The leader of Sudan’s National Umma Party, Fadlallah Baramah, described the signing of the “Addis Ababa Declaration” between the Civil Democratic Forces Alliance (Tagaddum) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as a “preliminary step on the right path towards peace.”
He deemed it a “political and military opportunity to reach a final resolution for the Sudanese crisis.”
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, Baramah characterized the conflict that erupted in Sudan on April 15, 2023, as distinct from previous wars in the country.
He emphasized, in the remarks published Friday, that this war lacks a clear objective and has surpassed both in human and material losses all preceding conflicts.
Baramah leads one of Sudan’s largest political parties, the National Umma Party, and is a military veteran who previously served as the Northeast African country’s Minister of Defense.
Drawing on his military expertise, Baramah drew comparisons between the current war involving the Sudanese army and the RSF and previous wars.
He pointed out that the South Sudan War, known as the “Torit mutiny” from August 1955 to 1962, concluded with the Addis Ababa Agreement in 1973 led by General Joseph Lagu.
Baramah recalled the history of conflict witnessed by Sudan, including the war led by John Garang de Mabior (1983-2005), the Nuba Mountains War led by Yousif Kuwa and Telfal Kokor (1985), and the Darfur War (2003-2020).
All these conflicts did not result in the same level of loss of life and infrastructure damage as the current war, noted Baramah.
“This war must come to a halt, as it has inflicted unprecedented harm on lives, people, and infrastructure over nine months, unlike any of the previous wars that lasted 51 years,” he asserted.
“Thousands have lost their lives, millions have been displaced and uprooted, and there has been unparalleled destruction to infrastructure – destruction that is challenging to repair.”
“For instance, the destroyed Jili Petroleum Refinery (north of Bahri city in the capital Khartoum) requires five billion dollars for reconstruction (its initial construction cost was two billion dollars), and the Shambat Bridge needs millions, in addition to other private and public facilities,” clarified Baramah.
Baramah observed that the current Sudanese war is “without cause,” unlike the preceding conflicts in Sudan.
“All previous wars had their reasons and justifications, but this war is unjustifiable,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.
“The South Sudan War, for instance, stemmed from the Southerners’ rightful demand for federal governance and later independence, a legitimate demand. The rest of the wars were about citizens’ rights to wealth and power," explained Baramah.
Expressing concern, Baramah warned about the catastrophic consequences of this war, describing them as perilous.
“This war has brought us to a dangerous stage, marked by the proliferation of hate speech, which is more destructive than the destruction of infrastructure because it leads to the destruction of Sudan,” he cautioned.
