The RSF’s Parallel Government: A Desperate Move to Salvage a Sinking Reputation
By: Mubarak Mahgoub Musa
International condemnation of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia has severely damaged its
reputation, especially following statements issued by the U.S. government, the United Nations,
leading international human rights organizations, and reputable Western media outlets.
By the same token, labeling the RSF as perpetrators of genocide, ethnic cleansing, and other war
crimes has made the continuation of its arms supplies—or even political cover—an embarrassing
and risky endeavor for its foreign sponsors. Moreover, it exposes these sponsors to potential
conflicts with international law and courts.
To circumvent this predicament, the idea of establishing a parallel government in Sudan was proposed. For this plan to succeed, an inconsistent spectrum of self-proclaimed or otherwise weightless Sudanese entities and figures—lacking significant grassroots political support—were hastily mobilized and rushed to Nairobi.
In essence, creating a parallel civilian government in Sudan serves as a rebranding effort for the
very same notorious militia. More importantly, it provides a functional platform for funneling lethal
weapons and mercenaries, further dismantling Sudan’s territorial integrity.
Discrediting the value of Nairobi’s outcome, renowned Sudanese political analyst Professor Jalal Hashim, has pointed out that during the nearly two-year occupation of major
Sudanese cities—such as Khartoum, Madani, and Nyala—the RSF Janjaweed militia attempted to establish a civil administration. Ironically, this is the very administration they are now celebrating
and making noise about in Nairobi. However, their efforts proved futile, as they were incapable of
establishing a functioning state.Rather, evidence has shown that the militia is only capable of spreading chaos, statelessness, and
lawlessness. This is unsurprising, given that the Janjaweed militia was originally created to sow disorder. As a result, millions of innocent Sudanese civilians had no choice but to flee for their lives, escaping RSF brutality to seek refuge in areas controlled by the regular army—where otherwise, law and order do prevail.
The imminent launch of the so-called “peace government” by the RSF militia, allies, and its political mouthpieces,
yield no tangible results. It is a desperate attempt to disrupt Sudan’s political landscape and a
reckless reaction to the militia’s successive and humilating military defeats on the battlefield.In contrast, as Sudan’s military establishment celebrates its centenary this year, it has gained the
support and solidarity of the Sudanese people in an unprecedented manner. The military and the people stand shoulder to shoulder in confronting all threats to the sovereignty of the Sudanese
national state.
Furthermore, the automatic and successive condemnations of the Nairobi conference increasingly confirm, that both international and regional powers are now more cautious and less inclined to support parallel governments within a single national
territory.
