Sudan on the Brink: Can Islamic Politics and Democracy Coexist in a Nation at Crossroads

D. Hisham Othman

In a long path of struggle for identity and political orientation, Sudan has faced many obstacles throughout its history that hindered its progress towards a democratic transition. The most obvious of these obstacles was political Islamism, which exploited internal divisions and imposed itself as a dominant force, and the Sudanese army, which played a major political role since its establishment in colonial embraces. These two factors – political Islamism and the military – were intertwined in subverting the three democracies in Sudan, forming a centralized political system hostile to pluralism and diversity, and devoid of the ability to achieve development and stability.

First: The appearance of the Sudanese army in colonial embraces

The origins of the Sudanese army are closely linked to the British-Egyptian colonial period, where the colonialists created a local army to secure their interests and defend their control over Sudan. This army came as a repressive weapon par excellence, its main mission was to maintain the current order and establish the control of the central state whose frameworks were established by colonialism. The appearance of the army in this way established its doctrine as a force that protects the interests of the ruling regime, and not as a comprehensive national organization that expresses the interests of the Sudanese people as a whole.

Following independence in 1956, instead of becoming a professional organization that was not involved in politics, the army found itself playing a major role in political struggles. This is because the political leadership that came after independence failed to create a national consensus on the Sudanese state project. This lack of a comprehensive national vision has led the army to cling to its role as protector of the regime, allowing it to repeatedly intervene in politics with military coups.

The military doctrine of the Sudanese army, since its establishment, has linked its interests to the central state, which sees the parties with contempt and fears the threats posed by ethnic and political minorities in the country. This opinion was reflected in the formation of the various militias which aimed to maintain the control of the central regime and protect it from any threat, whether from within the army itself or from the armed opposition in remote areas.

Second: Political Islamism and the obstruction of democratic transition

Political Islamism in Sudan is considered one of the most dangerous forces that has hindered the democratic transition since the early sixties. Islamic movements such as the Muslim Brotherhood and the National Islamic Front were based on the idea of ​​building an Islamic state based on Sharia. These movements looked at democracy with some skepticism, seeing it as a temporary means to achieve their goals, but they quickly turned against it when conditions became ripe to enforce their religious agenda.

Sabotaging the second democracy and the “Islamic constitution” project.

Islamist attempts to manipulate Sudan’s political system began since the second democracy in the early 1960s. During that period, the Islamic forces proposed the “Islamic Constitution” project, a project that sought to force the Islamization of the state by using the mechanisms of the constitution to restrict freedom and exclude other components of Sudanese society, whether secular or moderate religious.

This project was a major turning point in Sudanese politics, as it increased political and social tensions and raised fears that the country would turn into a theocracy that cannot achieve justice and pluralism.

Communist Party expulsion event

One of the most prominent events that embodies the hostility of Islamists to political pluralism was the expulsion of the Sudan Communist Party from Parliament in 1965. This event emerged as a clear example of the abuse of power to impose an Islamic vision on the political system. The Communist Party was accused of atheism after an incident involving a school, and Islamists took advantage of this to undermine public opinion to the exclusion of the Communist Party. The government abandoned the constitution and were allowed to take control of Parliament and get rid of a strong left wing opposition.

Interference with the Constitution

As Islamists continued their efforts to subvert the political system, Sudan saw a wave of constitutional interference and a state of political chaos that paved the way for subsequent military interventions. After their alliance with President Jaafar Numeiri, Islamic law was adopted as a political tool in the 1970s. This move was an attempt by the Islamists to control power by imposing a religious agenda on Sudanese society. This alliance contributed to undermining any chance of achieving comprehensive national alliances combining civilian and military forces. The result was a widening of the gap between the center and the margins and an increase in internal conflict.

Third: Al-Bashir’s coup and the Islamists’ alliance with the army

Sudan reached a major turning point in 1989, when Omar al-Bashir led a military coup backed by Islamists. This coup was the product of decades of secret alliances between Islamists and the military, where the National Islamic Front was able to direct and control the military to achieve its goals.

With Al-Bashir coming to power, Sudan entered a new era of repression, as the Islamic State enforced its grip on state institutions and the armed forces, and repression became the regime’s main method of establishing its presence. During this period, Sudan saw the systematic destruction of civil state institutions, and the expansion of the influence of security services and militias formed to impose rule by force.

Islamist movements continued to support the regime’s repressive policies, including the suppression of armed resistance in Darfur and South Sudan. This period also saw an increase in the military’s intervention in economic and political matters, and the military establishment became one of the biggest beneficiaries of national wealth, which led to the weakening of state institutions and the country’s poverty.

Fourth: The relationship between the military and civilians

The relationship between the military and civilians in Sudan has been characterized by suspicion and tension for decades. The army remained the defender of the central system and the interests of the ruling elites, while civilians tried in vain to force political and economic reforms that would ensure that everyone shared power. But with every attempt to achieve civilian democracy, the army would intervene through a new coup that would return things to square one.

Neutralizing the military from politics is a complex challenge, as it requires structural changes in the composition and doctrine of the military. Since independence, military elites have seen civilians as inferior, and see military intervention as necessary to maintain the country’s stability. This view is rooted in alliances with Islamists who have always sought to employ the military to achieve their political goals.

Fifth: The challenges presented by political Islamism

Political Islamism in Sudan has always been a major obstacle to democratic transition. Since the sixties, Islamists have worked to block any attempts to build a civilian state, as their project is based on the Islamization of the state and its control. This narrow vision has deepened internal divisions and exacerbated ethnic and religious conflicts in the country.

During Al-Bashir’s rule, Islamic politics reached its peak, as religion was used as a tool to suppress dissent and silence voices calling for democracy. These policies were not just a tool for political oppression; It also led to the destruction of the Sudanese economy and deepening poverty and marginalization.

Sixth: Prospects for solutions

To get out of this vicious cycle of political conflict and internal damage, Sudan must adopt radical and comprehensive solutions:

1. Restructuring the army: There must be a radical reform of the military establishment, so that it becomes a national institution that does not interfere with politics. The influence of military elites must be ended and the army transformed into a professional organization that protects the democratic state.

2. Dismantling Islamic movements: No progress can be achieved without confronting Islamic movements that seek to impose their religious agenda. A civil democratic system must be installed that separates religion and state and guarantees the rights of all.

3. Rewriting the constitution: There is a need to rewrite a constitution that expresses the aspirations of all Sudanese and guarantees pluralism, social justice, and basic rights.

4. Transitional justice: All those who caused the destruction of democracy and the violation of Sudanese rights must be held accountable.
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