April War and the Maze of Generals: Man Does Not Triumph by War Alone
Abdulrahman Al-Ajeb
The April War, which erupted on the morning of the fifteenth day of its fourth month, has left Sudanese divided into two teams: one supporting the continuation of the war and its military resolution, and another rejecting the ongoing war and demanding a peaceful resolution through negotiations. However, between the stances of the two teams, the reality remains unchanged, and neither side has been able to decisively defeat the other militarily until now.
The situation in Russia, as depicted in Tolstoys masterpiece War and Peace, is not much different from the Sudanese situation. Sudan has witnessed wars that have persisted for more than six decades, with no respite since its independence in the mid-twentieth century, up to the current April War that two generals embarked on, each thinking they would defeat the other within six hours. Their expectations failed, and they entered the accursed maze of the April War.
Tolstoys novel War and Peace tells the story of Russian society during Napoleons era and is considered one of the greatest world novels. It is set in the early nineteenth century, during the invasion of the famous French leader Napoleon Bonaparte, whose star shone brightly after defeating the Austrian armies and invading Russian territories, even entering Moscow but ultimately retreating after the bitter failure of facing the harsh Russian winter, as the Russian Tsar Alexander I refused to surrender.
The novel revolves around the evils of war and is essential for all those interested in issues of war and peace. We need a Sudanese Tolstoy, born from Eve, the Sudanese, to depict a realistic novel that narrates the wars our country has experienced throughout its ancient, modern, and national history, including the current April War, so that all Sudanese can come to the realization that man does not triumph by war alone.
It seems that the elite, intellectuals, political elites, and generals have not learned from the mistakes of the past, failing to recognize that war does not abide by any logic that protects the mind from falling into error. It always brings destruction and devastation wherever it takes place or ignites, as famously stated by Charles: Give me the money that has been spent in wars, and I will clothe every child in the world in the garments of kings.
We must learn from these lessons and wisdom by looking at our Sudanese reality. A logical question arises: how much have we spent on war since Sudans independence until now? Undoubtedly, if the funds spent on wars during those years were invested in development, our beloved Sudan would undoubtedly become Gods paradise on Earth.
Today and tomorrow, Sudanese yearn for peace, and peace is considered a noble value advocated by wise men and ancient philosophers, with many sayings about it. Some say: True and lasting victory is achieved through peace, not war. Others describe peace as not merely the absence of tension but the presence of justice, and Friedrich Nietzsche said, There can be no happiness without peace.
In military terms, truth is the first casualty, as evidenced by the accusations exchanged by opponents during wars, where facts are often absent, and incoming fires have the right of way, as indicated by the victims who fall during wars. This is evident in many regions of Sudan since before independence up until now, where numerous wars have resulted in thousands of deaths, from the Souths war to the Easts war, passing through Darfur and the wars in South Kordofan and Blue Nile, not to mention the current April War witnessed in the country.
Well, the accursed reality imposed by the April War on the warring generals and representatives of Sudanese political parties, the armed struggle movements signatory to the Juba Peace Agreement, the Liberation Movement led by Abdulwahid Mohammed Nur, and the Peoples Movement led by Abdelaziz Adam Al-Hilu, obliges all of them to sit at one dialogue table with the aim of reaching a minimum agreement that leads to political, social, and economic stability, leading to the establishment of a new Sudan where our children dream of a happy world.
This new Sudan should not be created in isolation from the Sudanese people and their various social, cultural, and religious components. They must support a broad civil front to end the war, ultimately leading to the establishment of a new Sudan where all Sudanese citizens care about each others issues, share common feelings, and have a shared consciousness. At that point, the homeland will be shared among them, undoubtedly creating an absolute reality.
As Sudanese, we must work together and support the formation of a broad civil front that works to end the war. We say to the generals, Put down your weapons. Man does not triumph by war alone. Let us join forces to achieve the noble slogans of the December Revolution, which represent freedom, peace, and justice, establishing a strong foundation for the well-being of the Sudanese people and crossing over to the other bank where a civil democratic state is built on citizenship, equal rights, and social justice, bringing prosperity to the Sudanese people.
