Sudanese Political Elites: Reality and Aspirations

By Dr. Hassan Al-Majmar
The bloody armed conflict raging in our country has revealed tragic and shocking images of certain political, academic, social, and military elites—individuals who were once expected to agree on a basic minimum: to reject rebellion in all its forms, regardless of justification. Just as Sudanese people have historically opposed military coups, foreign interference, and rioting that paralyzes daily life and turns it into a nightmare, the same was expected of their elites.
Even the most pessimistic Sudanese could not have imagined, when the war broke out on April 15, 2023, that the shock and loss of hope—especially in the political elite, both individually and collectively—would be so profound. Sudanese society is known for its cohesion and its people’s devotion to unity in the face of adversity. The Sudanese are renowned among their Arab and non-Arab friends for their honesty, courage, modesty, generosity, and readiness to help the distressed. These are qualities that have long formed the bonds of love and pride among Sudanese, despite their cultural and linguistic differences—values beautifully expressed by poets and artists: “Time repeats their good reputation—untainted, unstained.”
Though Sudan has witnessed many wars since its independence, none has succeeded in tearing apart its social fabric. “Every part of it is our homeland, with which we boast and take pride,” and the shared spirit remains. All Sudanese feel the same thrill when hearing Al-Kashif’s famous song “I am African, I am Sudanese”, and they rejoice in the victories of legendary footballers like Gaksa, Burai, Barish, Santo, Anas Al-Nour, and Mohamed Abdel Rahman.
Yet, some of our political activists are so swept away by the allure of power that they abandon thoughtful reflection on the consequences of their rapid shifts—shifts as swift as the setting sun. They are willing to ride any wave, support any regime, just to reach their immediate goals, with no regard for their own history, Sudanese values, ethical standards, or even basic party rules.
These are the very individuals from whom the Sudanese people—ever since the anti-colonial struggle and independence—have expected better. The people have risen up and demanded change three times in their history, yet these elites have not learned from past mistakes. Nor have they worked to improve the present or shape the future based on the best practices from successive national regimes. Their failure to do so has jeopardized public welfare and compromised national achievements, institutions, skilled personnel, and infrastructure.
The Sudanese people are naturally intelligent and discerning. They can recognize sincere individuals and possess the will to support one another in times of hardship and ease. They are bound together by traditions of mutual aid, bravery, and generosity—traits that have fueled popular resistance and the willingness to sacrifice.
So what is it that allows political elites, obsessed with gaining power by any means, to dominate a nation like this?
What makes it possible for political elites—who neither believe in nor practice democratic values such as inclusion, tolerance, equality, equal opportunity, human rights, freedom of expression and association, political participation, transparency, accountability, rule of law, and media pluralism—to forcibly represent a people like the Sudanese?
What makes it possible for political elites, who do not even uphold fundamental human rights such as non-discrimination, accountability, broad participation, indivisibility, and universality, to speak in the name of the Sudanese people?
What allows such elites—lacking political weight, many of whom belong to parties that have never won more than 15 seats in any elected Sudanese parliament—to dominate public discourse?
What enables political parties, funded by foreign entities and dependent on embassies, to exert influence over a proud and sovereign people?
What makes it acceptable for the Sudanese to support ideas and agendas advanced by these elites—agendas that show no regard for their religion or social and cultural values?
Sudanese people, who are well-read and insightful, cannot comprehend how an academic could endorse the rebels’ theory of achieving democracy through forced displacement, looting, and rape under the pretext of eradicating a segment of society.
Wise as they are, Sudanese citizens cannot understand how a party that led the call for independence in 1955 would now, in 2025, advocate dismantling the military and reestablishing the country’s founding institutions from scratch.
Refusing humiliation, the Sudanese people have not accepted surrender or calls to stop resisting. They have offered martyrs to reclaim their homes from rebels so that rightful owners can return to their houses in dignity in cities like Madani, Sennar, and Khartoum—and soon in Zalingei, Al-Geneina, and Nyala.
Sudanese people have never hesitated to confront overwhelming challenges, even in the harshest of trials, ensuring that neither citizens are humiliated nor the nation held hostage. “Nothing but this blood can redeem it, like a martyr tested—giving generously, boldly, with unwavering strength, unshaken by adversity…”
To the political elites:
The Sudanese people aspire to a dignified life—where government serves the public, delivers essential services, implements development programs, protects rights and freedoms, and upholds peaceful power transitions while outlawing exclusion and incitement to national, racial, or religious hatred.
The people demand that elites stop seeking foreign support. Sudan, with its strategic location and natural resources, is a prize vulnerable to exploitation and harmful geopolitical interests.
The people demand that elites refrain from enabling foreign interventions by nearby or distant countries. No foreign model has proven truly democratic or beneficial to Sudanese interests.
All the Sudanese ask from their elites is to respect the intellect of the people—rebuild their parties, associations, and unions—and dedicate them to fulfilling their proper roles, as defined by international human rights standards and deep-rooted constitutional values.
Let the construction of a just and viable political system be left to the elected parliament—one that reflects the genuine will of the Sudanese people.