A STRONG REVOLUTION, A WEAK GOVERNMENT

It is regrettable to admit that the present Transitional Government of Sudan (TG) is lagging far behind the great hopes that the Sudanese people have been yearning to be realized by the civil cabinet named by the Forces of Freedom and Change a year ago. One year is quite enough for empirical assessment for the overall performance of the TG. However, in reality the citizens’ sufferings have been increasing dramatically with perpetual deteriorations in all walks of life – including security.
Some try to defend the TG by blaming the military component of the Council of Sovereignty for the deterioration of the state of security in the country, notably – the East and the West (Darfur) – including a wave of tribal tensions as well as bloody ethnic clashes (the recent one in Port Sudan between Beni ‘Aamir and Nuba of South Kordorfan who settled there, which resulted in tens of deaths and hundreds of injuries).
However, these security problems can also be shared by the civil component of the TG because politics can intervene to address the root causes of deep ethnic antagonisms which trigger such conflicts. Actually politics can play a major role in laying down the basis for societal cohesiveness and peaceful coexistence, pure security and military measures would just result in temporary or ‘artificial’ tranquility.
The greater part of the peoples’ sufferings is the responsibility of the executive branch led by Prime minister, Abdalla Hamdok. The deterioration of the people’s standard of living is a product of the failure of the TG to run the government apparatus properly. This can partly be related to lack political vision and strong will of the ruling political elite (the cabinet backed by its “political reference” – the FFC). The TG failed to adopt clear policies appropriate to the nature of its mandate and the nature of a ‘transitional period’. It has failed to adopt policies in accordance with the priorities of the transitional period.
The TG has committed two or more strategic mistakes. In the first place it has engaged in a long round(s) of talks with the armed propositions’ fronts and linked the formation of the bureaucratic organs with the signing of peace talks with these fronts leaving all states of Sudan without governments that led to an administrative vacuum resulting in a state of chaos in different aspects of people’s life as well as jeopardizing the security in various parts of the country.
Another strategic mistake committed by the TG is that it has not adopted objective criteria in forming the cabinet, nor in nominating persons to different posts of the public office – to replace those who are loyal to the defunct regime. It was expected that the FFC recommends technocrats (non-partisan) competent figures to assume public office – including ministers. However, the formation of the cabinet reflected a pure political deal by the FFC’s parties.
Addressing the people on the eve of last June 30 – where more than million persons took to the street on the memorial day of the brutal dispersing of the sit-in one year ago – prime minister pledged to declare great decisions within two weeks. He said the decisions would make great transformations on the scene. However, up to date, people have seen nothing ‘decisive’ and their standard of livings is getting from worse to the worst.
It is puzzling that the TG – till now – is not talking about ‘democratization’ or what practical steps are being taken to prepare for elections, nor – at the same time – been able to tackle the looming crises to alleviate the suffering of the people.
It is regrettable to say that the present government is not up to the standard of this great and strong revolution – which is still looking forward to have a charismatic leader who is ‘fit’ to the people’s revolutionary ambitions – a leader who has a vision and a revolutionary program to realize the aspirations of the Sudanese people.