The Resistance Committees
Omer B. Abu Haraz
The Resistance Committees (RCs) body is a legitimate offspring of the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) which was formed by the dissolved Trade Unions of Professionals in June 1989 following the military coup of the Sudanese Islamic Front. Since then the Trade Unions held clandestine meetings setting plans to confront the coup.
It took them years to start struggle activities because the Islamic regime was ruthless after apprehending thousands of the leaders of the Trade Unions putting them behind bars subjecting them to all kinds of torture inflicting severe pain and suffering on them.
After the major split in the ruling Islamic party (National Congress Party – NCP) in 1999 and the establishment of a second Islamic party led by Dr. Turabi – the Popular Congress Party (PCP), the austerity measures were relaxed many-fold. This encouraged the Trade Unions to start organized confrontations under the umbrella of the SPA. SPA led people to take to the streets in September 2013.
Massive rallies roamed the streets of the capital The Islamic Salvation Regime managed to quell the insurgency by the use of excessive force that claimed the lives of hundreds and injuries of thousands.
The SPA continued for 5 years in secret meetings to start a second uprising. In December 2018 the conditions were ripe and conducive to rekindling the insurgency.
After the secession of Southern Sudan in July 2011, 75% of the oil exports of the South were lost and the economy of Sudan started a sharp decline. The budget of Sudan from 1999 to 2011 was 80% dependent on the revenues of oil export. By December 2018 the national currency value plummeted, prices of commodities hiked accompanied by a severe shrink in cash. Under those conditions, SPA succeeded in mobilizing the streets in the capital and many other towns. The mobilization culminated in a historic sit-in of millions around the Army H.Q.
On April 11, 2019, the Salvation Regime fell.
In January 2019 some political parties joined the SPA diluting it to operate with less efficacy and an enlarged body, they called it Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC). Some of those parties were skeptical to join the uprising and in many incidents openly discouraged the revolutionaries by disappointing rhetoric. This new body led to a major split in the SPA. One faction, the major, led by the Communist Party and the other by the Unionist Alliance, Sudan Congress Party, Umma party, Baath and Nassirite Parties. The ambivalent vision and stance of the FFC elements in their relation and partnership with the military component led to the emergence of the resistance Committees (RCs) as a spearhead for a corrective path to the full transition to civilian democratic governance, a path that collides head-on with the military component.
Juba Peace Agreement deepened the split between the military and the RCs. All signatories of the Juba Peace Agreement of October 3, 2020, aligned with the military component. Those are Arm struggle leaders of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) – Minnawi faction who left Abdulwahid Nour founder of the SLM, together with arm struggle 3 leaders forming annexed tracks to the agreement sided by SLM and JEM. Tracks of East, Middle, and North. Juba peace signatories formed a new FFC called the Charter group fully leaning to the military.
After a picturesque small sit-in around the Palace staged by the signatories of the Juba Agreement, the Army Commander-in-Chief and President of the Sovereign Council, declared a coup on October 25, 2021, abolishing the Constitutional Document, dissolving the sovereign and the Council of Ministers.
Since the 25th of October to date, the RCs led a new revolution under the slogan of immediate and full transition to civilian rule brandishing the slogan of three NOs – No negotiations, No bargaining, and No recognition to the military coup.
The RCs are a group of steadfast resilient and diehard youth. They are led by the Communist Party and the Unionist Alliance.
They managed to control the streets of the capital and other towns. They are brave and adamant in achieving their ultimate objective. They are backed by the two major Arm Struggle Movements of Al-Hilu (SPLM-A North in South Kordofan and SLM leader Abdulwahid Nour in Jebel Marra.
RCs revolution is now passing a real threat to the incumbent ruling military regime. They are supported by the international community, especially in America.
They are now subjecting Sudan to options opening the doors to an imminent change whether it be Peaceful or Dreadful.
