Sudan, six months after separation Has the Arab Spring reached the country? Sudan has become known for a seemingly unending string of sectarian and territorial conflicts, but it has also been impacted by the changes that swept through neighbouring North African countries last year. Dissatisfaction with President Omar al-Bashir has become increasingly visible in Khartoum and throughout Sudan, expressed by activist groups such as <a target="_blank" href="http://www.girifna.com">Girifna</a>.
Sudanese activists hold a sign saying "Girifna," an Arabic phrase meaning "we're fed up."
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Last year's protests on January 30 saw a relatively small turnout, but the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) nevertheless arrested some Girifna members earlier this week in advance of the anniversary.
Students also rallied in the thousands at the University of Khartoum at the end of December, protesting police violence and expressing solidarity with mass displacements caused by the construction of a new dam on the Nile.
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<div>Engineering student Mohamad Hassan Alim Boshi was recently released from three weeks of solitary confinement after publicly criticising a high-ranking official of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP). <br></div>
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Some Sudanese bloggers compared Boshi to Tunisia's Mohamed Bouazizi or Egypt's Khaled Said, two young men who helped spark revolutions in each country. The cartoon below, by <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/khalidalbaih/">Khalid Albaih</a>, is captioned "We are all Boshi," referencing the Egyptian Facebook campaign "We are all Khaled Said."
Although discontent is high, it has yet to materialise into the high numbers seen in protests elsewhere in the region this year. The recent secession of South Sudan has dominated political discussions about the regime's prospects for reform.
From Khartoum, the National Congress Party has been careful not to provoke further antagonism from the public.
The NCP has made sure to speak softly though it still carries a big stick. While it has been less eager to dispense with violence, knowing full well the possible repercussions, its tight grip on all facets of life in Sudan remains an obvious fact of life. Bashir seems to have made it a point recently to appear in public in civilian attire, eager to market this new, more "democratic" era for Sudan.
— Mon, Jan 30 2012 17:03:11 The caution stems from unrest created by conflicts within Sudan that leave the government seemingly embattled on all sides, with the ongoing conflict in Darfur, a famine in the Blue Nile province, and confrontation with the new state of South Sudan over borders and oil revenues.
Sudan's humanitarian crises have long consumed the attention of the Western media, although the Sudanese government faces the same challenges as Egypt and Libya: an aging military ruler, a repressive security regime, and economic stagnation. Blogger <a target="_blank" href="http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2012/01/201211873055142443.html">Amir Ahmad</a> argues that this perceived bias against the north has made Sudanese reluctant to criticise their own regime.
This was, and still is, strongly reflected in Western media coverage of Sudan and the attention directed by US advocacy groups to those causes. Unfortunately, in the process, both Western media and advocacy groups have reinforced the dichotomies and helped spread the aforementioned counter-productive narratives along with simplistic explanations. They have also unintentionally alienated many Northern Sudanese opposed to al-Bashir and his morally bankrupt policies who now feel that their identity is unfairly under attack.One must not overlook the suffering happening elsewhere in Sudan, such as in the north and in the heart of Khartoum.
— Mon, Jan 30 2012 17:03:06 The West has commonly viewed Sudan through the lens of sectarianism, with conflict stemming from the Arab and Muslim north over the Christian and African South. But traditional animist religions actually outnumber Christians in South Sudan, and both countries host diverse populations.
Sudan's economic woes have often taken a sideline to the ongoing humanitarian crises, despite their severity. Sudan holds the second highest external debt in Africa; at nearly $38 billion equaling 94% of its GDP. In comparison, South Africa's debt, which is the highest in Africa, is equivalent to 33% of its GDP. (Source: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.indexmundi.com/g/g.aspx?v=143&c=sf&c=su&l=en">Index Mundi/CIA World Factbook</a>)
Sudan's financial problems have been exacerbated by the secession of South Sudan, costing Sudan about 75% of its oil reserves and up to 90% of its exports. (Source: <a target="_blank" href="http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTSUDAN/Resources/Sudan_Economic_Brief-Dec_2011.pdf">World Bank</a>)
Longstanding disagreements over revenue-sharing between the two countries escalated into accusations of theft by Sudan, leading South Sudan to halt all oil production earlier this week.
Another <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/khalidalbaih/">Khalid Albaih</a> cartoon depicts the political posturing of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and South Sudanese President Silva Kiir, while a malnourished Sudanese looks on.
South Sudan seceded from the North in July after a referendum that received overwhelming support, bringing a formal end to a decades-long civil war.
Some Sudanese expressed regret at the South's secession, seeing it as a loss for both countries. On the eve of South Sudan's independence, some wished the new country well and expressed hope for a peaceful future.
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