Disappointed and Distressed

Wathiq Khamir

I watched the full celebration in Nairobi for the “Founding” alliance and listened to Abdulaziz al-Hilu’s entire speech, and my sadness grew after the loss of the dear artist Asia Madani. Abdulaziz repeats and echoes John Garang’s words from the 80s and 90s about diversity, the separation of religion from the state, and marginalization, especially in his address to the ranks of the People’s Army. But Abdulaziz speaks out of context entirely to an audience of militia supporters, with loud cheers shaking the hall, a salute to Ab Ki’an, the fear of the Islamists. He thanks Burmah Nasser, Ab Ki’an’s ally, for facilitating and funding Abdulaziz’s presence, where both he and Burmah spoke while Ab Ki’an watched them, even though Az al-Din Al-Safi, the chief negotiator for the militia, knows Burmah, Al-Hilu, and Ab Ki’an as leaders of the new Sudan. Does Ab Ki’an or Hemeti understand what the separation of religion from the state means? And what is their relationship to marginalization and the marginalized? They are part of the marginalized (with a ‘m’ at the beginning and a ‘k’ in the middle), and they were agents of the center for extermination and marginalization! It’s a strange combination, like Hamidti and the donkey! Every time Abdulaziz speaks in this manner in the wrong place, you can imagine John Garang turning in his grave! And I find myself distressed, disappointed, and saddened!