Sad Tales of Khartoum

By Babiker Abbas

When Sudan gained independence after about sixty years of Egyptian-British rule, there were high aspirations that the country would be a leading African state, a model for others. A democratically elected government was put into office and was performing very well. Then a military coup occurred, designed and endorsed by two parties who were allied as a ruling majority, because they were sure that the opposition was about to regain Parliamentary confidence. Sudan lost political stability for good. A series of weak and fragile democracies were succeeded by a series of military coups. Lives were lost, property confiscated and vandalized, freedoms alienated, and a once peaceful and thriving nation gradually became miserable. Sad Tales of Khartoum is about some of these miserable encounters.
Many citizens were hanged because they had independent ideas; many met similar fate because they owned dollars, lawfully, sometimes as a family legacy; while others were killed, their homes burned, without anybody telling them why.
The book is a record of the efforts and sacrifices forwarded by one African nation in the struggle for democracy and honest rule. It also records the failure of the elite in modern Africa to come forward with an original, realistic scheme to address Africas chronic ailments. The tragic events depicted in the book demonstrate the disparity between the aspirations of the common people and the intrigues practiced by the elite in their bequest for power.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Dec 11, 2015
• ISBN: 9781504992855

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© 2015 Babiker Abbas. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 12/09/2015

ISBN: 978-1-5049-9286-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-9302-9 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-9285-5 (e)

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Contents

Dedication

Prologue

Wounded lion

Red Souvenir

The Ordeal of Mahmoud Mohamed Taha

For a Handful of Dollars

After the Janjaweed Left

The Two Fathers

Dedication

This book is dedicated to Sheikh Khalifa bin Eisa of Bahrain;

A man of piercing vision, exemplary patience and great compassion;

Whose table is always set, For both tramp and artist,

And people from everywhere.

Prologue

Life in Sudan is very harsh, to say the least, and the climate is even harsher. Dry hot wind blows for most of the year, slowing sometimes, speeding others, carrying tiny particles of sand, the latter overheated by the ever-present and abundant sun. Sun in the Sudan is the center of events, and is so magnificent that our ancestors worshiped it.

These conditions operated in three ways to shape the social psychology of the population. The hard living (and travel) conditions have endowed the Sudanese with a degree of stubbornness comparable only to that of the camel. Indeed Sudan has one of the largest camel herds in the world, a point which must not be overlooked when trying to judge the validity of the aforementioned observation.

The second major influence of the ecosystem on Sudanese psychology is a high degree of sarcasm, which embarks a desire for evasion even in face of the direst circumstance. The harsher the living or weather conditions in a particular Province or tribal land, the more sarcastic the people. The third major eco-social impact derives from the quantum geography of the Sudan. Because their country is very large (with an area of 1,254,928 Km) Sudanese do not feel threatened by strangers swarming the country, or appearing at their door fronts. Sudan’s boarders are open year round for any of the inhabitants of the eight or nine neighboring lands. People come and go as they wish. There are now about two million non-official refugees in the Sudan, in addition to the two and a half million or so, whom the UN acknowledges. They came from Chad, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Uganda, the Congo, Uganda, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Palestine. Not only that, but there is in the Sudan a degree of xeno-tolerance not yet manifest in any declaration of human rights or one world forum. Foreigners are not only well accepted, but are highly welcomed. This in my view does not arise from an inherited generosity code as some advocate; it rather comes out of curiosity as to the mental well-being, or the peculiar reasons, that brings a stranger all the way to this isolated, unheard of, rough-roaded, well or river watered, charcoal or brush lighted, predominantly pastoralist, or at the best agro- pastoralist community! These strangers, politely referred to as guests, must either be very crazy, or very brave. In either case, their story is worth listening to. It gives villagers tremendous joy to flock around the newcomer, and shower him or her with questions. Sometimes Sudanese villagers quarrel over guests; who should house them; who should show them around, and so forth. It is an unforgivable offense among some tribes to sequester a guest without permission of the chief, who usually has a sole monopoly on that pleasure. Al Tayeb Saleh, the late Sudanese novelist put it this way: They would flock around them…and would plead, almost begging we are a people cut-off; please tell us things to ornament with".

The ecology of Sudan is very diverse. The country is a peculiar blend of desert and forest. Also, the seasonal combination of time and place could sometimes produce amazing scenery. The harsh deserts of Kordofan, the Red Sea Hills and Nubia get transformed into endless sheets of green and rosy fields during the rainy season. These usually hostile lands then abound with gazelles, ostrich, the most beautiful and rarest of birds and delicious berries that can be found nowhere else. One nomad told me, when I cajoled him and his clan for living in such a location as they were, that they spend most of the year, about eight or nine months, in wait for the rainy season. He said during the rainy season, they forget all their former suffering.

Sudan is the cradle of mankind. The most recognized archeological findings referred the origins of man to the so called Singa Man that allegedly survived in that ancient town on the banks of the Blue Nile, in Central Sudan, some two million years before present. The relative wealth and ease of life along the Nile Valley, the availability of building materials, fishing, navigation, agriculture, gold and iron mining, all made settlement a good option for sensible migrants.

Three historic migrations had shaped the demography of the present Sudan. The first two were inter- African: the Fulani (and allied groups) from western Africa, and Abyssinians (and allied groups) from eastern Africa gradually but continuously mixed with the inhabitants of the land, the Nubians. The third significant migration was the advent of Arabs into the Sudan. The Muslim army wanted at first to enter Sudan by battle, as they had done in Egypt. That would have given them immediate and complete sovereignty over the conquered land and its populace. That proved to be a difficult undertaking. Battle after battle resulted in no victory for either army. To the contrary, the Muslim army was about to be annihilated in tote several times. Finally the Arab leader, Abdullah ibn Abi-Alsarh suggested peaceful settlement, to which the Nubian King of Dongola agreed, and the famous Pact Charter came into being (638 AC). Muslims could come into Nubia, unarmed, and could trade, worship and advocate as they wished. In return they would pay token gifts to the Nubian King, including a certain amount of wine for the Alter, who in return should pay a nominal tax. Before and after that, numerous groups filtered into the Sudan. Religion, trade, wars, tourism, famines, political harassment etc. brought migrants from many places: Turkey, Hungaria, Armenia, Greece, Rome, Mesopotamia, Morocco, Egypt, Kalahari, and even India (Bengal region). All these races continued to mix, and several towns flourished: Dongola, Berber, Sennar, Sawakin, Al-Abwab (Kaboshya), Al-Fasher, Kosti, Gedaref. When several races and ethnic groups admix, they sacrifice a lot of cultural characteristics in order to arrive to a necessarily new set of norms so as to gain mutual acceptance. A common language is the most important factor in the making of a nation. Arabic became the lingua franca of the land for many objective reasons. Old Merowe and the succeeding facades failed to develop their languages beyond the palace and the temple; for a long time scripture was prohibited outside the temples, and literacy was considered a magician’s practice. Now came a written language, not only encouraged by religious practice, but also supported by state and business. With the spread of Islam, Arabic also spread. The early preachers of Islam, and later on the Sufis, realized that the Sudanese would respond to nothing like they do to the sound of drums. So they made drums their main call, and mixed the dancing lyrics with Islamic mottos. Dancing and chanting festivals would continue for entire nights, to be repeated and diversified, according to the taste of the population in every locality. This worked like magic, and when inhabitants asked what this was all about, and who and what the dance was for, there ready were sincere advocates who explained the simple principles of the new religion: the worship of one God, Allah, to refrain from any sort of injustice, and to prepare for a judgment day whence whoever does an atom’s worth of good or bad shall find its retribution, as might be. Of course, this was aided by a lot of marriages into the various clans, good conduct, good treatment of women and children, the annual pay of Zakat, not to the King or his Monks, but directly to the needy, and so forth. Islam gradually, but steadily, replaced Christianity, which the ancient Sudanese had adopted for about 400 years. Despite the fact that two viable Christian Kingdoms were established in the northern and central Sudan for several centuries (the Kingdoms of Soba and Alawa), when they collapsed, nothing of any significance was left behind. There were no shrines, literature, or even followers, so that when Christianity was to be reintroduced into the country during the colonial era, missions had to start from scratch.

Sudan was first ruled as one entity during the era of the so called Blue Sultanate which replaced the Christian Soba kingdom (Sudanese colloquial sometimes uses the term blue to mean black!) The Blue Sultanate reigned from 1504/1505 to 1823, when the country was invaded by Mohamed Ali of Egypt. The latter was originally ruling Egypt on behalf of the Ottoman Caliph, but had broken ties with Constantinople before his adventure into Sudan. The really well known, and for that matter important, history of the country begins then. From that time on Sudan began to be known to the rest of the world, and to be influenced by what went on elsewhere. That period also marked the introduction of formal education, government structures, hospitals, new crops and foreign goods. Turkish rule of the Sudan also exposed the country to the developments taking place in the surrounding world, something the former rulers had never thought about. It is rather ironic to note that while Mohamed Ali’s original objectives for invading Sudan, namely gold and soldiers, were never achieved, he had to spend a lot of money and effort in order just to bring Sudan to state level. In spite of everything, Sudan emerged as the major benefiter of the Turkish period, and the Turks had to go on spending, and fighting, for the entire period of their ill-fated adventure into Sudan. The despair of Mohamed Ali was made manifest in several letters he issued to his sons and in-laws who were expected to bring into the imperial treasury loads of silver and gold and ‘good things’, but all that came were apologies followed by requests for more funds. At one time the Viceroy of Egypt exclaimed." Is there no end to these requests for money! Should I expect any good from your side!). Finally, when Mohamed Ali’s own and most beloved son, Ismaeal, was burned alive, together with his military escort, by the Sudanese, on orders by Muk Nimir, King of the formidable Gaalyeen tribe of Sudan, Mohamed Ali had enough. He committed the most terrible massacre in the country, and all but wiped out the mutinous tribe.

The Sudanese had two problems with the Turkish rule (1824/25-1885). The Turks levied too many taxes and collected them through an army of harsh, albeit corrupt agents. Wealthy merchants could evade paying taxes by bribery, the balance demanded from peasants, shepherds, city laborers and small businesses. Turkish officials were very extravagant, and treated people with contempt and scorn. Numerous protests and revolts erupted around the country almost every year, but were brutally crushed down. At last came the Mahdi Movement (1881-1889). Mohamed Ahmed, the founder and first Imam, was a Sufi disciple when he started contemplating revolution. He disclosed his thoughts to his Father Sheikh, who was the uppermost leader of the Sammani faction, the strongest Sufist fraternity in the country. Mohamed Ahmed suggested that the Father Sheikh declares Jihad (holy war) leads in matters of religion, leaving military and political designs for his disciples. The Sheikh was very angry at these notions, and all but fired Mohamed Ahmed from the fraternity. He cautioned that they as Sufis, were not to be involved in any matters of state, that they were for religious teaching and guidance only, and that who ever thought otherwise, or found these undertakings unsatisfactory, should go somewhere else. And that was what Mohamed Ahmed did. He came to Omdurman, and started a boat building workshop, while still attending Sophist practice, but under another, perhaps a more revolutionary Sheikh. Thence he began to write and disseminate brochures, calling for a comeback to fundamental Islamic principles, and labeling the Turks as Kafirs (non-believers). This, together with his personal qualities as a strict follower of Islamic moral and spiritual code, his domineering character, and the daily blunders of the Turkish rulers, gained his call immediate mass support.

When confronted by the government forces, the Mahdists displayed exemplary courage and perseverance. The Mahdi proved to be a cunning strategist. He succeeded to lure the Turks into battles that he was sure to win. He made them face him when and where he was most ready, and had the best advantage. Battle after battle he emerged victorious. This brought his revolt followers from all over Sudan, and a truly nationalist movement was born, for the first time. Many historians refer to the Mahdi revolt as a religious movement. I think that Mahdism was more of a nationalist movement, obtaining fuel from the mass rejection of foreign domination, corruption and oppression. Without the combination of these three factors, racism, colonialism and injustice, the movement could have evaporated as many former reformist attempts did. Evidence for this analysis is the mass support Mahdism received in the southern Sudan, among a population of essentially non-Moslems. It must also be noted that the façade Mahdism stood against was not only an Islamic state with sharia (Islamic law) as its principle slogan, but was also a legitimate Caliphate, loyalty to which was a religious duty.

It is impossible to discuss the colonial history of the Sudan with a Briton without him or her bringing up the issue of Gordon, always lamenting his fate, and blaming the Sudanese for it.

General Charles Gordon was a British symbol. After doing so well in China, according to colonial norms, he was sent into Sudan with an explicit mandate to implement a safe and honorable evacuation of the country, after it became certain that the Mahdi would reign. Gordon changed his plans after arriving into the country, perhaps on the basis of incorrect intelligence reports; perhaps also in compliance with former designs to shift the country from Turkish to British rule, apparently in contrast to official British policy. He opted for a liquidation of the Mahdist revolt instead. Perhaps he was driven into this ambition by his successful military and governance career, perhaps by a spirit of patriotism, perhaps by a religious belief in himself. He was definitely attempting to save Britain from defeat by the ‘Dervish bands’, as colonial media displayed the revolt. Some authors have even indicated that Charles Gordon might have been working in close association with a missionary minded lobby in Europe. The alleged lobby had plans for the occupation of the Sudan, rather than evacuating. This lobby was so strong that it cost Mr. Gladstone, the Prime Minister (1884-1887), his position, because he was a strong opponent of the reoccupation of the Sudan, and was openly critical of General Gordon’s plots to drag the British government into a useless colonization battle.

Besides, a lot of the tactics General Gordon employed in Sudan were not all that holy. He used biological warfare for the first time in the history of Africa by spreading pox then typhoid in the country, targeting, of course, the Mahdists. Ironically, the first, and most devastated victims of the latter disease were his own troops, who, during moments of despotism and hunger, stole the secret consignment of laced corn and beef cans which three secret agents had brought along. As for pox, it spread throughout the country, causing thousands of deaths. It also spread into Ethiopia, along with trade and military movements. The disease also spread into neighboring western African territories as pilgrims to Mecca usually passed through Sudan, particularly Kordofan Province, which straddles the confluence of all major routes between their homelands and the Hejaz. Finally, it was not true at all that Gordon had the abolishment of the slave trade at the top of his agenda, as had been so frequently and very strongly alleged. One of his strong consultants who accompanied him in the trip to Sudan was Abu Saud, the wealthiest and most active slave trader in Egypt. When he arrived in Berber, a famous central city in Sudan, on his way down the River Nile to Khartoum, he declared that he had nothing against slavery, and that slave holders can do as they pleased with their slaves. But, as one Sudanese writer of those times expressed it, no one can beat the British in three arts: the making of whiskey, fish and chips, and the falsification of history. For example, when all Gordon’s efforts to secure the assistance of Zubeir Pasha in the efforts to evacuate Sudan failed, the latter became victim to a severe defaming campaign, labeling him as a notorious enslaver, and an enemy of civilization. This happened at a time when Gordon knew very well that the Vatican, since the times of Pope Leo X (1513-1521) to Pope Pius V1 (1775-1799) was the biggest financer of the infamous trade, and that Queen Victoria herself owned a surprising number of 2220 slaves. The most active slave auction yards in the USA and Britain were held weekly in the present day locations of the New York Stock Exchange and the Wimble, respectively.

When at last the fall of Khartoum into the Mahdi’s hands was inevitable, the British government sent a rescue force, the ill-fated River and Desert Columns, composed from forces drawn out of the finest Brigades of the British army. They came armed with the latest version of guns and cannons Europe could manufacture. This army and its mission were launched politically as the Gordon Rescue Campaign and was surrounded by a lot of publicity. Many officers from among the British nobility volunteered in what they considered a sacred mission. This army also came to be known as one of the most unsuccessful expeditions in contemporary military history. They had a miserable time all along through their sojourn down the River Nile as rebels attacked them continuously from both river banks. The River Nile on its own behalf was not all that easy to master. Several boats capsized or ran into rocks all along the route. Sometimes the whole boat contents had to be carried on men’s backs for several miles because a stretch of the river was not navigable.

They often had to confiscate water mills along the river, only to dismantle them so as to use the wood for fueling their steam boats. This caused them a lot of hostility and daily confrontations with inhabitants. The Desert Column had no better luck either. For example, it took them several days of laborious