Sudan’s troubles

Sudan’s troubles

Context

The massacre of over 60 people over the weekend in Sudan’s Darfur region marks a further escalation in the violence blighting the territory since the 2019 ouster of the country’s dictator Omar al-Bashir.

Arab emperors vs. African ethnic groups

About 500 armed men targeted the Masalit community in west Darfur’s Masteri town, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
On Friday, 20 people, including women and children, were gunned down in a South Darfur town when displaced farmers were returning to the region under a recent government-backed agreement with the original landowners.
Days earlier, Khartoum declared an emergency in the North Darfur region after a police station was burned down and vehicles set on fire by protesters in a small town and militias attacked another.
These incidents are a reminder of the unfinished task of restoring stability in Darfur racked by a conflict between the nation’s dominant Arab rulers and the African ethnic communities demanding greater autonomy from Khartoum.
Nertiti town in central Darfur has become the epicentre of the growing opposition in the region.
The mass sit-ins since June have attracted wider support from the professional classes that spearheaded the 2019 popular uprising that led to the fall of the autocratic regime of Mr. Bashir.

Demands of the Masalit community

In response to demands from women’s groups for basic protection following the violence, Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has announced the deployment of additional security forces.
But the continuing tensions merely reinforce concerns that the government’s assurances at the beginning of this month have not translated into concrete measures.
Another key demand is the hand-over of Mr. Bashir to The Hague to be tried for genocide and atrocities in Darfur.
While some officials have sounded positive on the question, top military officials in the transitional government are said to be concerned about the risk that others close to him could be implicated.

Way ahead

Meanwhile, extraditing Mr. Bashir — now imprisoned in Khartoum — could serve as a useful trade-off for the government to restore ties with the West, have sanctions removed and attract investment.
At any rate, securing the peace in the nation’s west is critical for Sudan’s broader democratic transition that was set in motion last year.
Restoration of normalcy is also the only route to the timely conduct of democratic elections.

Source: TH

Join Our Telegram

Oceanic Anoxic Event 1a and MASS EXTINCTION

Oceanic Anoxic Event 1a and MASS EXTINCTION

25 Dec, 24
SHARE

Oceanic Anoxic Event 1a from the Paris Basin (Environment) Paper-3 PMP OAE 1a refers to a period during the Cretaceous Period (145 million years ago and ended 66 million years ago) when Earth's oceans became depleted of oxygen, causing a significant disruption in marine life. Cause: The event is believed to have been

Viksit Panchayat Karmayogi (Good governance)

26 Dec, 24
SHARE

Viksit Panchayat Karmayogi (Good governance) Governance GS PAPER-2 PMP Dr. Jitendra Singh launched the ‘Viksit Panchayat Karmayogi’ initiative on Good Governance Day, celebrated to mark the 100th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The initiative, which is part of the broader ‘Prashasan Gaon

Major programmes to control Air Pollution

23 Dec, 24
SHARE

Major programmes to control Air Pollution National Clean Air Programme? It was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in January 2019. It is the first-ever effort in the country to frame a national framework for air quality management with a time-bound reduction target. The

Air pollution and Air quality Measures in India

21 Dec, 24
SHARE

Air pollution and Air quality Measures in India (Environment) GS Paper-3 P-M-P Air pollution may be defined as the presence of any solid, liquid or gaseous substance including noise and radioactive radiation in the atmosphere in such concentration that may be directly and/or indirectly injurious to humans or other l

Geopolitical Significance of Ports

20 Dec, 24
SHARE

Geopolitical Significance of Ports (IR) Act as geopolitical assets: Ports enhance the projection of strategic reach, which helps strengthen the country’s control over important sea and energy supply routes. E.g. Indian Navy’s staging base at Agalega Islands will enable marine patrols