Wake-up call: Absence of Rule of Law

By: Consultant/Engineer Omer Al-Bakri Abu-Haraz

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Is a conventional wisdom observed and respected in the first and developed world. This explains the reason for the fast development in Europe and America and any other country which respects the rule of law like Australia, New Zealand and India.

In all countries which abide by the rule of law military coups are highly unlikely.

In the Third World, especially in African countries development, albeit their vast natural resources, is hard hit by military coups. In most cases military rule turns to a one-man dictatorship, in which rule of law is absent. This leads to subjecting the citizens to all sorts of atrocities, ruthless inhumane punishments and deprivation of freedom of expression and criticism which checks the wrong decision of the President in all fronts especially of the departure from applying equality and justice on all people without any prejudice.

Corruption flourished in dictatorship rule.

The gap between poverty and wealth widens. The middle class vanishes by the relegation to third class citizens.

Sadly enough in Sudan and throughout the national rules since 1885 till  now the rule of law was and is absent.

Mahdia rule (1885 – 1898) governance was full dictatorship of Al-Khalifa Abdullahi who succeeded the Mahdia leader Imam Mohamed Ahmed Al-Mahdi who died few months after the victory of Mahdia troops who killed the British Governor Gordon Pasha on January 1885.

Khalifa Abdullahi was ruthless against most of the citizens of central Sudan. Justice and equality took back seats, nepotism and prejudice to west Sudan citizen were in the front seats. During Mahdia rule – 13 years – Sudanese people dwelled on the primitive style of living under the iron-fist rule of Khalifa. It was unfortunate and weird when the citizens of central and north Sudan warmly welcomed the invading British campaign of General Kitchener against the Mahdia regime in retaliation to the killing of Gordon.

In 1898 the Mahdia rule was uprooted and the British governed Sudan for 58 years under full compliance with the rule of law offering equality and justice to all citizens without bias, nepotism or prejudice to any groups or individuals.

In the 58 years of colonization Sudan was transformed to a modern country. Strong competent civil service was established, fair judicial systems was set.

Educational schools, institutes and colleges built.  Health care centres built. Agricultural schemes were established like the great Gezira Scheme.

The British left for the Sudanese politicians a great heritage of established judicial system, ideal civil services and appropriate infrastructure.

Since independence in 1956 to date gross breaches to the inherited rule of law were perpetrated by three military regimes which ruled for 55 years in complete departure from justice, equality and freedom of speech.

Millions were killed in quelling insurgencies in South Sudan and Darfur regions. Hundreds of thousands were detained, imprisoned and tortured without any verdicts from courts. Strong intelligence services were established with unlimited funds and powers.

In the last ousted regime of the Salvation unprecedented cases of corruption were perpetrated. The vital resources of Sudan – oil and gold exports – were maliciously handled by obscuring the real amounts of export. Foreign debt reached US$60 billion whereas exports as analysts estimate the proceed from oil and gold exceed US$10 billion in tenure of the ousted regime.

So, without enacting the rule of law in Sudan people not speak about the vast resources of Sudan.

In the absence of justice, equality and freedom, the exploitation of the resources is more damaging than leaving under or above ground.