The Second Wave of Uprising in Sudan: Revolutionaries Speak

Join Sudanese revolutionaries from on the ground to discuss the flourishing of revolutionary bodies and resurgence of the uprising in Sudan. To hear the original Arabic audio from the speakers, see https://youtu.be/xHCa5rjyLbU. The 2019 revolution in Sudan, which overthrew longtime President Omar al-Bashir, was the earliest of a second-wave of uprisings that has swept from Algeria to Iraq, reigniting the hope of the 2011 revolutions in the region. The uprising, known in Sudan as the December Revolution, culminated in August 2019 in a civilian-military partnership, for what was to be a “transition” to full civilian rule. But in October 2021, a military coup drove out the civilian coalition partners. The resistance that the coup has sparked since has breathed new life into the revolutionary movement in the country, and accelerated the evolution of organizing in a way that bears lessons for movements for social justice everywhere. In response to the coup, widespread mobilizations, led by Sudan’s neighborhood-level resistance committees, have produced ongoing strikes, civil disobedience and protests demanding an end to the military coup and the formation of a fully civilian, revolutionary government to decide the country’s leadership and its future, and to reclaim control of its looted resources for the benefit of communities. Revolutionary bodies, in particular the network of neighborhood resistance committees which now spread across the country, have pushed the struggle forward beyond previous compromises. They have also offered an alternative model of resistance and governance that presents a clear break from the elite politics of the past. Though the revolution in Sudan has so far been formidable in the face of repression, it faces immense challenges, given the ways in which regional and international counter-revolutionary forces have coalesced to back the military. This leaves us with a crucial question: how can this struggle, whose outcome will have consequences beyond Sudan’s borders, go on to achieve its slogan, “freedom, peace and justice”? To explore that question, the panel will highlight voices and analysis of Sudanese activists who are deeply involved in the revolution, and who will provide their take on the stakes involved and the aims, strategies and tactics of the movement. Panelists: Muzan Alneel is a cofounder of the Innovation, Science and Technology Think Tank for People-Centered Development (ITSinaD) — Sudan and a nonresident fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP), focusing on a people-centric approach to economy, industry, and environment in Sudan. Recent writings include The People of Sudan Don’t Want to Share Power With Their Military Oppressors (Jacobin) and Why the Burhan-Hamdok deal will not stabilise Sudan (Al Jazeera). Monifa Bandele (moderator) sits on the policy table leadership team for the Movement for Black Lives (M4BL), as well as the steering committee for the New York-based Communities United for Police Reform, representing the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement in both coalitions. Abdulsalam Mindas is an Agronomist with a Bachelor in Agricultural Studies from Sudan University of Science and Technology. He is the official spokesperson for the coordination of Ombada Resistance committees and one of the two official spokespersons for the resistance committees of greater Omdurman. This event is sponsored by Africa Is A Country, Haymarket Books, Internationalism From Below, Jadaliyya, Review of African Political Economy, Spring magazine, and the following departments at Bryn Mawr College: Africana Studies, Latin American, Iberian and Latina/o Studies (LAILS), Middle Eastern Studies, Political Science. Watch the live event recording: https://youtu.be/8SLRcnbDQrc Buy books from Haymarket: www.haymarketbooks.org Follow us on Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/haymarketbooks