From What Has Passed..!
Al-Tahir Sati
:: I was in Khartoum when the Dagalo militia looted and burned its markets during the second and third weeks of the war. The thefts and fires started at Bahri Market, then Saad Gishra, and finally the Central Market. I passed by these markets after the Dagalo gangs had reduced them to ashes… and I grieved..!
:: But what was I grieving for? Not for the markets themselves, but for the losses suffered by the vendors. Those so-called markets — with all their chaos and filth — deserved nothing but removal, whether by fire or by sweeping. This war presented an opportunity for authorities, merchants, and communities to establish modern, organized markets. Yet, we failed to seize it..!
:: In an upcoming article, God willing, I will present a model of those who obstruct development and progress. Until then, as you know, the hearts of villains are filled with hatred and a thirst for revenge. Thus, they did not stop at looting the markets but were keen to burn them as well. At the onset of the war, they killed many of the homeless who competed with them in looting, and later, those who remained were recruited and thrown into the army’s infernos..!
:: You might recall that the Janjaweed advisor Fares Al-Noor — backed by the UAE — had set up centers to gather and organize the homeless, whom he dubbed “Street Heroes.” This activity was widely praised and supported as a humanitarian act. However, after the war, as the homeless became integrated into the Janjaweed ranks, it became clear to the people that Fares was skillfully executing the UAE’s and its Janjaweed’s plan..!
:: Thank God, our country was relieved of Fares Al-Noor’s protégés during the armored corps battles, where many homeless individuals, thieves, and the “9 Tawila” gang members perished. Incidentally, the militia would push the homeless to the frontlines after shackling them inside stolen vehicles, using them to detect landmines and snipers, leading them to death and mutilation..!
:: Just as Fares was skillful in deceiving the government and society by organizing the homeless and “9 Tawila” for the benefit of the UAE’s Janjaweed, there were others deceiving the authorities and the people by bringing in, organizing, and distributing beggars throughout the cities. The vast majority of these beggars were foreigners — Arab tribes from the diaspora brought in by the UAE to fight alongside the Janjaweed..!
:: Today, thanks to God and the sacrifices of our brave warriors, life is gradually returning to Khartoum, Madani, Sennar, and other cities that had been infested with the Janjaweed militia and Arab diaspora fighters. Yet sadly, life returns with the same ugliness — the markets are re-emerging with the same chaos, poor conditions, and sources of disease..!
:: The homeless, beggars, and all negative phenomena threatening the security of the country and society are also gradually returning, not only in Khartoum but in every city. Even the phenomenon of street tea vendors has returned (as it was) — without any organization or licensing. Everything ugly has returned just as it was, with no signs of reform, improvement, or beautification..!
:: We had hoped — and still hope — that this war would be the decisive boundary between order and chaos in every aspect of Sudanese life, from our streets and markets to our political and economic realms. But from the looks of it, in all areas of life, it seems that even all the tragedies of this war are not enough to serve as a lesson or a wake-up call..!
