Eastern Sudan Issue, the Strategic and Security threat

Neimat AlNaiem
neimatalnaiem@yahoo.com

East Sudan is one of the marginalized areas in Sudan that suffered greatly during all previous governments since the Independence of Sudan in 1956. It has been suffering from the three pillars of hunger, poverty, and disease. Despite its valuable and variable resources of different types of minerals, virgin Red sea coast with its crystal water, the Red sea mountains, the islands on the red sea, besides the tourist’s sites distributed in the three states of the East, Red Sea, Kassala, and Gadarif, and before that the main port of Sudan in Port Sudan.

The recent dispute and conflict in eastern Sudan is a renewable problem, the major players are the politicians who are blindly opposed any government even the Transitional Government that ended thirty years of the former Al Bashir dictatorship. The people in the east have logic in demanding their rights in development as well as the other parts of Sudan. The armed struggle is one of the tools they adopted during the last Governments.

The signing of the peace agreement in Juba partially solved the issue of Eastern Sudan. But still, there is some sort of injustice in distrusting wealth and power. This very rich region suffers from high rates of poverty, illiteracy, and diseases a complicated situation. It is unbelievable. Leaders in the east of with their different political parties and components should put in mind the benefit of the people in the villages, suburbs, and those who in the desert, valleys looking for a better life for their families.

So protesting and demonstrating are the ways people adapted in demanding their rights. The blocking of the national highway joining the center in Khartoum and the production areas with the main port of Sudan, will escalate the situations and delay the developmental process to be implemented in all parts of Sudan and the east in particular.

Let us support the people in the east to have their rights. Let us support the December revolution and its slogan Freedom, peace, and justice. Let us share honestly the wealth and power. Let us work and struggle for the sake of Sudan and the people of Sudan.

We believe that the issue of eastern Sudan affects not only the national economy of Sudan, the export and import processes, through Port Sudan and Sawakin harbors. But at the same time, there are other alternatives in dealing with export and import commodities through the neighboring countries in the west and south Sudan. That is not the issue. The issue of eastern Sudan is a strategic and security threat to the whole region and the red sea security. It is high time to look at the problem of east Sudan, not as a demanding issue of the citizens of eastern Sudan. It is a matter of national security of all Sudan.

We convey our message to the Transitional Sovereign Council, the Prime minister, and his cabinet to give priority to solve the issue of eastern Sudan.

We urge the leaders of eastern Sudan to protest and demonstrate for the sake of the citizens and the east but to have their share in the delicious cake of power.