I was reading the U.S. State Department’s unclassified travel advisory, an amazing document. “Travel in all parts of Sudan particularly outside of Khartoum is potentially hazardous…[American] travelers to Sudan have been subjected to delays and detention…unpredictable local driving habits…roadblocks…In addition to the ongoing civil war, heavy rains…extensive flooding…water-related diseases…control over police and soldiers may be limited.” My favorite phrase was, “In addition to the ongoing civil war.” I glanced beside me. “You were saying?” His main objection was simple: “Because beeple no free!”
-Paul Theroux, Dark Star Safari
In Sudan, after a year long protest when the army opened fire in the streets, the people are now free- or at least they are freer than before. Omar al-Bashir is in jail, women can wear pants without being harrassed by Islamic vice squads, and many things a lot more important are now permitted only because of what the people have achieved. Yes there are still delays, yes when it rains in Khartoum it still floods, and yes truck drivers are still crazy as ever, but yes also the police and soldiers are finally under control. In fact they have mostly gone away.
Yet last week’s Supreme Court decision, saying that the civilian government must pay up to $4.3 billion punitive damages for al-Bashir’s ties to Osama bin Laden’s bombing plots, has now thrown a curveball. I think of civilians like KhairAllah and his eldest son Soliman. What will civilian rule mean to them with such debt to pay for a military ruler’s crimes? If democracy in Sudan is born with the original sin of having been birthed from a dictatorship, then he may as well have stayed in the desert and kept his son there, and not sent him to university in Khartoum. Soliman wants to vote, not to ride camels, and not to pay for al-Bashir’s crimes as decreed in a US courtroom..