Sudan: Truisms and Assumptions in a War in Search for Meaning, 2023–Present

Abstract

Since the war erupted (April 2023- present), Sudan has become a scene of gruesome killings, maiming, and wanton destruction of productive assets, infrastructure, and property on a colossal scale. While the visible consequences of the chaos are evident, the reasons behind the war remain shrouded in mystery, often shaped by wild assumptions and contested beliefs. In the case of Sudan’s protracted conflict, there is a quest for understanding–not only to explain the origins of the war but, more critically, to comprehend why its leaders continue to pursue it with relentless brutality. Since gaining independence from British rule in 1956, Sudan has experienced only 17 years of peace, overshadowed by 60 years of conflict. One might assume that, given this history, war would have lost its significance. Yet, the reality suggests a deep struggle for a return to normalcy, where assumptions evolve into beliefs in the search for meaning behind Sudan’s ongoing war. Five key truisms and assumptions shape the search for meaning in Sudan’s ongoing civil war. These are: the war of the generals, the desperate attempts of the Islamists to regain power, the rise of the Baggara, a yearning for neo-Mahdism, the revenge of marginalized groups versus the notion of “cleansing a desecrated land and honor,” the unfinished process of state formation and the quest for a new Sudan, and the idea that the civil war is externally orchestrated. None of these truisms or assumptions fully explains why war remains the method of choice for resolving disputes, with some protagonists fiercely advocating for the continuation of the chaos.