Sudan Anti-coup protests

January 26, 2022

The Sudan security forces recently killed three protestors. This has re-kindled the Sudan unrest. In the early January 2022, the Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok resigned. This led to civilian unrest in the country.

What happened?

In October 2021, the Prime Minister of Sudan Abdalla Hamdok was sacked by the Sudanese military. He then resigned from power as a part of a deal. Hamdok had signed a deal to share the power with the military. He then stepped down because the anti – military protests increased in the country following the deal. The deal signed by Hamdok was opposed by the pro – democratic supporters. They wanted the military generals to hand over the power to the civilians.

Background

Sudan was governed by an Arab elite in Sudan with occasional breaks. The wealth of the country was largely looted under the Arab’s rule.

Kleptocracy in Sudan

Kleptocracy is a Greek word. It is a government run by the corrupt leaders. In Kleptocracy, the corrupt leaders use political power to loot the wealth of the country. It is basically misappropriation of government funds.

Roots of the crisis

Basically, the issue is all around OIL. South Sudan is rich in oil and holds 75% of Sudan’s oil. General Omar al – Bashir ruled Sudan for more than thirty years. In 2011, South Sudan gained independence from Sudan. This was a part of the referendum signed between General Omar al – Bashir and the South Sudanese rebels. The rebels were fighting for independence for more than 21 years.

Role of US in the Sudan crisis

In 1993, the US government added the Bashir’s government in Sudan to its list of terrorism sponsors. Also, US imposed sanctions on Sudan in 2018. Following the sanctions, Sudan faced economic collapse. In 2019, Bashir was overthrown by a military coup. There were country wide protests due to increasing food costs and other essentials.

What happened after Bashir? When did Hamdok come to power?

After overthrowing Bashir, a sovereignty council was formed. The council was made of eleven members. It included civilian and military leaders. The council appointed Hamdok as the Prime Minister.

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