Sudan is blessed with a staggering amount of resources; both natural and human resources are in abundance; nevertheless, Sudan is unable to move an inch on the ladder of success and progress. There are undoubtedly obstacles crippling its movement. Are they the heavy legacies of the old Sudan that cripple it? Is it the arrogant and stubborn mentality of the Sudanese leadership? Is it their short-sightedness? Or is it their racist mentality—some of them? Or is it what?
One wonders why other countries are moving forward swiftly while Sudan is falling behind? How is it that many nations that gained their political independence after us have surpassed us, yet we in Sudan are still lagging behind? Is it because we don’t look quite alike and there are some of us with strange faces? Is it because there are some of us who feel superior to others because of their ethnicity, religion, or background? Is it because the colonial system, without consulting us, made haphazard demarcations that forced five hundred eighty-plus tribes and ethnicities into one country called Sudan? Is Sudan’s area too small for these culturally diverse nations to coexist? Or is Sudan too big to accommodate all of us? Or is it a curse out of the blue inflicted on us because of our sins, wrongfulness, and disunity? Or is it what?
Seventy-plus years on, Sudan is reeling under the scourge of hardship and suffering. Seventy-plus years on, Sudan lacks a permanent constitution and national project. Seventy-plus years on, Sudan lacks a distinct national identity, flavour, and uniqueness. Seventy-plus years on, Sudan lacks a shared vision and a clear strategic plan that responds to the interests of the Sudanese people. Seventy-plus years on, the Sudanese National Military Establishment has lost its creed and dogma, engaging instead in brutalizing and dehumanizing its own citizens. Seventy-plus years on, Sudanese politicians are still engaged in accusations and counter-accusations. Fifty-plus years out of seventy-plus years have been governed by notorious military juntas that misguided the country into the abyss. Seventy-plus years on, Sudan lacks good leadership and good governance. Seventy-plus years on, Sudan is still being used as a guinea pig for all sorts of ideological theories and ideas. Seventy-plus years on, some Sudanese people feel disconnected from their national Sudanese identity.
Sudan suffers from a lack of a culture of recognition and apology—a virtue of which wise and prudent people are proud. Sudan is an exceptional case, where this culture of recognition and apology is a defeat. Sudanese politicians rarely confess their mistakes and rarely apologize. Their hearts are laden with a culture of demonization, denigration, vilification, and incrimination—though of course, not all of them. Since the political independence of this unfortunate country in 1956, no Sudanese politician has ever dared to confess his or her mistakes or those of their political parties. Sudan will never be at ease as long as such politicians are present in the political landscape of the country
Who triggered the first bullet of this ongoing, nonsensical war? No one has the guts to confess, and no one has the courage to apologize to the Sudanese people. Who destroyed the infrastructural facilities of the country? No one dares to say, ‘This was me’. Who contributed to the displacement of millions of Sudanese people and made their lives a living hell? Who forced the Sudanese people to cross the borders into the neighbouring countries seeking safe refuge and haven? No one will dare to recognize or apologize. Who killed the innocent citizens in the towns and cities of the country in cold blood? No one, as usual, will confess or apologize. Who has raped and is still raping Sudanese women? No one will dare to admit or apologize. Who looted the assets and burned the houses of Sudanese citizens? Yet, no one confesses or apologizes. Where has the money for the tarmac road of the West, Darfur Road gone? No one knows. No one has the courage to confess or apologize. Where has the money for the ring road of South Kordofan gone? No one knows. No one has the courage to confess or apologize. Truth is the first victim in any corrupt practices or violent conflicts; it is their first martyr.
Many conflicts in Sudan flare up in response to a sense of injustice, marginalization, ill-treatment, or exclusion. The victims become angry, and their attitudes turn negative towards the offenders. If this situation remains unchecked, these negative attitudes develop into aggressive behaviours and eventually develop into violent conflicts. At personal level, common sense dictates that offenders or perpetrators must confess their mistakes, apologize, obligate themselves not to make such mistakes in the future, and then ask for forgiveness, but common sense isn’t always common practice. At an institutional level, government bodies and institutions should pledge to correct and reform their mistakes—whether witting or unwitting—following confessions and apologies. It is unfortunate that such developed and sophisticated behaviours rarely happen in Sudan. Lethal institutional mistakes are made with no recognitions or apologies. Many discriminatory and exclusionary policies are made with no confessions or apologies. Many criminals, offenders, and rapists are freely moving with impunity. Have I not told you that recognition and apology are in short supply in Sudan? This shortage in supply is the tragedy of our country; it is the chain that cripples our movement.
I conclude this article by saying that the reform process can not begin until recognition and apology take place. Recognition and apology necessitate willpower and absolute courage, both of which are in short supply. It is high time to help Sudan stand on its own two feet through adopting a culture of recognition and apology, without which Sudan will remain at the bottom of the first rung of the ladder of success and progress. Sudan is in desperate need of support from all of us. Sudan will not be at ease until we roll up our sleeves and pull up our socks to get to work. Let us recognize our past silence and sincerely apologize for failing to speak up sooner.
No to War, Yes to Sustainable Just Peace
Mahjoub Saleem
Kampala – Uganda
