Meeting the challenge of Peace
Now that the new Cabinet has been formed, where
does the goal of bringing about sustained peace, which Prime Minister Hamdouk
talked about, fit? What are the requirements for peace? Given
the historic injustices to be corrected and the diversity and geographical
expanse of the armed rebel movements, a first step would have been to establish
a Ministry or Department of Peace and Post-Conflict Reconstruction. Peace is
the proclaimed highest priority of the Transitional Government (TG). Therefore,
the absence of such a department is somewhat surprising and, could be, troubling.
The institution of peace will require major long-term effort, commitment of
resources, and massive coordination between all branches of government –
defense, interior, economy, foreign relations, health, and education, among
others – and between government and civil society organizations (CSOs). This task
cannot be left to an ad hoc commission or provisional office. The peace
process warrants a cabinet level body, with the requisite authority and budget so
that it can begin to holistically identify and work to uproot the causes behind
the country’s long running wars.
To be sure, PM Hamdouk has already shown wisdom, tough-mindedness,
and determination to honor the Revolution’s call for Freedom, Peace, &
Justice. Announcement of the new cabinet was delayed because he rightly
insisted on greater representation of women, youth, and historically marginalized
regions. Handling the issue of peace will require orders of magnitude more of
his acumen, tenacity, and patience. The approach to ending armed conflict in Sudan
should not be based on partial solutions, customary gestures, and modest measures.
Lasting national redress of our historic wrongs must to some extent correspond to
the horrific injuries inflicted over decades on people in Darfur, the Nuba
Mountains, and the Blue Nile, and the neglect and oppression of other regions. It
demands significant change in official outlook and public policy tangibly
reflected in government structure.
Instituting peace will take years of
sustained political effort and cultural change. Some of the challenging tasks
ahead include:
·
Disarmament and demilitarization of the
state through reduction in the size of the regular armed forces, dissolution of
all militias, and dismantling the war economy
fueled by arms traders and dealers both domestic and international.
·
Repatriation of displaced populations, if original
homelands are suitable, resettlement in new areas, or proper accommodation in
their current settlement areas in Khartoum and other cities across the country.
All three options entail new or rebuilt housing, infrastructure, services, and sources
of livelihood.
·
Mobilization of a substantial work force of
builders, engineers, doctors, teachers, conflict resolution experts, among
other specialists from different regions in the country, and drawing on human capacities
in the Diaspora. This will help reduce the general level of unemployment. But,
to secure the financial resources for such a national work program, Diaspora
resources and assistance from international development agencies may be
necessary in the early stages. Financial managers and grant officers will be
needed.
·
Post-conflict rehabilitation to provide wide
ranging long term healthcare to people in war affected areas, including mental
health for survivors of mass brutality, killings and sexual assault, and to re-integrate
child soldiers. This work will claim a significant portion of the national
budget, but it is crucial for rebuilding society and the country’s human
capital.
·
Cultural transformation in the longer term is
necessary to remove the militaristic ideology of the National Islamic Front that
has been inculcated through education and the media in the last 30 years, which
glorified war, created or deepened tribal identification and religious
hostility, and privileged one culture over all others. This transformation,
while it cannot be achieved by legal fiat, is
a necessary condition for long lasting peace. A government department tasked
with ensuring that public policies and practices, especially in education, are
consistent with this goal would go a long way toward setting a climate of
cohesion and reconciliation.
No one knows how peace talks with the Revolutionary Front will
go and how long they might take. But, as negotiations are underway, TG should not
wait for the signing of a peace treaty. It should promptly begin to address the
urgent needs of the displaced. The paucity of resources will impose a triage
process on what regions and post-war dilemmas to tackle first, which makes the
job even more challenging. It is, therefore, imperative to establish a
practical partnership with domestic CSOs and Diasporic initiatives to
accomplish as much as possible in the near future.
The causes behind Sudan’s post-colonial history of armed
conflict are embedded in its politics, economy, and cultural habits. Consequently,
peace demands a response proportionate in gravity and magnitude. The hope is
that the transitional leadership will quickly come to realize that a dedicated cabinet
level body, laser focused on peace and post-conflict reconstruction constitutes
the right first step.
