#Street_Only: Upcoming Tours of the Revolution… Sudan’s Spring is a Window to the Future

Statement by the Revolutionary Socialists

Today, the Sudanese revolutionary masses triumphed after nearly four continuous months of protests, forcing President Omar al-Bashir to step down. Al-Bashir quickly faltered as the protests regained momentum, despite initially maintaining an appearance of stability through frequent public addresses, seemingly to show his and his regime’s strength.

Women played a pivotal role despite being subjected to flogging for various alleged offenses, including wearing what the regime deemed “un-Islamic” attire. The revolution came to be represented by female icons in a country where the regime had repeatedly used rape as a weapon against tribes opposing its rule.

Despite the frustration caused by the statement of Sudan’s Defense Minister, who today announced that a transitional military council would govern the country for two years, imposing a state of emergency and curfew, reviving fears of outcomes similar to those of the Egyptian revolution, the Sudanese masses and the Sudanese Professionals Association—leading the revolutionary movement—swiftly and unequivocally rejected the statement. The Association urged the masses to remain and protect the revolution, reflecting a deep awareness of the conflict as a struggle against an Islamic/military regime, not just the removal of its leader. This awareness dispels the clouds of despair and broadens the scope for optimism.

Moreover, the Sudanese Professionals Association had preemptively issued a statement warning against an attempted coup, demonstrating not only a keen understanding of the Sudanese scene but also a deep understanding of the regional Arab context and the role of armies in quashing revolutions in Egypt and Syria. This awareness was also evident in the recent remarkable Algerian revolution against President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and his entire entourage under the slogan “They must all go”—rejecting the idea of any of Bouteflika’s regime figures managing the country or overseeing a transitional phase until the scheduled elections.

However, the revolution faces imminent dangers, primarily from the plots of Arab regimes opposed to democratic change and any occupation of the streets, or even hope—mere hope—for a future shaped by its people, like the Egyptian regime on Sudan’s northern borders, and the royal families in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the financiers of the counter-revolution in Egypt.

The dangers remain imminent, but the possibilities are also open for the Sudanese and the peoples of the region, who are now anxiously awaiting Sudan’s fate. Perhaps the anticipated victory will usher in successive triumphs in Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, and beyond.