Sudan’s al-Bashir turned his Massacre Machineagainst Darfuri University Students
By Mahmoud A. Suleiman
This article is part of a series of articles that I have been writing on the central issue of the people of Sudan in the region of Darfur. It comes against the backdrop of the brutal bloody attack carried out by the forces of evil and thugs and henchmen belong to the war criminal, fugitive from the international justice, perpetrator of genocide in Darfur, the tyrant Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir on the Darfur Students Association members at the University of Khartoum on March 10, 2014. The massacre began when the Gathering of Darfur Students’ Associations in Universities and Higher Education Institutes set up a seminar for a peaceful discussion to expose the falsehood, and the lies of alleged national dialogue, which Omar al-Bashir put forward to the Sudanese people to participate in it. Nevertheless, the intention of the (NCP) government was conspiracy to suppress the public who attended the seminar; most of them were students from Darfur. During the rally, heavily armed military force pelted canister bombs, tears gas at the crowd of the student audience, and fired live ammunition afterwards in shoot to kill manner; wounding and killing the student martyr Ali Abbaker Musa Idris, killing him in cold blood. The martyred student Ali is a third-year student at the University of Khartoum in the Faculty of Economics. Omer al-Bashir has repeated the scorched-earth policy in Darfur similar to that his regime militias practiced at the beginning of the crisis a decade ago. But this time with greater hatred and determination to exterminate the people of Sudan in Darfur.Al-Bashir’s hatred for Darfur stems from his (ICC) indictment for the crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide lawsuit filed against him by the Darfuris.These atrocities standout as stark painful reminders of the massacresthe regime committed in the 2003-2004 in Darfur. The Darfur issue was high on the concerns of the world until the outbreak of the ‘Arab Spring” uprisings, violence in the West African countries erupted, Syrian Civil war and the crisis of the Crimean Peninsula in Ukraine took the lead when Darfur became outside the international radar. Nevertheless, the International Community is duty-bound to act in the best interest of humanity in the face of (NCP) regime’s renewed onslaught on Darfur.
Furthermore, the article is about the systematic premeditated targeting to exterminate and ethnically cleanse the people of Sudan in Darfur by the racist despotic regime of the National Congress Party (NCP). Latent ethnic hatred within the hypocritical gang hiding behind the curtain of the Islamic religion is the cause underlying that abhorrent act. Nevertheless, and to their disappointment that screen built on falsehood failed to conceal the heinous reprehensible crimes committed by them and have been clear to the free humane countries around the globe and as well to the international community. It is worthwhile, to jot down the International Criminal Court (ICC) indictment of al-Bashir, currently a criminal fugitive from the international justice, as a reminder to the readers:
“In its decision of 4 March 2009, the Pre-Trial Chamber at the International Criminal Court (ICC) indicted al-Bashir as an indirect (co-) perpetrator for five counts of crimes against humanity (murder, extermination, forcible transfer, torture, rape) and two counts of war crimes (direct attacks on civilians and pillaging). The “core component” of which was the unlawful and intentional direct attack of the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa civilian population. Furthermore, on 12 July 2010 Pre-Trial Chamber I of (ICC) issued a second warrant of arrest against Al- Bashir, considering that there are reasonable grounds to believe he is responsible for three counts of genocide committed against the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa ethnic groups, that include: genocide by killing, genocide by causing serious bodily or mental harm and genocide by deliberately inflicting on each target group conditions of life calculated to bring about the group’s physical destruction (Reference):http://www.haguejusticeportal.net/index.php?id=9502“.
To make matters worse, after the campaign of massacre, the regime’s National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) arbitrary arrests of the Darfuri students and members of the Darfur lawyers Union continued unabatedly ever since the massacre.
The government’s brutal suppression of freedoms and actions of killing weaken the chances of success of the alleged ‘National dialogue initiative’ put forward to the Sudanese people by the genocidal criminal Omer al-Bashir. Political analysts indicated that the despotic leader of the (NCP) regime, Omer al-Bashir by doing so and brutally attacking the students in Seminar was a coup de gráce – fired a bullet of mercy- to his alleged National Dialogue andthe hoaxcomprehensive political reform document.
The demands of the (SRF) are the Sudanese people’s legitimate demands for rights. They are as crystal clear as the sun in the middle of the day. , and whoever wants to persuade the movements to enter the so-called national dialogue has to be ask what he has to offer the people for convincing and assuring them that the alleged dialogue would respond to the uncompromising demands. At that point, the people will force the armed movements to participate and party in the dialogue.A Successful dialogue must have in place the ingredients and the environment conducive of dialogue to ensure it achieves its purpose. To be worthy for consideration, the so-called “national” dialogue it must be inclusive not excluding anyone. And in the current conditions where basic freedoms denied, mouths gagged, and newspapers confiscated, and opponents arbitrarily detained languishing in the midst of the infamous Ghost Houses.
The blood of the martyrsshed by the militias of the regime will not go in vain. The Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) and the other comrades and members in the(SRF)have the capability for a prompt Painful retribution.
The myriad of problems facing Sudan today are the result of the intransigence of the despotic NCP regime leadership. The clique in the regime use tactical manoeuvring, avoiding telling the truth through prevarication, other ways of lying and deception making the bad situation worse. Nevertheless, the (Sudanese Revolutionary Front SRF) has processed document New Dawn Document (NDD) as a political roadmap that laid solid foundations for the future Sudan after the overthrow and demise of the ruins of the regime of the National Congress Party (NCP).And among the plethora of its content, the new Dawn document singled out considerable space to do justice to women. The New Dawn Document (NDD) ensured for women all their rights and ensured the presence of women in decision-making positions. Women suffered the worst violations of human rights exercised by the (NCP) regime in Sudan especially in the war zones in several forms, including rape, abduction and murder of children. The (NDD) has ensured the return of rights and duties for women on an equal footing with men. Bearing in mind that theSudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) forces have achieved major victories against government forces in several areas in South, North, and West Kordofan and in the Darfur region and inflicted defeat after a defeat on Omar al-Bashir militias and the mercenaries that the regime brought from the West African neighboring countries.The SRF chased and defeated the NCP allied militias as far afield as South, North, West Kordofan, Blue Nile State and the Darfur Region. The Legacy of the cliques of the (NIF/NCP) for this generation and future generations of Sudan to handle and remove is a monumental task. The fall of the ruling, National Congress Party has become imminent, though.
The legacy and heritage that going to be left by the so-called Islamist movement/ Muslim Brotherhood for the current and next generations to carry and handle to remove from Sudan would be a very difficult task.
The (NDD), a “Manifesto” draft open to addition and deletion by the Sudanese political spectrum to contribute and develop and whirling the viewpoints around. The (NDD) stands out as a ‘Democratic Alternative’ to satisfy the democratic aspirations of the Sudanese people, who long for the dawn of liberty and freedom and Liberation from the shackles of tyranny and injustice and the shackles of totalitarianism and dictatorship of the despotic evil regime. There will not be any room whatsoever for the old Sudanese phrase “Bygones bygone does not apply to the perpetrators of the reprehensible crimes (Just Let bygones be bygones) of/for a blanket Amnesty/forgiveness for perpetrators of the abhorrent crimes sponsored by the fateful (NIF). The horrid scourges that happened to people of Sudan in Darfur remain unforgotten. However, the cleaning up of the legacy of the genocidal regime will be a mammoth task to perform and restructure the institutions deformed by the demolition pickax of the (NCP) establishment. The embattled Omer al-Bashir proposed lately what he called the “Freedom Reforms” for the political class to delve in even before the cloud of the dust stirred up by the alleged national Dialogue settled.
After more than a month since the speechof Omar al-Bashir (nicknamed satirically (the jump) on the alleged National Accord, and the dialogue between the components of the political arena, the chances of success of the dialogue dramatically minimized. The National Consensus Forces (NCF) remained skeptical of the seriousness of the ruling party in the dialogue. They eventually rejected the call from the National Congress Party (NCP) for dialogue. The (NCF) put preconditions before participating into any dialogue. Observers widely thought that the chances of a serious political dialogue between the (NCP) regime and the opposition, both civil and military seem far -fetched with the successive developments in the political arena.
The so-called Gibla parties,Sectarian religious parties, which include (National Umma Party(NUP) led by Sadiq al-Mahdi and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) , led by Mohamed Osman Mirghani and the Popular Congress Party (PCP) , led by Dr. Hassan Abdullah al-Turabi scrambled rushing to embrace unconditionally the mirage of the (NCP) trash- National Dialogueinsider deals. They did that in violation of the trust their constituents and supporters bestowed upon them. Now, after the entire (NCP) regime’s corruption that rash on the surface and smotheredthe sneeze/noses for millions and have become challenging with all the might of indifference and the death of conscience! In a clear violation to the high values endorsed by the norms of the Sudanese nation and the heavenly religions teaching, the (NCP) security machine the (NISS)stormed the funeral and the memorial service for the martyred student Ali Abbaker Mousa Idris. They used tear gas and canister bombsto disperse a gathering of citizens who attended the funeral and memorial service.Moreover, the act was Contrary to the teachings of Islam, which the (NCP) hypocrites claim day and night and brag about that they are the defenders, the protectors, and the stalwart of it.For the Sectarian religious parties, it stands out asbetrayal of trust accorded to them by the peoples of their constituenciesand supporters and affiliates of their Sufi religious sects.
In reality what is allegedly called National Dialogue by the despotic war criminal Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir is a mere rhetoric for deception, gaining time and getting some respite from the woes surrounding his failed leadership. The Sudanese people are aware of the evil intension behind the foregoing lies spread by the National Congress Party (NCP) regime. Furthermore, those abhorrent tricks would not be capable to fool the astuteness of the visionary Sudanese individual. Omer al-Bashir appeared to have felt that his regime became immune to toppling with the return of the Popular Congress Party (PCP) led by the former Islamists godfather, Hassan Abdalla al-Turabi to the yard of the so-called ‘National Salvation Revolution – National Islamic Front, with the innumerable camouflage and replication of synonyms. Moreover, the (PCP) seems canvassing on behalf of the (NCP) regime for selling al-Bashir’s rhetoric of the ‘National Dialogue’ by contacting the armed Darfuri rebels to participate, as reported by the news media that Dr. Hassan al-Turabi has allegedly said.
Sudanese mass media outlets reporteda news item relating it tothe Popular Congress Party (PCP) leader Hassan al-Turabi as announcing his direct contacts with the armed movements in Darfur , and got through their initial approval to enter in the national dialogue inside the country. Furthermore, that theDarfuri rebel movements put three demands to accept al- Bashir’s initiative for national dialogue. The questionable threeconditions include provision ofpublic freedoms, the issuance of a general amnesty for the armed rebels along with a comprehensive cease- fire to participate in the Dialogue. Nevertheless, the Darfur rebel movements have categorically denied anything of the sort has happened.
Accordingly, al-Bashir felt he is no longer in need of further ‘Dialogues’ with the limp/lame opposition groups among which the obsequious soft allies exists. In other words, al-Bashir felt his regime is not in need of the (SRF) as long as he received support from the ‘religious’ parties. Thus, the cronies of the regime conspired to exclude the armed movements under the umbrella of the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) who seek to overthrow the (NCP) regime through all means including the use of force. The complicit agitators in the so-called softy-softy opposition take desperate attempts to leave out the armed movements from the honour of participation within the effective opposition group that seriously planning to oust the regime. The hatred of the Muslim Brotherhood ‘Freemasonry’ Islamism clique in Khartoum for the people of the marginalised regions is behind the conspiracy to team up with each other at this pivotal moment. The recent crimes committed by Omer al-Bashir’s bloodthirsty frantic Islamism hireling militias represented a beginning of a new wave of ethnic cleansing of the people Darfur anywhere in Sudan. It began concurrently in Khartoum by premeditated targeting the Darfuri students in Universities and Higher Education Institutes and in the South and North States of the Darfur region gainsthe civilian populations. There must be retribution for the massacre committed by the (NCP) army and militias in the rights of the victims and survivors. The perpetrators must be brought to justice as war criminals.
There will not be any room whatsoever for the old Sudanese phrase “Bygones bygone” that meansa blanket Amnesty/forgiveness for perpetrators of the abhorrent crimes sponsored by the fateful (NIF). The blood of the martyrs that has been shed by the army of the ruling regime of the National Congress Party and its militias will not go in vain without retribution against the perpetrators of reprehensible crimes against innocent civilians, peacefully protesting students, women and other components of the Sudanese peopled throughout our beloved homeland. Transitional Justice for retribution should prevail under the terms of law.
The decade-long Darfur Issue has seen countless negotiation platforms for peace around the world; beginning from Ndjamena and Abéché in the state of Chad to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, Abuja in Nigeria, Tripoli in Libya and lastly Doha in the Arab Gulf State of Qatar. The worst outcome of those platforms was that of the Doha, Qatar-brokered one, political analysts said. Bilateral negotiation without taking into consideration that the case calls for a comprehensive solution with the participation of the rest of the issues of Sudan is the main reason for prolonging the issue of the people of Sudan in Darfur without a glimmer of hope for a solution.
The statements by the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ms.Samantha Power, on Violence in Darfur in March 12, 2014 about lack of protection for the civilian people of Darfur represents the greatest evidence of the failure of the Doha Document for Darfur Peace (DDDP) and the travesty of the alleged ‘All’ Stakeholders Conference. The (NCP) components do not accept partial agreements or individual dialogues with the NCP entity that is renowned for violation, abrogation, non-fulfillment of the negotiated peace agreements signed with the parties in the conflict. It is pointless to conclude any more alleged ‘peace agreements’ with the regime that never holds any respect for covenants it signs; at the expense of more suffering to the people of Sudan in Darfur and in other marginalised regions.This a regime that never has the gut and respect to abide by covenants it signs with parties in the conflict, apparently to prolong it’s stay in power with the view to shield the genocidal criminal fugitive from the international justice Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir from being apprehended and handed over to the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague. After the unprecedented media storm regarding his Dialogue Project, the beleaguered al-Bashir declared categorically that there is no room for neither national nor transitional government and that no plans for postponing the general elections scheduled for April 2015 without opposition groups agreement on his national dialogue. Furthermore, he stated that there is no way for liquidation to the (NCP) institutions; status quo is the basis of his projected plans. Observers indicate that anyone believing of possibility of political change leading to democracy and freedoms under the (NCP) regime is naïve, unaware of reality and living in a daydream or in cloud cuckoo land and would catch mirage! Omer al-Bashir is the archenemy of promises and covenants. He is a liar and no one can trust a word he says.
Based on the foregoing and to achieve the noble goals of justice, equality, peace, democracy, freedom, prosperity and decent life for the Sudanese people, the heartless Islamism (NCP) regime must go today before tomorrow.The Sudanese people must stand firm, steadfast andnot relinquish their freedoms or Surrender to the lies of the alleged Dialogue/Reform onslaught plot of the pathological liar Omer al-Bashir that aimed for deception. The opposition groups must shun the alleged Dialogue/Reform projects trap. As for the (SRF) and its allies in the effective whole-hearted political opposition, the National Consensus Forces (NCF) in particular, poised for toppling the (NCP) regime by all the available means including armed force. Following the overthrow of the despotic regime, formation of a transitional government (TG) composed of the entire political spectrum, for a specific tenureof office / period takes place. The task of the (TG) include the implementation of a specific time-bound DemocraticAlternative Programme that addresses the aspirations and longings of the citizens on length and width- lengthwise and crosswise – of the country and free them of the shackles of the (NCP) neo-colonialism as follows:
• Dismantling the institutions built on falsehood for impoverishment, suppression of the peoples of Sudan by the (NCP) regime
• the (TG) will work tirelessly to draft a Permanent Constitution for the country and as well as conducting a population census, a fair distribution of electoral constituencies
• Free Fair transparent General Elections monitored by credible International Observers. Thus, the people of Sudan regain vitality, Self-confidence and freedom to work to rebuild the country wrecked by the oppressive Islamism entity for a quarter of a century.
Dr. Mahmoud A. Suleiman is the Deputy Chairman of the General Congress for Justice and Equality Movement (JEM). He can be reached at [email protected]