The Sudanese Resistance: fighting for survival

While attention is turned to the two sides of the conflict in Sudan, Al-Burhan and Hemedti, and the discussions surrounding the outcome of the war between them to determine the future of Sudan, a new player emerges in the equation, confusing everyone’s calculations, i.e., the Sudanese people themselves.

The Sudanese people are suffering from the plague of war, and they alone are paying the price of this war of influence between the Generals. The people of the country are either displaced, killed or have had their money and dignity seized due to the brutal practices of the Rapid Support Forces militia, which includes African mercenaries from outside Sudan. It has regional support that has made it strong enough to expose the weakness of the Sudanese army, which withdraws from its positions one after another, and is unable to protect the defenceless civilians.

However, the oppressed people spoke out and announced the emergence of the armed resistance, to protect lives, money and honour, staying true to the saying, “if you want something done right, do it yourself”, after everyone abandoned them and the Arab countries, especially the neighbouring countries, stood by, deadly silent, in the face of the disasters that befell the Sudanese people.

Watch: Rapid Support Forces looted hospitals, universities and pharmacies in Sudan

The Sudanese people have realised that they must protect themselves as they watch the successive disappointments in the performance of the Sudanese army, with its weak armament, the weakness of its media machine, the weariness of its political performance and its reliance on empty slogans, against the strong armament of the RSF militias, its media activity in which it shone, and the political and diplomatic movements in which it excelled. Hemedti is looking to African countries to support his position, while Al-Burhan’s army, in turn, welcomed and blessed the Sudanese Resistance, and it seems that it was a lifeline for it, as it would be a popular support for the army in the face of the RSF. As usual, when it comes to the emergence of any liberation entity, there were those who tried to abort it, out of scepticism, belittlement and exaggeration. A group of intellectuals, lawyers, human rights activists, union groups and political parties emerged, objecting to the arming of civilians and warning of its consequences. They wrote to the UN demanding an end to the mobilisation and arming of civilians, to prevent the occurrence of a civil war. Those protesting are working on several axes to crush this Resistance:

First, by underestimating its position and its ability to fight battles. They base this on the announcements of 200,000 aligning with the Sudanese forces, which preceded the outbreak of actual fighting and, as soon as the war broke out, those voices hid.

Second, by questioning the emergence of the Resistance, as there is talk among opponents that the former Sudanese regime is the one behind this mobilisation, to settle political scores.

Third by stirring fear of the outbreak of a civil war due to arming civilians, under the pretext that calls for resistance stem from an ethnic and regional basis and could turn into revenge operations against different Sudanese ethnicities and races.

The response to the justifications is the same: the Sudanese people are no longer struggling just to end the war and achieve political stability. The Sudanese people now carry weapons to survive and in order to protect their lives, honour and money, which have become violated by the barbaric RSF. There is nothing higher up than this in the list of priorities. The Sudanese people have nothing to lose. Do they fear civil war? The war is already present between the Generals, and it is destroying everything. When you talk about existential danger, the displacement of millions, the killing of tens of thousands, the rape of women, the plundering of money, the massive destruction of infrastructure, including electricity and water facilities and bridges and the collapse of the health sector, it will not make a difference to know the source of these calls, whether they were from the previous regime, from within the Sudanese army or from civil forces.

READ: Displaced Sudan refugees complain about inadequacy of humanitarian aid amid ongoing civil war

We are talking about a legitimate case of self-defence. The Sudanese people are dying, in any case, so at least one can die defending themselves, their honour and their money. Hemedti did not factor in the emergence of this new player, and then he threatened the Resistance and described its members as coup plotters, and he has the right to be afraid. When the people move from the position of being led to slaughter to the position of resisting in defence of themselves, their honour and their money, then whoever attacks them should be afraid. The emergence of the popular resistance also confused his military plans and calculations. When the militias engaged in their war with the Sudanese army, they learned that the regular armies that rely on points and positioning find it difficult to fight wars with militias and gangs, which rely on hit-and-run tactics and lightning operations. However, Hemedti’s forces will now find themselves facing an irregular armed Resistance that relies on similar tactics.

Although the emergence of the Resistance is in the interest of the Sudanese army, the actions of this Resistance are not dependent on its political calculations, and it will fight for survival and self-defence, wherever and whenever danger exists.

The step that the Sudanese army must take to make the most of this event and end the war in a way that secures the future of Sudan is to fully undertake the armament of the Resistance, so that it has a database with the number of weapons and the names of those who carry them. They must also make the tribes and people aware that it is a special, urgent case, and that the State’s interest requires them to hand back the weapons after the war ends. This agreement with clan and tribal leaders and notables must be documented. I know how the danger posed by arming civilians is, but the annihilative conflict did not leave the Sudanese people with a choice. It pushed them into a corner of self-defence, facing life or death, and Allah hath full power and control over His affairs; but most among mankind know it not.

READ: Nearly 25m people need humanitarian assistance in Sudan: UN

This article first appeared in Arabic in Al-Quds on 7 January, 2024

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.