(3 minutes read)
· Many heads of states around the world have condemned the
assassination attempt on Sudan’s prime minister Abdalla Hamdok
· The attack exposed the fragility of Sudan’s transition to civilian rule
Many heads of states around the world have condemned the assassination
attempt on Sudan’s prime minister Abdalla Hamdok and sighed relief
that he came out of it unscathed. The prime minister survived the
plot made on his life, while one of the security men had sustained
severe injuries. The attack on him by creating an explosion happened
while his convoy was passing through the capital city of Khartoum.
Hamdok, a noted economist was heading to his office when the
assassination attempt took place. The attack exposed the fragility of
Sudan’s transition to civilian rule. A year back, pro-democracy
protesters forced the military to remove autocratic President Omar
al-Bashir from power and replaced him with a joint military-civilian
government. The new administration was tasked to hold elections in
three years. But things have not changed much in Sudan. Powers are
still being exercised by the military, though they were told to
restore democratic institutions.
The attack was carried out using both explosives and firearms. The
condition of the security officer is considered to be critical.
Several political and diplomatic leaders like prominent activist
Khalid Omar, secretary general of the Sudanese Congress Party, Irfan
Siddiq, the British ambassador in Khartoum etc, had condemned the
attack. The U.S. Embassy in its tweet said the country would
continue to support Sudan’s civilian led transitional government and
reaffirmed its solidarity with the Sudanese people. Recently, Hamdok
has said that the government will cooperate with the court’s efforts
to prosecute those wanted for war crimes and genocide in connection
with the Darfur conflict in Sudan in the 2000s, which took a heavy
toll on lives and properties. Sudan is wanting to end wars with rebel
groups due to its backlash on its economy. The country needs massive
investments from abroad to exploit its mineral resources and toning up
its manufacturing sector. That will come only when the law and order
is restored.
There are other imponderables being faced by the economist prime
minister of the country, such as hyper inflation, which is pegged at
60% and massive unemployment. The unemployment rate is as high as
22.1% in 2019. According to the government data, 30% of Sudan’s young
people, who constitute more than half of the over 42 million
population, are without jobs.
