Since December 2018, Sudan has seen a popular uprising triggered by the rising prices of bread and the struggle for daily necessities like cash and fuel. However, this uprising is in reality a result of 30 years of an authoritarian regime that brought the country to a state of despair. Al-bashir and his National Congress Party (NCP) have committed crimes of war, genocide and ethnic cleansing against Sudanese people in Darfur and the Nuba mountains, destroyed the country’s economy through corruption and committed numerous Human rights violations against the people of Sudan.
Today marks four months since the beginning of the uprising and the people of Sudan, despite the heavy teargas, arrests, torture and killing perpetrated by the government, are still out in the streets everyday demanding the president and the regime to step down, “Tasgot bas” (just fall, that’s all).
The Sudanese regime has created and maintained repressive policies and practices against women throughout its ruling years. Nevertheless, women in Sudan not only widely participate in protests but they also challenge the authorities, lead protests and run campaigns exposing the government officers and members of the Intelligence who participated in torturing and killing peaceful protesters.
In this series, we will hear from Sudanese female voices participating in the uprising in various ways.
Female voices of the Sudan Uprising: The Diaspora
Rowa Kodi
“I believe this time we will gain our freedom from the NCP!”
“The reason I believe so is because I have been a part of protests in Sudan since 2011, but what I experienced in December 2018 was impressive.
In June 2011, we were out in the streets because of price increase, at the time the community in Khartoum criticized us, they still believed in the regime and had some hope in them. By September 2013, people started to realize that this regime is dying, but they were still hesitant and scared to protest. However, this time, I have witnessed that people are ready to die for change; they have realized that this regime is indeed fascist!
I had the honor to participate in the December revolution while I was in Sudan by joining the protests announced by the Sudanese Professionals Association from December 25th, 2018 until January 9th, 2019. I remember I used to go to demonstrations with low expectations of seeing many people joining us, but these protests, I saw the same people who were prohibiting me from going out to advertise for demonstrations in the front lines, in fact, they were leading this time. I have seen different members of the community engaged, including children. I’ve witnessed how organized the community is in preparations for protests; this time, the whole community is involved.
What makes this revolution unique from the previous ones is that people genuinely feel that this is their revolution, this is their opportunity to raise their voice, unlike any previous movements that were always lead by opposition parties. I saw different neighborhoods in Omdurman city preparing for the march from a day ahead, they distribute tasks among each other and empty their houses to be used as first aid stations for injured protesters. I saw women ask their children to stay at the main street of the neighborhood to guide protesters coming from other areas. I saw men closing the main roads using big stones to block the government militias from entering. This experience made me believe that Sudan will attain its freedom very soon.
Since I came back to the US, my belief on this revolution grew stronger as I witnessed all the Sudanese opposition members in the diaspora placing their differences aside and uniting for the first time since 1989. I found that oppositions in the USA have established a network for all parties, and armed movements to coordinate and work collectively guided by a memorandum of understanding they developed to act as a code of conduct for these different bodies.
All these movements I have mentioned above were led by women, women have dedicated time, led the advocacy initiatives, lobbied, and reached out to the Sudanese American community across the US to engage them. Women are the first in any diaspora efforts here in the US and their roles are not only limited leading and coordinating initiatives, they also lead protests and are very creative in chanting. They prepare food for demonstrations and host visitors from out of town participating in marches.”
Rowa kodi is based in Washington, DC
Featured photo credits to Ehab Abasaeed
Words & Wins 