The Sudan January Red Storm Event (Referendum)

By Peter Reat Gatkuoth

November 7, 2010 (SSNA) — Sudan is one of the few African countries that experienced war, coup and revolution through decades. The January Red Storm Event (referendum) which will probably result in one way or others is considered as the first practical referendum event in Sudan. It is one of the patriotic and citizenry choices for most of the people who had long been marginalized by the Sudan government.  Since the start of the revolutionary struggle or after the British left the country, Sudan has never had any election or referendum. President Jaafer El Nimeri has almost implemented the referendum in 1972 but been influenced by the elite group (Arab) until he voluntarily left the government and then the leadership of the transitional government took power.

In January 09/2011, the South Sudanese would either dance on the streets of their towns/villages to celebrate their new birth nation or go to war with the Northern regime that dominated them for years and years but who is to be blame? The Northern brothers always call for unity without practically accepting the definition of Unity. The South is sick of the concept of the unity without marry and commonality. If the concept of unity is to be of any value to an analysis of the Sudan politics; than Dr. John Garang de Mabior brought it to you theoretical with many options, models and abstract universal equality despite the fact that our society practice different religions.

When Dr John Garang de Mabior, the icon of federalism arrangement and parliamentary system with many options, advocate for the strengthening of the public policies; democracy and bolster pro-democracy groups out from the State that have not yet enter into the process of the democratic transitions; you the northerners brothers with your regime in Khartoum quoted him as a man who want to take the power from your elite group (Arab). John Garang de Mabior and his team made a substantial effort to promote the unity and federalism system as a core value but you aggressively fought against the objectives, approach and you choose to support the separation than the unity. What is wrong today if the team of Salva Kiir Mayardit and Dr. Riek Machar favour the separation which is the last models from all alternatives we had gone through?

Dr John Garang’s objective at the time was to introduce the system of the principle of publicity, electoral transparency, participatory and effective governance of federalism arrangement in Sudan but what have you done? You inclined not to give credence to the transitions widely, and choose to work against the leader who almost frees you from the injustice and wrong human right practice of Islam (Sharia). You must clearly know that the reason why the marginalized community fought that long was to bring the system of inclusiveness, and to introduce the system of public administration reform where religion should be privatized. Hence, you the Northern brothers/leaders (from Jaafer El Nimeri to President Omar Hassan El Bashir) failed to recognize the claims of the public, and see only the Islam as the only viable system that will bring change to all people in the country.

The leadership of Sudan (Arab leaded government) had only developed some part of the country specifically the northern states, and leave all people in desperate need of development projects. If they spread the development projects to the other sectors (such as South Sudan, Blue Nile, Western Darfur and Ingessnia… etc) and create different  institutions like the one in Khartoum; most of the kids would have gone to Arabic school and learn the Arabic culture (ideology) like in Nigeria, Libya, Chad or other African nations that are practising islamization privately. In this way the system of institutions introduced to the Southerner citizens would influence, dictate and agitate any decision being performed as to separate or united because the kids who happen to learn Arabic ideologies and system would lean more to Arabic policy. However, the leaders from Jaafer El Nimeri to the current President of the Sudan isolated the whole population; and solve their land with its indigenous communities to the neighbouring nations (pending cases that wait for the Southerners).

Consequently, it is also noted that few individuals who had gone to Arabic school system would never change the nature of the claims because they are at least 0.5% percentage from the whole population of the marginalized South. Even though the Arab leaders allow most of the kids to go to school, the major concern of the development would also agitate and force the Southerners to question the government (Arab lead) because the whole population were starving to starving and dying due to the lack of the health facilities, environmental concerns, lack of local road linking the towns and the villages; and other subjective factors related to the development and conflict.

The Sudan Islam has successfully synthesized Muslim values and ignores the traditional people (lifestyle) as if they were not the native and indigenous people of the land. It is precisely these syncretised practices that made all the marginalized community especially the Southern Sudan to fight as long as from 1956 to eliminate this practices and introduce an inclusive system of administration. Arab brothers would not cry at the last because our struggle broadly tries to address the issue comprehensively with acceptance of all people regardless of their religious practice but you failed to back up any models/options (separation or Unity). All the Northern brothers were there when we cry for reforms of the system of administration but you only thought that isolating of the Southern citizens from the services and the resources of the country is viable solution rather than accepting alternative logics of administrational system. The northern brothers were thinking that isolating of the Southern sector from the system would keep them in power as long as they want; but what a wrong strategies! I thought you the Arab should take good strategies of colonization from the people who accepted you to settle during the time you came as far as traders.

When you arrived into the Cush land, the indigenous communities of Nuba Mountains integrated you into the system of Cush as our next neighbour traders while you had hidden agenda that you precisely designed to occupy the Sudan land. It is said that if you want to colonies a human, allow him to access all the possibilities that an average citizens access but did our Northern brothers spread the concept of unity and development to the whole Sudan after they successfully rule the nation?

In sum, the only ever-present possibility to resort and occult to attain power in the North Sudan is to support the smooth separation of the country. If the Northern regime would choose to fight; then Bashir must put the rope on his next before the justice prevails because there is no viable way for him to escape this deadly rope unless he is willing to support the smooth democratically referendum (separation). We can only say goodbye to you our Northern brothers, and leave you alone grappling with your own affairs. We have tried to redefine the term “unity” within the context of Sudanese society yet you only choose to analyze unity in the context of religious politics.  If war is an eminent choice for the President Omar Hassan El Bashir; then the South Sudanese have successfully hidden one male and one female child to rebuild the struggle after you have officially crash all people in land with your alliances. You must also know that we will open the doors to the foreigners who were looking for criminals if there are some criminals in Sudan because we have no more common relations regardless of the name we all claims.

Peter Reat Gatkuoth is a global citizen and could be reach at [email protected] or [email protected]