Thread by @bookscache

On 25 May 1969, at age 39, Colonel Nimeiry overthrew civilian government of Ismail al-Azhari.

On 26 May, he suspended constitution, dissolved, National Assembly, & disbanded all political parties.

That day he also promoted himself to major-general and

#SudanCrisis 🧵⬇️

1/23

That day he also promoted himself to major-general and retired 22 serving officers, mostly senior to himself, dismissed over 30, and appointed 14 new officers to the most important posts.
Nimeiry became prime minister later, on 26 October 1969.

He started campaign aimed at reforming Sudan's economy through nationalization of banks & industries & land reforms. He used his position to enact a number of socialist and Pan-Arabist reforms. He subsequently promoted himself to rank of Field Marshal & ruled Sudan till 1985.

After him, another colonel Omar Hassan al-Bashir, In 1989,headed an Islamist junta that ousted Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi in a bloodless military coup.
By 2018 Sudan’s economy was in free-fall,with an inflation rate of 72 %,long lines at fuel stations& shortage of currency.

He served as the seventh head of state of Sudan under various titles from 1989 until 2019, when he was deposed in a coup d'état. He was subsequently incarcerated, tried and convicted on multiple corruption charges. He was elected 3 times as president in fraudulent elections.

In 1992, he founded National Congress Party, which remained dominant political party until 2019. In 2009, he became 1st sitting head of state to be indicted by International Criminal Court, for directing a campaign of mass killing, rape, & pillage against civilians in Darfur.

From December 2018 onwards, Bashir faced large-scale protests which demanded his removal from power. On 11 April 2019, Bashir was ousted in a military coup d'état. In September 2019, Bashir was replaced by a civilian prime minister, Abdalla Hamdok.

Bashir would be eventually transferred to the ICC. He was convicted of corruption in December of that year and sentenced to two years in prison. His trial regarding his role in the coup that brought him into power started on 21 July 2020.

Let’s now turn to 2023 ongoing crisis

Current de facto ruler of Sudan is General Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman al-Burhan, who was appointed by Bashir to crush civilians at Darfur in 2003-2006.

And Burhan in turn, appointed Hamdan Dagalo,who goes by nickname Hemedti: to fight for him

(more on Hemedeti later)

On 25 October 2021, al-Burhan led the October 2021 Sudanese coup d'état to overthrow the civilian government of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Hamdok was also allowed to return leading the transitional government.

On 4 December 2021, al-Burhan told Reuters in an interview that the Sudanese military will "exit politics" following the elections scheduled for July 2023, stating, "When a government is elected, I don't think the army, or any of the security forces will participate in politics.

On 31 December 2021, in a speech, al-Burhan said he was committed to “building all the institutions of transitional government and holding free, fair, and transparent elections at their scheduled time", in July 2023.

On April 15, 2023, country's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces launched attacks against al-Burhan's government, claiming to capture key government sites. Al-Burhan has claimed these sites are still under control of his forces, & fighting is ongoing.

Most tragic part of🧵begins

So it is no surprise that Sudan’s coup leaders, General Burhan, army chief, and General Mohamad Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo, the head of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), have pursued the same deceitful ways and means to monopolise power after 2019 ouster of Bashir.

Let’s get back to 2003-2006 #DarfurCrisis. Bashir appointed Burhan to fight for him, and in turn, Burhan appointed a militia force rebels commander Hemedti to crush civilians. In 2019, Burhan removed Bashir and in 2023 now Hemedti is trying to snatch powers from Burhan.

Hemedti commanded rogue militias comprising 0.2 million and later he promoted himself to rank of general and now is not agreeing with current ruler General Burhan to share power. General Burhan is asking him to merge his rogue militias with regular army of 0.4 million. But

But, Hemedti fears losing control over his men and is now trying to get control of important buildings in Khartoum. He even rented his militias to fight for UAE against houthis in Yemen. He is now amongst the most richest in sudan.

Sudan is most unluckiest nation on earth.

Till 2011, before succession of South Sudan it was the largest African country. It has abundant oil, gold and other natural resources but it’s a RESOURCE CURSE NATION.

It has remained embroiled in civil wars and military coups.

Let’s hit some history also.

Sudan got independence in 1956 from British & Egypt rule. Richard Nixon met with their PM in 1957.

In 1958 military overthrows the civilian government.

Political instability embroils the Sudan right from beginning.

Desperate groups kept fighting a civil war in South. Large reserves of oil were discovered in 1978. Colonel Jaffar Nimeiri who seized power in 1969 was deposed in 1985 & in 1999 he returned to fight elections but did poorly.

A few words more on current situation: The two strongmen have very different pedigrees and head two very different military forces. While al-Burhan is a professional soldier who climbed the ranks of an army with clear structures and operating systems, Hemedti was a

rogue camel smuggler turned hired gun turned leader of a vicious militia that conducts illicit trade and functions according to his whims and fancies.
Al-Burhan’s transgressions are outrageous, considering his position as army chief.

“Every state requires or deserves a truly national army, but no state needs a shadowy militia that functions above the law.”

Wrote Marwan Bishara in @marwanbishara for @AJEnglish

aljazeera.com/amp/opinions/2…

23/23