From the November-December 2021 issue of News & Letters

by Gerry Emmett

The concrete difficulties of the Sudanese Revolution, which since Oct. 25 has been facing a coup by the state-capitalist militarists who control much of the economy, can be seen in the blockade of Port Sudan. This blockade of the country’s main port, in eastern Sudan, which began in September, has caused shortages and affected prices.

Eastern Sudan’s people have been exploited and have legitimate grievances. The coup plotters have tried to play on these grievances. As they have in Darfur and other regions, the generals proposed alliances with local warlords and chieftains to lend legitimacy to their rule. In Port Sudan this meant a sinister UN-brokered agreement calling for a government of “technocrats.”

REALITY OF CLASS CONTRADICTIONS

But the class contradictions in Port Sudan are also real. While local rulers officially called off the blockade, workers and tribal protestors continued it. They also expressed solidarity with all Sudanese resisting the coup, and support for the Revolution.

Local organizations released a statement: “We appeal to our people in the East and throughout the country to engage in civil disobedience and demonstrate by all legitimate means until the surrender of the putschists. We call on all actors from the sons and daughters of eastern Sudan to form committees to lead the movement from residential neighborhoods to government institutions and in every location.

“We condemn the attempts of some of the members of the former regime to hijack the name of eastern Sudan and its social components to support ‘the attempt to commit national suicide,’ led by Gen. Abdelfattah El Burhan.

“We ask everyone to be vigilant and wary of any attempts that may be led by the revolutionaries and the remnants of the former regime to drag the mass movement into the trap of conflicts and hate speech.”

DEFENDING THE REVOLUTION

The concern for national revolutionary unity shows the maturity of the Sudanese masses.

It is a reflection of the staunch resistance of millions of Sudanese who have mobilized to oppose the coup and call for the continuance of the revolution.

In facing these maneuvers by the military, the Sudanese people are also facing off against predatory world capitalism. The coup must be defeated, but the revolution will still face deep contradictions.

Global capital, always rapacious, will want any government to wring concessions from the Sudanese workers and tribes.