Sudan Uprising: We The People Demand

When the ongoing protests began in Sudan on 19 December 2018, calling for the overthrow of President Omar Al Bashir, quite a few took a step back to contemplate the implications — what comes next? As difficult and exhaustive that would be to even attempt answering, there are a few points that must be considered by all participants.

In addition to the shortages and high prices of essential commodities such as bread and fuel, the ongoing crisis is not merely political in cause but extends to social dimensions and has its primary causes rooted in economics.

We live in interesting times where we have almost unfettered access to global information and, more importantly, to each other. That is what is fueling the revolution and, I would argue, it is a wave we should ride. It is up to us to steer the ship in the proper direction, which ultimately is the goal of the uprising. The social element of an organised society is not to be undermined, as a large degree of civic action and responsibility rest upon the people. While full reliance on the government and its political bodies would most certainly be convenient, it most certainly is not enough.

In light of the current protests, our government is willing to enact a series of reforms that we should put forward in order to further our nations’ interest. To that end, instead of letting up in the face of vague promises of improvement, we should demand, require, and in fact, draft required reforms.

We the people demand:

• We demand that export of essential commodities such as sugar, wheat, beans, and other agricultural products (including those derived from animals) be reduced to a minimum. This will help drive prices down for local consumers and encourage further processing of these raw materials to create globally marketable manufactured products, which would drive investment into the industrial sector. Moreover, it is essential to increase investment in the agricultural sector to meet the growing populations sustenance needs.
• We demand that import taxes on non-luxury items be reduced to a maximum of around 20%. This will help alleviate economic stress resulting from an industrialised society and rapid globalisation and the increase of material “wants” that come along with it.
• We demand the re-evaluation of real-estate and the initiation and execution of a land-endowment programme for residential, agricultural and industrial purposes with the aim of providing the means for every citizen with average or below average income to own their home, and means to subsist and development.
• We demand a full and comprehensive re-upheaval of the current educational system to incorporate less political and Islamist propaganda and better reflect our history and heritage in order to promote harmony within our highly fragmented society and foster creativity and thinking processes by taking a leap from the traditional models of Western Education by encouraging teamwork, group-based learning, and other innovative pedagogical methods (which also helps address the high student: teacher ratio in rural areas). In order to groom subsequent generations towards technical ability to envision, create, and produce as opposed to clerical work. Moreover, ensuring attendance per household, review and address causes for missing school are necessary due to the under privileged nature of a fairly large segment of our population.
• We demand the easing of business taxation and barriers to starting operations in business activities to encourage entrepreneurship and reinvestment in various sectors of the economy.

• We demand the immediate withdrawal of Sudanese forces from any conflicts beyond the bounds of our geographic territory. As much as geopolitical stability in the neighbouring regions of primarily Central and Eastern Africa and in addition to the Middle East are critical to regional stability, they play a significant role in diminishing our already strained resources even further. Resources that would better be utilised to alleviate our fragmentation and disunity. As before looking to be of service to our ‘external’ neighbours, we are obliged by humanity, reason and religion to prioritise our internal neighbours first — minorities, groups with different cultural and social backgrounds. Continuing to support a war in Yemen, to which the entirety of the international community is opposed and gradually withdrawing its support is simply wasteful and ill-advised. There are reports that Sudan has sent child soldiers from Darfur to fight for Saudi Arabia in Yemen.

It is important to note that the consideration, execution and promotion of these points requires politicians to serve more than personal self-interest.

In essence, instead of waging a war on diversity, we should wage one on poverty, ignorance and indifference.

These points are in no way comprehensive, but should serve as a starting point for gradually improving the living conditions of fellow countrymen and later, re-establishment of working, mutually beneficial relationships with the international community.

Ultimately, we must all realise that we carry a full obligation towards every member, student and home in our country on account of our shared humanity, heritage and land. And it is up to us to act on that.

Ziyad Basheer is a product designer on a mission to make things more beautiful, thoughtful and available. There are two things in life he enjoys more than leisure: understanding problems and designing solutions.