An ancient and future story faces challenges: a message from the heart of Sudan – something for the homeland
The commander of the Sudanese armed forces, Lieutenant-General Abdel -Fattah Al -Burhan, looks at us “land of civilizations and history”, to send a message of congratulations to the Sudanese people on the occasion of the centenary of the armed forces and the seventy-one anniversary of their Southnet. This message comes in the midst of a difficult crisis in Sudan, to evoke the ancient past and underline the need to resist the current challenges. It is an opportunity to reflect on the march of this nation, which has known great civilizations and a story of struggle, and to emphasize that Sudanese identity is the product of a long civilized accumulation, and that the armed forces are an integral part of this history, and a mirror which reflects the will of the people to preserve their dignity and this unity.
Noting that Sudan is “the country of civilizations and history” is not only a sentence of courtesy, but rather a firm historical fact. Thousands of years ago, this land witnessed the establishment of great kingdoms such as the kingdom of Nabata and the kingdom of Meroe, which left a huge civilized heritage of pyramids, temples and palaces, and formed important shopping and cultural centers in the ancient world.
These ancient civilizations affected their regional environment and their influence extended to Egypt, which indicates their strength and influence. Over time, Christianity and Islam have entered Sudan, to add a new cultural and religious dimension, and to interact with local civilizations to form the rich social and cultural fabric that distinguishes Sudan today. The entry of Islam was not only by the armed conquest, but rather by the peaceful, commercial and diplomatic interaction, as shown by the famous “Pump” treaty. This treaty, and if it was a military truce, it opened the door to the cultural and commercial exchange between the North and the South, and paved the way for Islam later.
The establishment of blue sultanate and other sultans such as the fur sultanate and the kingdom of Telaly, represents an important stage in the history of Sudan, where local Islamic countries have established Arab-African foundations and contributed to the consolidation of unique Sudanese identity. This history of countries and kingdoms confirms that Sudan has never been an empty or marginal land, but was rather a center of civilization, politics and cultural interaction.
The word proof reminds us of the moments of the history of Sudan, in particular the creation of the “defense force of Sudan” in 1925. This name itself has a deep indication, because it was not linked to a king or to a manager, but rather in the name of the fatherland itself, which confirms that this institution was born from the uterus of the people and defending its soil.
This link between the history of the armed forces and the Sudanese national struggle is clearly obvious to refer to the Revolution of the White Brigade in 1924, which was a spark of resistance against the Egyptian-Egyptian bilateral rule. This revolution, led by heroes such as Ali Abdul Latif and Abdul -Fadil Al -Muzaz, was not only a rebellion, but rather an expression of a real popular will to obtain independence and national sovereignty.
Today, the armed forces fight the “battle of dignity”, inspired by this long history of the struggle. It is not only a regular army, but rather an extension of the spirit of resistance which lived in the hearts of the Sudanese through the ages, of the Mahdi revolution which overthrew Turkish -Egyptian domination, to the revolutions of Wad Habbouba and Ali Dinar. All these militant movements expressed the Sudanese people’s refusal to submit and subordinate, and their desire to build an independent state governed by their will.
The commemoration of the centenary of the armed forces comes at a critical moment, because Sudan faces an internal war which threatens its unity and its social fabric. The proof of words, which emphasizes the “battle of dignity” and the rejection of “truce and reconciliation, whatever the cost”, reflects the insistence on the protection of the Sudanese state against disintegration and chaos. It is an invitation open to all Sudanese to stand behind their military establishment, because at the moment, it represents the last line of defense for sovereignty and the unity of the country.
The Sudanese people, the manufacturer of civilizations and the founder of the armed forces, are those who finally have their heads. Just as the people held in Muhammad Ahmad al -Mahdi to restore national dignity, and by supporting the October 1964 revolution against the first military rule, and as it was released in the uprising of April 1985, it is today confronted with a new challenge which requires the unity of the class and occurs the differences in order to save the country.
In conclusion, the speech of the commander-in the chief of the armed forces of “land of civilizations” is not only a congratulations, but rather a reminder that Sudan is a nation with a great history and that its children are able to overcome adversity. It is an invitation to restore the national spirit that has led them in the past and to move towards a safe and stable future, in which the dignity of martyrs who presented himself in defense of Sudan is preserved. The message of the centenary of the armed forces is a message of hope and firmness, confirming that the Sudanese people with their old story is the real guarantee of a brilliant future.
