Revolutionary Lines Are Not Straight

Youssef Abdullah

"People often fight and lose the battle, yet the very thing they fought for eventually becomes a reality despite their defeat (...)."

The above excerpt, taken from the socialist William Morris, opens the book Empire (2002) by thinkers Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri. The immediate meaning of the excerpt is that the essence of victory and success may sometimes lie hidden within what appears to be an outright defeat.

Here, this quote is used to analyze the Sudanese revolution of 2018 and its outcomes six years after its outbreak. While the revolution erupted and achieved some successes, it faced immense challenges because its opponents were not few and were well aware of its magnitude and threat. Indeed, no revolution has ever proceeded in a straight line, free of dilemmas and challenges. Nevertheless, despite the war that has erupted between former allies, the revolution still possesses a momentum that keeps its enemies tethered to its goals.

On April 11, 2019, Sudanese people crowned their political struggles by toppling one of the fiercest military dictatorships. In truth, their efforts brought them remarkably close to achieving their ultimate goal: a civilian, democratic state founded on freedom, peace, and justice.

The revolution marked a great achievement, yet it encountered numerous obstacles. These culminated in the coup by the military—both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)—against the transitional government on October 25, 2021. Though they had been partners in the government until the very last moment, their actions led to an escalation of challenges, ultimately culminating in a devastating war that began in mid-April of last year. The war, which erupted in the capital, Khartoum, quickly spread in all directions.

So far, there are no serious signs that the war is nearing an end. Yet, has the need for the revolutions goals—freedom, peace, justice, and democracy—faded? Certainly not! The Sudanese peoples desire to reclaim the path of the revolution and achieve civilian democratic governance remains steadfast. One day, this dream will come true.

In reality, the war between the army and the RSF has made the task of restoring civilian democratic governance even more difficult than it was before. However, it is not an impossible task. With a measure of optimism, one could argue that the war itself, in one way or another, became part of the revolution—by precisely exposing historical errors.

Six years ago this month, the revolution began. Despite the current horrors, Sudanese hopes remain fixed on ending the war and forming a civilian democratic government. This aspiration remains deeply rooted within them. For years, they have sacrificed their lives and precious resources for this cause, and they continue to endure hardships.

Their resolve persists, unwavering.