Analysis Of Government’s Approaches To Stabilise Conditions In Sudan

Sudan is an African country located in sub-Sahara, bordering Egypt, Chad, Ethiopia and Libya to the north, west southeast and northeast, respectively, with Khartoum as the capital city. The country has an estimated population of forty-three million people with Islam being the predominant religion and English and Arabic as the official languages. Until the recent events, Sudan has been a scene of unending military conflict that exacerbated the division between the Islam north and the southern Animists and the Christians. The differences in religion, languages and governmental power have led into civil wars between rebels and government forces, culminating into the overthrowing of the Muhammad al Bashir administration. The essay discusses the various approaches that the new government has embraced to bring into place normalcy and stable conditions. Domestic concerns are reviewed; style of governance and the related branches of government are identified, and ultimately domestic programs for public goods proposed. The economic structure will be used to foster cohesion and national unity, as well as sustainable development.

Domestic Concerns

The Sudanese conflict between the Sudan Revolutionary Front and the national forces started in early 2010 as an oil dispute. It erupted into a civil war, leading to the arrests of over eight hundred protesters and over two hundred deaths. Following national-wide protests over the defiance of President al Bashir to relinquish power and the move by his government to more than double the price of consumer goods at a period when its people were reeling from the after-effects of war, the government was overthrown. President al Bashir was in power for over thirty years and his resistance to step down compelled oppositions groups to converge as a coalition. The protests persisted until the arrest of the Sudanese strong man and the declaration of a three-month state of emergency, as well as the subsequent suspension of the country from African Union. The protests ended following the assumption of power by the Transition Military Council and the drafting of the constitution, a process that received backing from Forces of Freedom and Change.

Governance Style and Principles

The Transition Military Council proposes a democratic system of governance where the people exercises power through voting. Citizens will choose representatives who will converge to establish a governing body whose power will be exercised within the principles of representative democracy. As a safeguard, according to Kershaw, the majority will be limited and minority protected by the constitution to ensure the enjoyment of individual rights, such as free speech, association, and right to life and justice. Democracy is viewed as the solution to conflicts because every member of the society plays a role in decision making and no single group controls the outcome of a political event. The style of governance comprises a political system for forming a government, active participation in civic life and politics by citizens, safeguarding of human rights, and rule of law.

Branches of Government

The proposed government will have three branches, the executive, legislative and judicial. The executive branch will be administered by the president to enforce laws made by the legislative wing. The citizens aged eighteen years and above will elect the president through an Electoral College system. The laws will be made by the legislature whose members will be elected by voters in their counties.

Economic Structure

The proposed economic structure is a market-oriented economy where business firms and private individuals are the primary decision-makers, with the central and local governments serving as the consumer and regulator. Businesses will enjoy significant flexibility in decisions regarding employment, product development, and capital acquisition. The structure will be based on the principle of free enterprise where the government will address issues overlooked by the private economy, such as education and the environment.

National Unity

The idea of unity is not new to Sudan, a nation marked by deliberate segregation of communities based on the religious and ethnic façades. Ethnic strains remain deep-seated into Sudan’s past and efforts to bridge the rift mirrors the widespread acknowledgment of the need to unite the Sudanese people. The government proposes to foster unity by minimizing sectorial practices and encouraging adherence to low and order.

Combating Terrorism

It will advocate for a community of communities, paying attention to shared values and diversity. Citizens will be encouraged to entertain religious and racial tolerance to achieve societal peace. Muslims and Christians will be reconciled and encouraged to perceive each other fellow nationals who can live in harmony despite their religious differences.

International Organizations

The newly formed Sudanese government will be encouraged to join the African Union and the United Nations. For the former, the country will be able to address its local problems with the support of neighboring nations while the UN will provide the financial support and capacity to tackle worldwide concerns.

Conclusion

Human rights and democracy are distinct aspects but play a critical role in the conception and operationalization of the government. The approach to governance was selected to prevent the problem of leaders refusing to step down from power and the drawbacks that come with absolute monarchy where power is a privilege for the wealthy few. Despite the appropriateness of the system, fail-safe mechanisms need to be implemented to prevent the possible abuse of power. Equitable allocation of national resource achieves national approval and wide-scale support for the government to deliver public services.