What the people of Sudan must know

November 12, 2007 - After nearly fifty years of independent from British; Sudan, the largest country in Africa, has been wrestling with injustice and inhumanity. Ever since January 1st, 1956, Sudanese people have been encountering grieves and prelude oppression in their own country, simply because of domination of our central government by Arab elites who are the vast minority in the African biggest country (Sudan). Wars have been fought by oppressed ordinary Sudanese citizens, especially in the South, and other marginalized areas within the country, with optimism that the regime will change its characteristics and perpetuity of owning people’s government and resources. Unfortunately, the oppression and enslavement of our people seems unlikely to come to an end.

Many agreements have been signed with Khartoum including the recent Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which was signed on January 9th, 2005 ending more than two decades of civil war between the north and the south. However, these agreements have been dishonored and simultaneously violated by one handed rules government in Khartoum. A situation has left the largest country on the African continent with hopelessness, undefined future, gloomy stability and poverty. All kind of efforts have been collectively made by those ordinary Sudanese who want nothing but peace, stability, justice, rule of law, equality and humanity under the same system, yet the mission of struggling people of Sudan seems impossible, which leaves those freedom fighters with no option rather than to continue with the struggle.

Just a month or so ago, the nation had almost slide back to third war between the south and the north, when Sudan people’s liberation movement froze its participation in the so called government of National Unity (GONU) because of Khartoum’s failure to entirely implement pending comprehensive peace agreement (CPA) protocols. These contentious issues have not been implemented by national congress party (NCP) because of its strategic tactics that are meant for its elites to independently continue ruling Sudan under oppression and alienation of Sudanese people.

All these behaviors from Khartoum make sense for anyone to question him/herself what kind of future is Sudan holding? Is the war imperative or are those oppressed citizens ready to continue living the life of injustice and inhumanity? To most citizens such as myself, freedom is a privilege of any human being on this earth, it is a gift from God to all human kind. Unfortunately, the mankind has a system in which anyone who wants to be free must fight for his freedom, and therefore, the people of Sudan are obliged to collectively continue fighting for their freedom, for there is no one to lend it to them free of charge. They have begged the masters for so long, and have not been granted their humanity along with equal justice. Perhaps, the question has become whether the people of Sudan must have freedom or die? Because it is either one of the two, you live free or die because no one ever volunteered to live under injustice and oppression.

The NIF is an imminent enemy of the people, and will never guarantee freedom in Sudan unless those who want to be free must let the regime know whether it wishes them well or ill. Our people shall sacrifice their lives and wealth to pay any price worth their freedom, bear any burden and any responsibility to meet all kind of hardships and attain the goal and objective of being free society. Support any of their friend around the world against the regime and its ruthlessness, believe in justice, and oppose the enemies of peace to assure the survival of justice and equality for all our people. There is a need for Sudanese people, not to idly stand by and watch their children being displaced, their resources being exploited, properties set on fires in broad day light; women being shamefully raped, and their land being stolen by tyrant and totalitarians who have for so long refused not to guarantee freedom for all.

There is a need for all people of Sudan from all racial, religious, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds to unite against the forces of evils in Khartoum, and stand up to proclaim their dignity as human beings, repair their destroyed values and diagnose mental wounds of inferiority caused to them by minority group in Khartoum. The enemy of people in Sudan is not that powerful to continue treating the people the way it has been; however, what has been a potential problems is that they divide the people of Sudan along tribal and religious lines, used them against one another to attain their goals of superiority and perpetuity; yet their useless political mechanism could be over come by freedom fighters forces by refusing division and unite all political forces which are against the regime lawlessness. One may say that it is not too late for Sudanese people to say enough is enough, and weigh revolutions against oppressors. It is all about taking “uneasy walk to freedom” as one of our distinguished freedom fighters Nelson Mandela put it. That is why Sudanese people should not celebrate their multi-party victories, but the sacraments of democracy, freedom, and the rule of law that all men are created equal. Freedom in Sudan is achievable, but those who want to be free must let the fruits of cooperation approve the struggle of alienated Sudanese from the South, North, West, and in the East. Without collective effort of Sudanese, the nightmare will never end nor will separation help.

In conclusion, this article is an appeal to all political forces which are against the regime in Sudan. In particular, it is an appeal to Darfur groups who are presently confronting the axis of evils. If those military leaders in Darfur took arm against Khartoum for a real reason of oppression and inferiority of our people, then there is a need for those commanders to unite under one umbrella; have a unified reason for the caused of not only Darfur people, but all the citizens of Sudan. Unity among Darfur rebels is not only vital for one unified theme of short term goal and objective, but it is for long term goals and objectives which could affect our nation in prospurious manner which can make our people proud citizens of their homeland once again. We must learn not to cause fear among ourselves during difficult times like this, because a man who can cause fear for others can never be free. If we all want to be free, we must unite and reclaim our country once and for all. Our division is always an aspiration for the enemy, and it is their duty to continue employing those painful tactics against us as they intend to destroy us forever. It is almost half of a century since then. Therefore, it is time for us to come together and fight for Sudan. We intend to be free, and no man on this earth with a power to stop us from achieving our intended objectives. We have duty, and honor to defend freedom and democracy in Sudan until it is entirely attained for all Sudanese people. On the other hand, the SPLM must stay out of government of national unity until all elements of CPA are implemented including the old borders and Abyei issue. Peace and war both belong to us, we must fight when obligated to do so, and we must stay in peace when peace and justice is there for all.

Garang Ayang Kuoi lives in the U.S.A as a History and Political Science student at Southern Vermont College, Bennington Vermont. He can be reached at gayang@svc.edu