Coup in Sudan

Why in news?

Sudan military’s recent moves and the tensions with the civilian government has backtracked the country’s transition to democracy.

What is Sudan’s present governance state?

• Omar al-Bashir had presided over Sudan for nearly three decades.
• A popular uprising and the ouster of President Bashir in April 2019 led to Sudan’s transition from dictatorship to democracy.
• Soon, under an August 2019 agreement, the military and leaders of the civilian movement came together to form a transitional government.
• They work in a ruling body known as the Sovereign Council, which is meant to lead the country to elections by the end of 2023.

What is the current tension in Sudan about?

• Under the agreement, the acting Prime Minister would run the day-to-day affairs.
• And the military chief would remain the leader of the Sovereignty Council for 2 years.
• Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the military chief, was scheduled to hand over the leadership of the transitional government to the civilian leadership in a few weeks.
• But he disbanded the government, and proclaimed himself the new leader.
• He also declared a state of emergency and imprisoned the civilian leaders, including Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.
• Thus, the move by Sudan’s military to dissolve the Sovereignty Council has put the country back into chaos.

What were the earlier tensions in Sudan?

• The military’s role is supposed to be largely honorary.
• But civilians have repeatedly complained of military overreach in foreign policy and peace negotiations.
• On the other hand, the military has accused civilian parties of mismanagement and monopolising power.

What are the contentious issues?

War crimes

• The International Criminal Court (ICC) is seeking trials for Bashir and other Sudanese suspects.
• This is on the allegations of war crimes by the military and its allies in the conflict in Darfur from 2003.
• The cabinet has signed off on handing over suspects, but the Sovereign Council has not.

Investigation into killings

• There is conflict over investigation into the killings of pro-democracy protesters on June 3, 2019, in which military forces are implicated.
• Activists and civilian groups have been angered by delays in making the investigation’s findings public.
• Civilians also call for oversight and restructuring of the military, particularly through the integration of the powerful, paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
• But the military leaders have resisted.

How has the economy been?

• A worsening economic crisis sent the currency plunging and created frequent shortages of bread and fuel.
• This was the trigger for Bashir’s downfall.
• The transitional government has implemented harsh, rapid reforms monitored by the IMF in a successful bid for debt relief and to attract foreign financing.
• In the wake of the reforms, inflation rose to historic highs of more than 400%.
• There have been occasional protests over economic conditions.
• Port Sudan, the country’s largest port, on the Red Sea, had been blockaded by a tribal group, with help from the military.
• This led to worsening economic situation, including acute food shortage, currency and fuel.

How are Sudan’s relations with the neighbours?

• Sudan is in a volatile region, bordering the Red Sea, the Sahel, and the Horn of Africa.
• Most of its neighbours, including Ethiopia, Chad and South Sudan have been affected by political upheavals and conflict.
• Since late 2020, conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region has pushed tens of thousands of refugees into eastern Sudan.
• This has caused military tensions in disputed agricultural lands along the border.
• Sudan is pushing, with Egypt, for a binding deal over the operation of a giant hydropower dam that Ethiopia is building near the Sudanese border.
• Talks have stalled but Ethiopia has started filling the reservoir behind the dam.
• Sudan says that this could put its citizens, dams and water facilities at risk.

What should be done?

• Gen. Burhan should desist from more violence.
• The military should release all the arrested leaders.
• It should restore the transition government and allow free elections.

Reference

https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/coup-in-sudan/article37182706.ece

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/what-is-happening-in-sudan-7589921/