Sudan’s War: Between Political Opportunism and Ethical Duty

The Face of Truth

Ibrahim Shaglawi

Shglawi55@gmail.com

The leadership of the Coordination of Democratic Civil Forces(CDCF) has consistently warned of an imminent civil war whenever the army tightens its control over an area or makes advances in battlefronts. This reflects a state of anxiety and tension within political forces, and it may have potential repercussions on the political process. According to observers, the political forces’ reactions to the war are dictated by the army’s victories and not by the ethical dimension of protecting civilians. It seems these forces are betting on the militia’s success, relying either on the promises made to them or the false slogans they have promoted. Alternatively, they seek a scenario where neither the army nor the militia wins, pushing both sides into negotiations that would make it easier to reach a military and political settlement, sparing both sides from post-war consequences.

This makes it clear how these political forces think. It appears they do not reject the war because it is abhorrent or due to the violations and harm it causes civilians, but rather because they oppose the army’s victory. The army’s success would mean that these forces are sidelined from the political equation or, at the very least, they can no longer claim they represent the legitimacy of the revolution or that they are the enlightened civil forces opposing tyranny and working towards civil governance. This, my dear readers, is what makes the situation in Sudan tense, complicated, and seemingly devoid of solutions. It also intensifies the ongoing tensions between the army and political parties (CDCF).

Therefore, we have repeatedly emphasized that the country needs a comprehensive Sudanese-Sudanese political dialogue to put an end to internal conflicts and work towards peace and stability. Yesterday, a member of the CDCF Coordination, journalist Shawgi Abdel Azim, issued a warning on Al Jazeera Mubasher, stating that prolonging the war will turn it into a civil war. I hope Shawgi’s remarks are taken seriously because he previously said that failing to implement the Framework Agreement would lead to war, and indeed, war did break out. It seems he was aware of the coup plan, which Mariam Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi referred to, saying that if the Framework Agreement was obstructed, they would develop alternative options, and “for every situation, there will be a response.”

All of these were clear signs indicating that there were pre-set plans aimed at alternatives. Therefore, they speak about these issues in a calculated and informed manner. Accordingly, all government agencies and the army should take Shawgi’s statement seriously. I am not sure how they will respond, but given that his first warning about the war’s imminence proved correct, we must now ponder this matter to prevent the country from slipping into the civil war that Shawgi Abdel Azim has warned of. He likely has insider information, or perhaps he is aware of a plan, as we know that they are connected to the circles that ignited the war and are managing and funding its pathways.

Shawgi’s statement should be read alongside Yasser Arman’s, the leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (Revolutionary Democratic Current), who said in online media that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had committed massacres against civilians in Eastern Gezira. He noted that what happened in Eastern Gezira and other areas were primarily massacres against civilians. He also mentioned that the war is no longer between two armed factions, but now involves tribes and communities, stretching from Al-Fashir to Tamboul. Arman emphasized that the current war is not just against remnants of the former regime, but has turned into a war of everyone against everyone.

In any case, the army’s victories in several battlefronts have caused frustration for some leaders of the Coordination of Democratic Civil Forces(CDCF), who have started talking about an imminent civil war. This is one of the wrong projections that these political forces have been making whenever the RSF faces pressure on the battlefield. They recognize, and have even stated, that the army’s victory means absolute political power and authoritarian rule, leaving no room for civilians. Today, the army advanced in several fronts in Omdurman and Bahri, reclaimed the city of Dinder, and laid siege to Sennar, with its liberation expected to be announced at any moment. Additionally, the army’s Commander-in-Chief, General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, arrived last night in the Al-Batana region to oversee the preparations of the armed forces to liberate Gezira State, starting from the localities of East Gezira and Um Qura.

Alongside the significant advances in the war fronts, following the army’s declared plan and objectives, we can confirm that Shawgi and Yasser Arman’s statements reveal a fear of the army’s victories in this war. This reflects a state of anxiety among political forces about the potential political consequences if the current situation develops into a decisive victory for the Sudanese Armed Forces.

However, it seems that the Sudanese people have chosen to stand by their army in this battle until the end, in light of the violations and atrocities committed by the militia, including rape and property confiscation. The hope remains in fostering peace and restoring security through the army’s victories, after the militia failed to comply with the Jeddah Agreement, signed on May 11 last year, which was intended to put an end to this war and the grave crisis threatening Sudan. Everyone is now waiting to see if the political forces supporting the militia will change their approach towards the army’s victories. The upcoming steps may determine the future course of the political process, which is expected to include all Sudanese without exception. This is to ensure that the war does not remain a conflict between the political opportunism of the political parties and the ethical and national duty of the Sudanese Armed Forces in restoring security and peace for the Sudanese people.

Best regards,