Sudan's Transitional Government And Nuba Leader Sign Deal For Peace Talks
On Sunday, March 28, a breakthrough Declaration of Principles agreement was signed between Sudan’s transitional government and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), the country’s largest armed opposition force in the southern Nuba Mountains region of the country. You can see the full agreement here.
This news is a welcome announcement for Sudan’s move to democracy, which has slowed over the past several months due to COVID-19, regime paramilitaries breaching ceasefire agreements, and more. The agreement is a sign that some of the tensions between the new transitional government and Nuba leaders are beginning to be addressed in a more serious way. There is no real resolution to Sudan’s challenges without Nuba involvement and justice for the oppressed, mountainous region.
While the Declaration of Principles agreement covers quite a bit of ground (again, you can read it here), there are two key elements worth pulling forward that are exciting to see.
Taken to its logical conclusion, this agreement lays the groundwork for a significant reduction of Khartoum’s power.
Many Sudanese and outside observers have some differing views on Sudan’s future; however, most agree there is way too much power centralized in the country’s capitol.
While Khartoum’s centralization of power began well before the Bashir regime seized power in 1989, the consolidation significantly ramped up in the Bashir years. By the time South Sudan split from Sudan in 2011, Khartoum had turned most of the rest of the country into a prison colony that it raped and pillaged for the enrichment of Sudan’s political, religious, and military elite.
The Declaration of Principles agreement appears to aim a wrecking ball at this status quo. Here are two sections from the agreement that speak to that:
2-2: Emphasize the right of the peoples of the regions of Sudan to manage their affairs through decentralization or federalism.
2-5: Achieving justice in the distribution of power and wealth among all the peoples of the Sudanese regions to combat marginalization developmentally, culturally, taking into account the affirmative action of the war regions.
The SPLM-N and Nuba people have been holding out in hopes of separating religion from government. That now seems more likely to happen than ever before.
The Nuba people are one of the most oppressed people groups in Sudan, suffering for decades underneath brutal Islamic, military rule. The region is home to roughly 100 African tribal groups who collectively identify more broadly as Nuba. Christians and Muslims live largely in harmony in the Nuba Mountains.
When Sudan’s transitional government began forming after the fall of the Bashir regime, it became clear that a major, obvious sticking point for Sudan’s transition to democracy would be the interplay between religion and state. After 30 years of Khartoum violently trying to force sharia law on the Nuba people, secularism has strong appeal throughout this region especially.
The Declaration of Principles agreement speaks clearly in Section 2-3 to the need for separating religion and state :
The establishment of a civil, democratic, federal State in Sudan, wherein, the freedom of religion, the freedom of belief and religious practices and worship shall be guaranteed to all Sudanese people by separating the identities of culture, region, ethnicity and religion from the State. No religion shall be imposed on anyone and the State shall not adopt any official religion. The State shall be impartial in terms of religious matters and matters of faith and conscience. The State shall guarantee and protect the freedom of religion and practices. These principles shall be enshrined in the constitution.
But don’t forget that these are just words on paper.
As important as this new agreement is, history cannot be ignored. General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan represented the transitional government in this agreement. Burhan is a holdover from the Bashir era, a time in which the government broke just about every ceasefire and peace deal they ever signed.
But this does not mean that the agreement is destined to fail. Despite the long-standing differences between Khartoum and the Nuba Mountains, leaders on both sides seem to not want to return to full-blown war. Whether that desire can translate into a real peace agreement or not is yet to be seen. Time will tell.
As has been the case since Sudan’s peaceful revolution in 2019, we remain cautiously optimistic about the future. There’s certainly a lot that can go wrong; however, for the first time in a long time, there’s also a lot that can go right.
Get Involved
Change in Sudan doesn’t happen overnight. That’s why Operation Broken Silence supports long-term education and healthcare programs in the Nuba Mountains region.
Several years ago we created an endowment fund, a move that has already proven its value. When COVID-19 temporarily brought our fundraising to a screeching halt in the spring and summer of 2020, this special fund helped us keep our doors open and our Sudanese partners afloat.
Right now, a generous private donor is matching all gifts to our endowment, up to $25,000 total! You can help by making a donation or starting a campaign and asking your friends and family to give.
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