SUDAN: THE ARAB SPRING’S LATEST VICTIM?

Protests continued in the North African country of Sudan in the past week leading observers to pronounce that the Arab Spring may be about to claim another victim being the Sudanese Government.

The protests began about two weeks ago following the Government’s imposition of harsh austerity measures which have seen the average man on the street and the most ardent of the government’s supporters raise their voices in protest. The Government’s hands have somewhat been forced by its conflict with neighbouring South Sudan – developments in this regard have been addressed extensively by 1worldinternational – which has resulted in a significant drop in its oil revenue in a country where oil is the main source of revenue.

Both countries have been in a state of ‘semi-war’ over the last few months following a disagreement over oil export fees which Sudan expected to receive from South Sudan for transporting oil via pipeline laid in the Sudan. South Sudan subsequently shut down all oil production which has severely paralysed both countries’ economies since January. In addition, spiralling inflation rates for food and goods have also exacerbated matters in the Sudan and this is expected to worsen in the coming weeks and months. Also, sanctions imposed by the U.S government and corruption have compounded the worsening economic crisis.

The country’s Finance Minister Ali Mahmoud has shot down any hopes that the austerity measures could be reversed by asserting that it was imperative that the nation’s $2.4bn deficit was redressed. In a press conference with the media last week Mahmoud stated: “If international oil prices go up, we'll increase fuel prices. We will not retreat from the decision to lift the subsidies."

As expected, the President Omar Hassan al-Bashir-led government’s response has so far replicated that of regimes ousted by mass revolt during the Arab Spring. The use of teargas and the might of the Police have so far been employed in order to quell the protests. Several activists have also been arrested including the leaders of human rights groups and senior members of opposition parties. The protests, which initially originated in mosques and university campuses located in the Sudanese capital city of Khartoum, has worryingly for the government spread to regional cities.

Al-Bashir who has headed the ruling National Congress Party since 1989 has unsurprisingly batted away suggestions that his government may be toppled by the populist fervour which has seen to the recent overthrow of governments in North Africa and the Middle East. Al-Bashir, who has also been indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur, has labelled the protesters as enemies of the nation and called for the country’s citizens to resist the protesters’ calls for revolt.

Although protests of this scale against the government are unprecedented, observers generally do not consider that the current protests have the capacity to morph into anything similar to those which toppled the Tunisian, Libyan and Egyptian governments amongst others. Needless to say stranger things have happened and the said observers, one is certain, will happily eat their words if the reverse proves to be the case.