There’s Something Suspicious in Our House..!!

By Al-Tahir Satti

Rejecting his speech, Sudan’s representative to the United Nations, Harith Idris, questioned why the UAE envoy was allowed to speak—as if the Emirates were a nation keen on peace, and not one stained with the blood of innocents in El Fasher and elsewhere. He stressed that listening to the UAE representative was an insult to those victims, asserting that his rightful place was not in the council chamber, but alongside the militias in Darfur.

This spirit of patriotism—embodied by Harith—is precisely what the state apparatus needs. Weak administration does not bring victory, nor do ambiguous or suspicious stances. One such suspicious act occurred last Tuesday, when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed the World Food Programme’s country director, Laurent Bukera, and operations chief, Samantha Catrage, that they were persona non grata and must leave Sudan within 72 hours.

Laurent and Samantha had reportedly celebrated the fall of El Fasher, and security agencies documented their behavior, submitting a report to the competent authorities, including the Foreign Ministry, which bears responsibility for national sovereignty. The ministry, therefore, decided to expel them for committing a grave breach that undermined Sudan’s sovereignty and cast doubt on their organization’s neutrality.

As Foreign Minister Mohyeldin Salem was in Washington at the time, the task fell to Hussein Al-Amin, the ministry’s undersecretary, who duly notified Laurent and Samantha of their expulsion. He also told the press that the decision stemmed from violations affecting the country’s sovereignty and the WFP’s neutrality, emphasizing that it was a sovereign decision made in full coordination with state institutions.

Regrettably, this rightful decision—aimed at defending national sovereignty against foreign interference—did not please Prime Minister Kamal Idris. He quickly contacted the foreign minister and ordered the immediate dismissal of Undersecretary Hussein Al-Amin. The minister complied, calling the undersecretary and effectively telling him, “Stay home.” And so, he left his office—and has not returned since.

That, indeed, is what happened. Laurent and Samantha rejoiced over the fall of El Fasher; the undersecretary expelled them in defense of his nation’s dignity. But rather than being angered by Laurent and Samantha, the Prime Minister’s fury was directed at the undersecretary himself—whom he swiftly removed through a verbal order.

By expelling Laurent and Samantha, the undersecretary and others stood firmly with their country, their people, and the brave souls on the frontlines who sacrifice blood and life in defense of land and honor. Yet, a troubling question remains:
For whom did the Prime Minister grow angry when he punished his undersecretary—was it for the UAE, or for its Janjaweed allies?
It was certainly not for the homeland.