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“No turning back. “ It is the rallying cry, chanted all the time by the demonstrators, perched on the roof of a van or on the shoulders of a comrade, accompanied by the incessant horns of motorcycles bearing the Sudanese flag. The words are not chosen by chance: since its independence, Sudan has experienced three military dictatorships, each of which abruptly interrupted a period of democratic transition.
On Thursday, October 21, tens of thousands of people marched in several cities, including Khartoum, to demand a transfer of power to civilians, while a sit-in has been demanding for six days a “Military government” to get the country out of the doldrums. The date is not trivial: October 21 commemorates the popular uprising and the general strike which, in 1964, defeated General Ibrahim Abboud, who came to power by force shortly after the country’s independence. “ I was 10 when he fell. Fifty-seven years later, we are still fighting against generals who do not let go of the reins of politics ”, loose Mohamed al-Amine, a retired English teacher.
On the avenue that borders Khartoum airport, the procession stretches as far as the eye can see. Demonstrators converge from all corners of the capital. According to local media, several hundred thousand across the country took to the streets to proclaim their desire to protect the gains of the revolution started in December 2018 which led to the fall of ex-president Omar al- Bachir.
The soldiers who ensured his succession, in April 2019, signed a power-sharing agreement with the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC), a coalition of civilian parties supported by the popular uprising. But since the failed coup attempt on September 21, the transition appears to be on the verge of derailment and the generals have stepped up frontal attacks against the ” mismanagement ” civilians.
“Government of Hunger”
These divisions caused a split within the FFC. A new political faction has emerged, led by Jibril Ibrahim and Minni Minnawi, two former rebel leaders, respectively finance minister and governor of Darfur province.
Since October 16, these dissidents have called on their supporters to meet in front of the headquarters of the transitional authorities. About a hundred tents have been set up on either side of the avenue leading to the presidential palace. On the spot, thousands of people denounce the deterioration of the economic situation and demand “The fall of the government from hunger” Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok, whose portrait appears everywhere marked with a red cross.
If the anger is unanimous, the demands are disparate. Some are calling for the government to be replaced by a cabinet of technocrats until free elections are held. Others ostensibly demand a military coup de force and the army’s stranglehold on power. In the crowd, young children who came by bus from the “Khalawa”, Koranic schools, stroll the haggard air behind large banners.
On Thursday, two demonstrations were therefore opposed in the streets of Khartoum. For the pro-government, who marched on the avenue of the airport, carefully avoiding any confrontation with those they call the “Kayzan” (backers of the former regime), the encampment of the presidential palace is orchestrated by the military. “It is assembled from scratch and financed by certain generals in order to destabilize the transition “, denounces Taj el-Sir Hassan, member of a resistance committee. On social networks, many videos circulated, showing individuals chartering entire buses and distributing meals to encourage onlookers to join the ranks of the sit-in.
Among the supporters of the government, some fear that the emergence of this new political movement is a fool’s game, giving an acceptable face to a party that would allow the generals to return power to civilians, in accordance with the constitutional document, while preserving their rights. interests.
Show of strength
The clock is ticking. The transition has come halfway and the presidency of the Sovereignty Council, now held by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, should soon fall to a civilian. He called for the dissolution of the current government but defended himself from seeking to hamper the democratic transition, saying that the army would guarantee the elections scheduled for early 2024.
The pro-government show of force could consolidate the base of Abdallah Hamdok, still popular despite an austerity program that weighs on the living conditions of the Sudanese. In a short video, the former economist at the African Development Bank (AfDB) congratulated the protesters on Thursday evening, assuring that“ there will be no hindsight on the objectives of the revolution “.
However, Thursday’s mobilization does not resolve the “Worst crisis” which has shaken the country for two years, in his own words. In addition to the weight of the army in the economy and the reform of the security sector, certain issues are fueling tensions between civilians and the military, such as the wish of the civilian authorities to advance the transitional justice process or to consider extradition of Omar al-Bashir to The Hague for crimes committed in Darfur.
“ Concessions will have to be made, says Jonas Horner, researcher at the International Crisis Group (ICG). Civilians will have to assure the military that they can continue to play a role. The generals will not agree to lose both their legal immunity and their economic resources. Hard to hear for lawyer Sumaya Ishag, who is waiting for answers. “Those who participated in these crimes are still in power. They play the watch “, she strikes in the middle of the procession.