KACE-Sudan is appealing to the international donor community that has extended generous
support to civil society groups throughout the years of repression and atrocity crimes of the
defunct regime of President al-Bashir to renew their commitment to the causes civil society and
advocacy groups have been pursuing.
We appeal to our former partners who have decided in recent years to phase out their funding
programs in Sudan due to various reasons and to those who stopped investing in Sudan to please
reconsider their decisions in light of the momentous changes that took place in the country over
the last few months and weeks.
KACE-Sudan explains in the following paragraphs its reading of the people’s non-violent
revolution that managed to bring down the 30 year-old regime, the risks and challenges that
remain, and the opportunities the change avail to civil society and advocacy groups.
Latest Update on the Situation
Sudan is entering a pivotal time in its history. For more than four months Sudanese people have
been peacefully demonstrating in many parts of the country. The Demonstrations which began in
December 2018 were accompanied by excessive use of force resulting of more than 100 deaths
and mass arbitrary arrest and detention. These demonstrations culminated in a sit-in in Khartoum
around the military headquarters starting from the 6th of April until the present day April 29th,
and is expected to continue until a civilian authority is declared.
After several failed attempts by the NISS and Islamists’ militias to break down the sit-in by force
resulting in around 20 deaths, and dozens of injuries, the Bashir’s generals decided to remove
and arrest him on the 11th of April. Junior military officers protected peaceful demonstrators
from these armed incursions. Following Bashir’s removal, a military transitional council (MTC),
was formed to govern the country for a two-year transitional period. The African Union, the EU,
the Troika, the USA, and a number of Western countries have echoed calls for a transitional
civilian government to be installed, refusing to recognize the legitimacy of the MTC, despite
dialoguing with them.
Millions of people continue to control the streets, and the sit-in is growing bigger and bigger as
protesters from other cities such as Atbra and Medani headed to Khartoum in order to join it.
Negotiations between the Freedom & Change Forces (FCF) representing the revolution and the
MTC resumed after the former suspended them for a few days accusing the latter of lack of
seriousness. There are two major sticking points on the part of the MTC. First it was reluctant
to recognize the FCF as the sole representative of the revolution. Second, they wanted to
transform their council into the sovereign council of purely military composition with full
sovereign powers whereas the FCF wanted a fully civilian council with representation of the
military. After the resumption of the negotiations, the two parties issued a joint statement,
declaring that they reached agreement in the first issue, where the MTC declared that it
recognizes the FCF as the major leader of the revolution, and therefore it is going to be
entrusted by forming the transitional civilian government and the transitional legislative
council. The other issue is still pending, and therefore the two parties agreed to form a joint
committee to resolve it.
While agreement has been reached between the MTC and the FCF to install a sovereign council
of civilian and military composition, sticking points remain as to the allocation of membership
and who of the two would chair the council. The two sides will also need to agree on the
respective mandates of the three institutions of the transition: the sovereignty council, an
executive cabinet, and an interim legislative body. Agreements would need to be codified in a
constitutional proclamation or decree. While the negotiations continue, the country remains at a
standstill, with the protests and sit-ins continuing.
Risks
Meanwhile, the deep state remains thoroughly entrenched in Sudan, with vast patronage
networks, ideological militias and militarized youth present throughout the country. A
spokesperson for the MTC said authorities had raided many homes in Khartoum and found
stockpiles weapons, the latest of these raids was declared yesterday Sunday May the 5th where 5
men were detained. There is growing concern that student and other ideological groups who are
likely to have gone underground would at one point mount their counter attack through violence
and acts of terrorism. Mitigating such risks has to go beyond security measures, to address
transitional justice, political inclusiveness, and constructive dialogue that confront the
ideological base of violence. Direct engagement of those concerned is vital.
Challenges
Structural corruption remains intact. Though leading NCP figures such as former security chief
Salah Gosh have been deposed, they retain a heavy influence, and many have not been arrested,
giving them time to hide assets and evidence. Millions of dollars in cash were found in President
Omar al Bashir’s home, reinforcing conjectures that millions of dollars invested in patronage
networks are being held by key NCP figures.
Anti-corruption sentiment has been a key mobilizing factor in the pro-democracy mass protests.
Serious documentation and prosecution of mega corruption must be undertaken and all ill-gotten
gains recovered for the national budget.
War and peace, justice and accountability remain the biggest challenge facing the transitional
period. Resolving these issues appropriately will put Sudan on the right track leading to the
future. A number of MTC members have been implicated in atrocities against civilians in
conflict areas. President Bashir’s indictment by the International Criminal Court on international
crimes in Darfur still stands, and it is unlikely that the MTC will turn Bashir over to the ICC. It is
more likely that he will be tried by a domestic court, igniting concerns amongst victims that they
may not see justice properly done. Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, known as “Hemeti” leader of the
Rapid Support Forces (RSF), is second in command of the MTC. Hemeti has been implicated in
several atrocities in Darfur, South Kordofan, and Blue Nile. Transitional justice is vital to resolve
these issues.
Existing laws remain on the books that suppress the fundamental rights of the Sudanese. The
reform of these laws to align them with the best universal human rights standards is also vital.
Opportunities
The revolution also opened a whole world of opportunities. People got their rights back, and are
already enjoying them. KACE is now back in Khartoum by the legitimacy of the revolution. We
declared our return from the heart of the sit-in, where we erected our tent and resumed our
functions publicly, instead of underground. It is expected that there will be full-fledged freedoms
of expression and association. The transitional government is expected to carry out whole sale
law reform and institutional reforms. Notorious laws, such as the public order law, the press law,
National Security law, the Trade Union Law, and civil society law will all be reformed. Civil
service and the judiciary will be restructured. Civil society is expected to thrive.
KACE’s role
KACE is now faced with what to do next as a leading Sudanese civil society actor and key figure
in mobilizing youth activists. Civil society must catalyze on the opening of space and
international attention on Sudan to reinstate their roles as advocates for change. KACE has a
critical role to play in establishing a just, democratic and inclusive state. KACE has been largely
acknowledged by civil society in its coordination role during the demonstrations, both in the
immediate sense by leading documentation efforts through its network of Sudan Crisis Map
monitors in Sudan, as well as the vast amounts of youth networks trained by KACE as well as its
implementing partner in Sudan, the TRACKS Centre for Training and Development.
KACE has begun the process of re-opening an office in Sudan after it was forced to close by
authorities in late 2012. Before being forced to close in late 2012, KACE served as the most
prominent and effective organization in the country engaging in grassroots activism on taboo
topics, such as institutionalized racism, the connection between identity and war, cultural and
educational reforms and women’s rights. Based in a residential area in Khartoum, a unique strength
was the accessibility to reach the Sudanese public and youth. Whereas civil society in the past had
often not engaged substantively outside their networks due to security concerns, KACE
programming facilitated conversations amongst wider networks and outside of the traditional
actors. Outreach to the public and networks of youth activists allowed discussion of topics such as
identity and race and placed them at the center of national debates in Sudan, including and
empowering traditionally marginalized groups. We have sought to create alternatives to digital
engagement by organizing physical events at a very grassroots level, organizing events in homes
and engaging small groups. KACE has employed these strategies to hold trainings in private
homes, engage in research through one on one interviews and support a mobile Cinema Club where
critical rights-related films are screened to different constituencies, particularly youth, across
Sudan.
Pro-democratization efforts and reform of the existing system of governance in Sudan is urgent.
The defunct system, through its National Congress Party (NCP), facilitated the destruction of the
political, social and cultural life of the Sudanese people, dismantling key educational and cultural
institutions and sacking any government officials with more reformist and pro-democracy
visions of the state. This will not be done overnight. The roots of Sudan’s armed conflicts lie in a
conscious state policy of marginalization, particularly of ethnic, religious, and cultural
minorities.
Genuine political dialogue requires an environment in which the Sudanese people can exercise
their legitimate right to express their views. This will be essential to create the national consensus
needed to find sustainable responses to Sudan’s deep political and economic crisis. KACE will
work to increase solidarity and unity among reformist forces in order to engage in a long term,
sustainable educational and awareness raising campaign. KACE will seriously pursue the
establishment of an FM radio in order to reach a wider public.
KACE’s mandate
Al Khatim Adlan Centre for Enlightenment (KACE) was founded in 2007 to promote a
democratic, multicultural Sudan in which human rights are respected. KACE pursues this by
seeking to create spaces of engagement, knowledge-sharing and constructive dialogue to facilitate
the spread of enlightenment and the promotion of positive human development. We aim to develop
democratic modes of behavior, to encourage freedom of thought and freedom of research, promote
comprehensive equality in dignity, rights and opportunities between all Sudanese regardless of
gender, religion, ethnic, cultural, social, ideological or class background, and to reinforce peaceful
and civilized debate amongst different groups and sectors of the society. KACE is a well-respected
civil society organization in Sudan and plays a critical role in convening civil society actors,
including human rights defenders.