The Parallel Government is the beginning of the egress

Since the Islamists and their unpatriotic, unprofessional, ideological Army and militias lost control of the government headquarters in Khartoum and fled to Port Sudan in the far northeast of the country, adopting it as an alternative capital, the sense of blatant symbolism in regards to this matter became very clear to me. Meaning, a symbolism that indicates their weakened moral cohesion and signaling that the time for their departure grows near. It might take a long or short period of time, according to numerous factors and variables, however, they will inevitably depart. As such widespread evil is destined to disappear.

Abu Tayeb Al-Mutanabbi, the King of Kings of Wisdom in Arabic Poetry, once said: “Where are the first mighty Sassanids, who hoarded treasures, for they, as their treasures, did not last/ Of everyone whose army was generously filling a finite space, until he settled in a narrow grave / For death is coming and souls are precious, and he who seeks honor through his possessions is the foolish one.”

Their escape to that particular far end of the country, separated from the rest of the Sudanese territory by a mountain range with only one crossing called (Al-Aqaba), which was carved into the summit of the mountain, was rather significant, for they didn’t choose Port Sudan randomly.

They could have chosen (Atbara), a location known to be a popular incubator for the National Congress Party as well as numerous SAF leaders. Moreover, they could have chosen (Wad Medani), which -at the time- they hadn’t lost control over, or perhaps (Kosti). But they chose Port Sudan because they were looking for the most geographically fortified location, that is easy to defend, as well as easy to escape from, when escape becomes an inevitable option.

The treacherous war they started, which they estimated would end in a few hours, then a few days, then a few weeks, has dragged on, opening up possibilities for the unknown. Currently, the war is about to complete its second year, and nothing on the horizon indicates an end.

As soon as discussions began in regards to the intention of some civil and military forces to form a government parallel to the illegitimate Port Sudan Authority, in the territories controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the thousand-headed Kizan media serpent went on a rampage. It was aided in this particular errand by some political forces affiliated with the revolution, which were incited by external parties. These two allies, bound together by a mysterious, unwritten alliance, began to weep over the unity of the country, thundering and displaying a deceitful fear of the dangers of division.

The entirety of the Sudanese population knows what the Islamists did when they decided on the secession of the south. They didn’t consult any of the political forces, nor did they care about anyone’s opinion. Rather, they wiped their faces with the broth of shamelessness available to them, and separated the south while the sun was high in the sky, and people were watching. They even began to embellish that act by claiming the economy would soon regain its former glory because the cost of the war -that had exhausted the treasury- would stop, subsequently replenishing the economy, and that the secession of the south would be followed by an adherence to clear and immaculate Sharia.

However, as soon as the secession took place, the country lost two-thirds of its oil revenues. Sudan was plagued with a sudden, severe economic crisis that has continued to worsen to this day. None of us have seen the implementation of Sharia; whether the one mentioned by the ousted Omar Al-Bashir, or the other “immaculate” Sharia that he promised us.

And so are the Islamists, professional liars, who dress up for every situation, and embellish falsehood when it serves their purpose. And they disgrace the truth when they see in its realization a threat to their crude and shallow worldly interests. The truth and the Islamists have always stood on opposite ends, and will remain as such.

The Dreamers of the Civil Body

The civil forces that supported the revolution are divided into two parts: A truly revolutionary part that wants the revolution to achieve the goals for which it was established, and for which its martyrs were selflessly martyred. And another part that believes it’s smart and rather prudent to distribute eggs between the basket of the revolution and the Islamists’ basket. This, unfortunately, is nothing new, as revolutions throughout history have been divided within their ranks.

In every broad body that has supported any revolution, there is a part that necessarily has organic connections to the regime the revolution aims to uproot. This part with a fluid position, moves while keeping an eye on the two conflicting camps, because its close connection to its interests incites it to distance itself from any foreseeable risks. It merely wishes to win in both cases.

As Abdul Wahab El-Affendi once stated that the Islamists have ruled us for thirty-six years, so far, because they tend to clearly define their goal, begin the implementation process directly, paying little to no attention to people’s opinions about them. Rather, they crush whoever stands in their way, without mercy.

Throughout these decades, Al-Kizan have never cared about the Sudanese people; whether they lived, died, or what they want. Nor did they care about the regional and international powers, what they see fit or wish to achieve. Despite all the above, they have remained in power, at least, in numerous parts of Sudan, until now.

The political forces that continued to oppose them, on the other hand, were miserable in their performance because they were immersed in chaining themselves, by drawing red lines that continued to limit their effectiveness. However, if we were to observe the Islamists, and recall their discussions about the Hamdi Triangle, then the intentional secession of the south, followed by their loud promotion, these days, of what is called “The River and Sea State,” the difference between the Islamists and others becomes rather clear to us.

Currently, Al-Kizan have actually begun dividing the country by printing currency to be circulated in certain parts of it, conducting certificate exams in only six states, and preventing aid from reaching areas they do not control. In addition to preventing the people of those areas from obtaining identification documents. Such arrogance and recklessness can only be dealt with by turning the tables on them, once and for all. This is a path some civil and military forces have begun to adopt, aiming to announce their parallel government.

The parties calling for a cessation of the war based on a negotiated solution with Al-Kizan, which guarantees the revolution achieving all its goals, as the revolutionaries wanted, are merely dreaming, nothing more. The Islamists will only accept a solution that keeps them in power. They may initially accept a partial presence in power, but they won’t do so unless they have already devised a plan to seize power alone, even after a while. They will turn against the agreement just as they did with the Civil-Military Agreement stipulated in the Constitutional Declaration.

The Islamists don’t make a habit of begging for solutions from the regional and international communities, as civil political forces tend to do, but -rather- they work to impose their will on everyone and blackmail them in various ways until they manage to achieve what they want. It is truly surprising that a sector of (Tagadom), which has never been invited to any round of negotiations that have taken place so far, is still begging for a cessation of the war, hoping that the civil democratic path will be returned to them by international and regional powers, on a silver platter.

In short, declaring a parallel government in the territories controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) is the only remaining viable opportunity to seize the initiative from the Kizani forces. It is the solution that will hasten the cessation of the war and impose the option of peace. The toothless, powerless civil movement waiting to wrest rights from a fierce and dynamic force that cares about nothing and no one, such as the Kizani force, through chanting and appealing, is a dreamy movement.

In this particular situation, it amounts to no more than a marginal movement, and an ineffective vocal phenomenon that no one cares about. Let those who stand with the revolution unite their rifles and political forces into one cohesive and mutually supportive structure, then declare their government in public, without equivocation.

Only then will they truly see how far the international and regional communities will go to grant them authority, the likes of which they have never been granted before. Whoever expects the National Congress Party (NCP) to be rational, or sympathetic to people in their suffering, affliction, displacement, and hunger, or to care about the destruction of the country and the death of its people, is an irrational person.