Since Sudan gained its independence, the Beni Amer tribe has faced a series of challenges due to the policies of successive regimes that were based on colonial legacies, which led to doubts about their national affiliation and their classification as “non-Sudanese.” The systematic exclusion they were subjected to was not limited only to exclusion from government job opportunities, but also extended to include social and cultural marginalization.
Recently, retired Major General Badr al-Din Abdel Hakam returned with miserable statements filled with racial hatred, bringing to mind the shadows of previous marginalization and exclusion. He crudely described prominent figures from Beni Amer, including former minister Ibrahim Mahmoud, as “non-Sudanese.” He questioned their loyalty and called for the withdrawal of citizenship from this social component, classifying them as “refugees.” He warned against recruiting them into the ranks of the Mustafarin, claiming that they constitute a threat to national security. Worse than that, these statements were made through an official government channel, Omdurman Radio, and used racist expressions that represent a real danger to the national social fabric.
The call to withdraw Sudanese citizenship from the Beni Amer and deprive them of defending their lands is not only an attempt to weaken them, but rather an attempt to erase their existence. These calls not only fuel conflicts, but also increase tensions in the already volatile region, and raise serious questions about the agendas that these dangerous messages may serve.
This statement comes as an unfortunate addition to a long series of strife and incitement. Instead of focusing on the real challenges facing Sudan, which are the threats of invading militias that are tampering with the security and stability of the country, the general chooses to renew verbal attacks on a tribe that only seeks to live in peace on its land.
It is no secret to anyone with insight that Sudan, especially its eastern region, has been and continues to be the scene of external influences seeking to destabilize it by exploiting tribal and ethnic diversity. Foreign interventions, especially by some intelligence services, are practiced systematically by adopting discordant opinions that lead to raising challenges among the tribal components in the East, in an attempt to ignite strife among them.
It is necessary to emphasize, at this crucial stage in Sudan’s history, that the land of the Beni Amer is the land of their ancestors, which they have inherited since ancient times. Although the colonizers drew the borders and divided their natural communication through Sudan and Eritrea, the truth that must prevail is that the Beni Amer are an integral part of the Sudanese national fabric. Attempts to erase or distort their identity are an attack on Sudan’s history and diversity.
In these defining moments of our history, we must firmly affirm the condemnation of these statements, whether by civil society organizations, politicians, parties, and the rejection of racist voices. We must work side by side to build a future based on coexistence and mutual understanding, where every citizen finds his place in a peaceful and stable Sudan. The path to a prosperous future passes through the gate of unity and solidarity, not through division and division. Let us choose the path of unity and peace, as it is the only way to guarantee a prosperous future for all Sudanese.
Writer: Muhammad Hamed
rw3ams@gmail.com
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