Faridah N Kulumba
Africa-Press – Uganda. The current conflict in Sudan started on April 15 due to a struggle for power between army chief Gen Abdel Fatah al-Burhan and his deputy-turned-rival, Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo alias Hemedti.
General al-Burhan rose to power in the tumultuous aftermath of the military-led coup that ousted former President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who was removed from power in 2019.
In 2019 Sudanese civilians and the military signed a power-sharing agreement, General Burhan was elected the chairman of the sovereignty council, and a body was given the responsibility of overseeing the country’s transition to democratic rule.
However General al-Burhan failed to execute his task, as the date for the handover of power to civilians got closer in late 2021, he seemed reluctant to hand over power.
Last year in December, the military, represented by General al-Burhan, and a coalition of civilian pro-democracy groups, signed a preliminary agreement brokered by members of the international community to end the political standoff.
Unfortunately, some civilians and General al-Burhan’s main rival, Lt. Gen. Muhammed Hamdan, the leader of the Rapid Support Forces, a powerful paramilitary group did not buy the agreement and they decided to continue with the protest.
According to the World Health Organization, since the fighting started, more than 500 people have been killed, more than 4,000 injured in the unrest and thousands displaced.
Rescue mission
During the time the war broke out, there were several Ugandans who were trapped in Khartoum including about 19 Muslim Ugandans who were in transit going to Mecca to perform Umrah, 18 workers at the embassy of Uganda in Sudan 120 students at Africa International University and 120 working in Khartoum and a few who were on short visits there.
The government of Uganda ensured the safe evacuation of their citizens from the war that has turned Khartoum into a war Zone. At least 211 Ugandans who were trapped in conflict-hit Sudan arrived at Entebbe Airport during the wee hours on April 27 from Ethiopia’s Bahir Dar Airport.
The evacuees, who included diplomats, students, and business expatriates, reached Entebbe aboard a Uganda Airlines plane at around 2 am accompanied by External Security Organisation (ESO) director general, Ambassador Joseph Ocwet.
According to the government of Uganda, the total number of Ugandans that had been trapped in Sudan was 300 but 0nly evacuated 211 and there are still following the rest who have not yet been evacuated and 80 Ugandans who did not travel because of medical conditions.
The President of Uganda Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Museveni, got involved directly and preparations were made to evacuate the stranded Ugandans, starting with those in Khartoum where the fighting had intensified.
Sources said the entire evacuation initiative was spearheaded by President Museveni with support from the Sudanese government and the Ugandan embassy staff in Khartoum.
Uganda’s ambassador to Sudan Dr Rashid Yahya Ssemuddu, said that President Museveni showed considerable care about the welfare and safety of Ugandans. He has been seeking daily updates and making assurances about the need to ensure the safety of Ugandan citizens.
The rescue mission which was kept a secret until Monday when they had safely left Khartoum took 12 hours and 45 minutes, according to the ambassador Dr Ssemuddu.
How Uganda is affected by the war in Sudan
H.E. Dr Ssemuddu warned that there is nothing good about wars. He added that many Ugandans lost their property due to the war in Sudan.
As the fighting in Sudan is exacerbating, Uganda being a neighboring country to Sudan is facing a problem of taking in a large number of refugees fleeing the conflicts. Some of them can cause insecurity between the two neighboring countries.
Last year in August Sudanese rebel leader Gen. Abdel Wahid Mohamed el Nur was denied from entering Uganda with directives from the President of Uganda Museveni over his lack of willingness to pursue peaceful means with the Sudanese government to resolve grievances.
A diplomat at the Ugandan embassy in Juba told the local media that Uganda and the president were not ready to engage in indefinite diplomatic support without a significant presence on the ground or with no clear ideologies and visions aimed at changing the system in their countries. He added that Gen. Abdel Wahid is a political leader because his approach is dogmatic.
Analysts warn the conflict could draw in foreign armed groups and regional powers, triggering a new refugee crisis.
By the time the fighting started, there were so many Sudanese who were in Uganda for different missions and they are all now trapped in Uganda.
Dr Suad Abdelal, one of many Sudanese who are trapped in Uganda in an interview with Africa-Press narrated that she came to Uganda on 12th April for a business meeting and she was supposed to go back to her family on 18th which was not possible due to the situation in her country.
Dr Abdelal’s only hope now is to reunite with her family who fled Sudan via the border of Egypt. She prays for her family to be granted entrance into Egypt so that they can be able to join her in Uganda because she has no hope of going back to a war zone.
Trade effects
The South Sudan Envoy to Uganda, Amb Simon Juach Deng, has said the fighting in Sudan could affect the economics of South Sudan and Uganda if it isn’t quickly stopped.
Amb Juach, while a political programme which was hosted by a local FM station in Uganda said whatever affects Sudan and South Sudan, Uganda and other East African Community members would too be impacted.
Uganda exports commodities of over Shs345b to Sudan. Uganda mainly exports tea and coffee to Sudan.
Amb Juach said the fear of what could happen to the South Sudan economy and the stability of the region prompted President Kiir to champion the cessation of hostilities between warring parties in Sudan.
Mr Stephen Bwire Owuma political analyst and Chief Executive Officer of Workers Eye Magazine told our reporter that civil unrest or fighting in Sudan affects Uganda adversely. The Nile Basin initiative, which includes Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), affects Uganda on trade, labor mobility, and insecurity in the Great Lakes region.
Mr Ouma added that at the moment Uganda embassy which represents our interests has no business in Sudan as costs on security. Paying staff, paying utilities electricity, water, health and social services will be paid for no services.
He also said that Uganda’s exports to Sudan, especially agricultural products, were affected by the war.
Fighting in Sudan between the forces of two rival generals could have far-reaching consequences not only for the northeast African country but also for an already unstable region, experts warn.
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