Sudan’s Brotherhood seeks to undermine revolution

Ahmed Nabawy

Sudanese Islamists had a better opportunity than any others in the whole Arab world as Sudan was ruled by them for 30 years. However, the Sudanese Islamists failed to realize their political project despite their long rule and absolute control of the state.

Moreover, Sudan’s Islamists failed religiously and morally. In this regard, it is noteworthy that ousted president Omar al-Bashir had mammoth money.

Seddiq al-Hady described the Islamist experience in Sudan as “a crime against Sudan and the whole region”. After the Islamists ruled Sudan, the southern part seceded and South Sudan was created, and an armed conflict broke out in Darfur in the west.

Moreover, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for former president al-Bashir on charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. That marked the first-of-its-kind ruling against a head of state.

“This is only an example of what Islamists perpetrated in Sudan in the name of Islam,” said al-Hady.

An Islamist faction within the Sudanese intelligence services is accused of harassing women and assaulting civilians to trigger mistrust in the transitional government. There has been some insecurity in Khartoum like harassment of women and assault of civilians.

Journalist Yousra al-Baqer revealed on Twitter that some intelligence sources had told her that there was an Islamist faction inside the intelligence services. Al-Baqer said that Islamist faction had formed gangs of youths to assault civilians and harass women in the streets.

Qatar is trying hard to return to Sudan. It desperately wants to regain influence in Sudan, especially following tension with the transitional military council, which led the country after the ousting of al-Bashir.

Ties between Khartoum and Doha tensed on the back of Qatar’s drive to revive Sudan’s Muslim Brotherhood by sponsoring meetings to unite Sudanese Islamist parties to reproduce the former regime, which was led by al-Bashir.

Qatar’s investments in Sudan total $1.5 billion in 40 agricultural, tourism and real estate projects, according to official Sudanese data.

Sudanese politicians are skeptic about Qatari investments due to Doha’s role in supporting political Islamist groups. Moreover, analysts say there are accusations that Qatar is working to topple the Abdalla Hamdok-led government, which does not serve the Qatari interests.