country. The seven-member Transitional Military Council (TMC) led by Lt-Gen Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman Burhan is nowhere close to an amicable settlement of the Sudan crisis. It must be noted that in Sudan, the army is not a unified force and the paramilitary organisations and various Islamist militias hold some sway.
The council took the charge of government to ensure order and security. Despite military brutality the protests continued in Sudan due to mistrust between different stakeholders and lack of faith of the people in military regime. This forced the military junta to resume talks on a power-sharing government. The agreement first reached on 4 August, 2019 proposed the formation of a transitional government sharing power for 39 months after which elections were to be held. For the purpose, the agreement stipulated to set up a sovereign council, cabinet and legislative body, headed by a general for the first 21 months and then by a civilian for the remaining 18 months. The ruling generals and the protest organizers had come together under the umbrella group Forces of Freedom and Change, but later they failed to implement the agreement as the opposition groups demanded a quicker transfer. Protests again started and the African Union and Ethiopia negotiated a power-sharing deal that put a joint civilian-military government in place in September 2019.
But the military dismissed the civilian ministers in a coup in October 2019; however, it restored Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok following a month of protests. Most civilian parties refused to support the new power-sharing deal. The public demonstrations continued in 2020 people while who protested against the military government as inflation skyrocketed to 99 percent and higher, with food prices soared after borders were closed to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile, Al-Bashir went on trial in Khartoum on July 21 over the 1989 coup that brought him to power. The government also decided to devalue the currency in a bid to curb black market activity as it struggles with an “economic emergency”. In October, Sudan signed (October 2020) a landmark peace deal with an alliance of rebel groups but two key groups refused to sign and tribes in Sudan’s east also opposed the accord, saying it overlooked them. It also agreed to normalise ties with Israel in what is seen as a quid pro quo for the United States to remove the country from its State Sponsors of Terrorism list in December.
The reconciliation efforts continued. In February 2021, Sudan announced a new cabinet that included seven ministers from former rebel groups. Hamdok warned of fractures within the civilian alliance that spearheaded the anti-Bashir protests. Protests in eastern Sudan blocked trade through the key hub of Port Sudan from September. Khartoum announces on September 21 that it thwarted a coup attempt by civilian and military plotters linked to al-Bashir’s overthrown government. Protesters again took to the streets in Khartoum from October 16 to demand a military government, ostensibly at the behest of a splinter faction of the main civilian protest bloc. In response, tens of thousands demonstrate on October 21 in support of the country’s transition to a civilian-led democracy. In November 2021 after several mass rallies against the coup, military leaders and Hamdok announced a deal for his reinstatement as PM. Later, Hamdok says he has returned to prevent further bloodshed and protect economic reforms. In January 2022,, Hamdok announces resignation after failing to name a government amid continuing anti-military protests.
The crisis and confusion in Sudan continued. In the latest move Sudan’s military chief, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has appointed 15 ministers to a new government. The move came almost three months after he seized power in a military coup which derailed a planned transition to elections. Since the coup there have been frequent large protests that have seen more than 70 protesters killed by security forces. The naming of a new government is unlikely to appease the protesters who want the military to quit the political scene entirely. Earlier, dozens of judges in Sudan called for a criminal investigation into the violent suppression of the protests, accusing military leaders of carrying out heinous violations against defenceless protesters.
The United States has reiterated that it will not resume economic assistance to Sudan unless there is an end to violence and a civilian-led government is restored.