Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
Analysis: Sudan's Bashir faces tough balancing act
|
Edition:
U.S.
Article
Comments (0)
Full Focus
Photos of the week
Our top photos from the past week. Full Article
Follow Reuters
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
YouTube
Read
Dealtalk: Google bid "pi" for Nortel patents and lost
01 Jul 2011
Florida state workers get pink slips, more cuts ahead
01 Jul 2011
Older interns signal gloomy labor market
30 Jun 2011
Illinois death row inmates moved to regular jail cells
11:43am EDT
Analysis: Geithner may want to go; will Obama let him?
01 Jul 2011
Discussed
97
White House snubs McConnell invitation to Obama
86
U.S. cost of war at least $3.7 trillion and counting
69
Bachmann facing scrutiny as top-tier candidate
Watched
Hefner's revenge; Ryan Reynolds stops traffic
Fri, Jun 17 2011
A Tokyo-Paris flight in under three hours on the horizon
Fri, Jun 24 2011
Monaco's Prince Albert marries
Fri, Jul 1 2011
Analysis: Sudan's Bashir faces tough balancing act
Tweet
Share this
Email
Print
Related News
Bashir says army to continue campaign in oil state
Fri, Jul 1 2011
Sudan grants U.N. limited access to tense border area
Thu, Jun 30 2011
Syria tank assault kills 11 near Turkey border
Wed, Jun 29 2011
North, south Sudan agree on demilitarized border zone
Wed, Jun 29 2011
Sudan to let ex-rebels join army when south secedes
Tue, Jun 28 2011
Analysis & Opinion
MQM’s pullout – Is it too late to have an impact ?
Energy mergers frenzy takes a pause — temporarily
Related Topics
World »
By Alex Dziadosz
KHARTOUM |
Sat Jul 2, 2011 1:35pm EDT
KHARTOUM (Reuters) - As southern Sudanese count down the minutes to independence on July 9, northerners are anxiously contemplating a future with less oil, roaring inflation and emboldened rebellions.
The challenges presented by the break-up of Africa's largest country mean President Omar Hassan al-Bashir will need to strike a delicate balance as he tries to hold together what is left of the nation he has ruled for more than two decades.
If he gets it wrong, he needs only look to his North African neighbors to see what could happen next. Popular protests have already pushed out long-ruling strongmen in Egypt and Tunisia and a civil war threatens another in Libya.
In Khartoum's dust-swept souks, shoppers and vendors comment on the split with a blend of sadness, resignation and anxiety.
"The southern independence is a big, very big mistake by our government. It is wrong," Mohamed, a newspaper vendor, said. "Our economy will suffer because we depend on oil. Prices rise every day and inflation will gain more."
Southerners voted to split off from the north in a January plebiscite, the culmination of a 2005 peace deal that ended decades of civil war in which about 2 million people died. But Sudan's conflicts go beyond just north and south.
Ethnic groups complaining of marginalization have taken up arms in the western Darfur region and in areas of the east. Many fighters in the Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile border states, which will remain in the north, also fought against Khartoum.
The diverse rebel movements share a common complaint -- a deep-seated resentment of what they see as a near complete domination of Sudan's power and wealth in hands of a small northern elite.
Analysts say those movements may step up their campaigns after the south secedes, seeing a chance to press for concessions from a vulnerable Khartoum.
"The dynamics that underpin other grievances in Sudan -- whether in the east, west, far north or the borderlands of Kordofan, White Nile and Blue Nile -- do not vanish with the south's secession," said Aly Verjee, a researcher at the Rift Valley Institute think tank.
LESS OIL, MORE INFLATION
Analysts say the north's ruling National Congress Party (NCP) has typically dealt with insurgencies with a mix of heavy-handed security crackdowns and attempts to split the rebels by offering deals to some of their leaders.
Those tactics may be harder to maintain as diminishing oil revenues drain the north's coffers.
"You can't just go on paying the salaries of the security and the army and forget about the public servants," said Fouad Hikmat of the International Crisis Group.
That could mean Bashir, a military officer who came to power in a bloodless 1989 coup, may have to seek political solutions more actively.
"In one year's time, if the NCP does not change, does not adapt a new approach that is more about inclusion than security control, then Sudan will be facing very serious problems," Hikmat added.
But opening up the political system could expose Bashir, wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of crimes against humanity, to challenges from hardliners in his own party who oppose all concessions to Sudan's peripheral states -- seeing them as a catalyst for more secessionist demands.
Unencumbered by the south, where the population follows mostly Christian and traditional beliefs, some NCP members might renew their focus on the Islamist ideals that inspired them when they first came to power.
The south's ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) will continue to run an opposition party in the north, but its influence will be diminished.
SPRINGTIME IN KHARTOUM?
Sudan has the same ingredients that ignited protests in other Arab countries -- particularly complaints of political repression and rising food prices, analysts say.
But it remains unclear whether Sudan, beleaguered by decades of war, will have the energy for an uprising, especially after the unrest took bloody turns in Libya, Yemen and Syria.
"I don't know if these movements and discontent will translate into a popular revolution on the North African model but it is always worth remembering that popular protests have brought down Sudanese governments before," said Roger Middleton, a researcher at the Chatham House think tank.
Popular protests helped oust two of Sudan's rulers after independence, and the memory of these movements is still alive.
So far some small protests, many led by students, have broken out, but have been quickly dispersed by security forces with batons and tear gas.
Much of what happens to the north may depend on what emerges in a final deal on sharing out oil revenues, which has yet to be decided with the south a week away from independence.
Any settlement is likely to see the north get less than the 50 percent of revenues from southern oil it currently receives under the 2005 peace deal.
To make up for it, analysts say north Sudan could turn increasingly to gold mining, agriculture and other industries or open up to more foreign investment from willing countries.
Bashir's recent visits to Iran and China could be a prelude to this, as the leader seeks to woo foreign leaders who could help prop up a beleaguered economy.
(Additional reporting by Ulf Laessing and Khaled Abdelaziz; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
World
Tweet this
Link this
Share this
Digg this
Email
Reprints
We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. For more information on our comment policy, see http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/
Comments (0)
Be the first to comment on reuters.com.
Add yours using the box above.
Social Stream (What's this?)
© Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters
Editorial Editions:
Africa
Arabic
Argentina
Brazil
Canada
China
France
Germany
India
Italy
Japan
Latin America
Mexico
Russia
Spain
United Kingdom
United States
Reuters
Contact Us
Advertise With Us
Help
Journalism Handbook
Archive
Site Index
Video Index
Reader Feedback
Mobile
Newsletters
RSS
Podcasts
Widgets
Your View
Analyst Research
Thomson Reuters
Copyright
Disclaimer
Privacy
Professional Products
Professional Products Support
Financial Products
About Thomson Reuters
Careers
Online Products
Acquisitions Monthly
Buyouts
Venture Capital Journal
International Financing Review
Project Finance International
PEhub.com
PE Week
FindLaw
Super Lawyers Attorney Rating Service
Reuters on Facebook
Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.
NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.
Other News on Sunday, 3 July 2011 Yemen to step up army operations amid unrest in south
|
Hezbollah leader rejects Hariri court indictments
|
Middle East Quartet discourages more flotillas
|
Surviving, still thriving: Phillies, Red Sox successfully deal with injury bug
Jair Jurrjens making strong bid for Cy Young after one-hitter vs. Orioles
Mark Foster gets share of lead, Morrison stumbles at Alstom Open de France
Ten passengers killed in Bangladesh road mishap
Iran denies U.S. hikers were mistreated in jail
|
Broadway Brad Richards: prized free agent center joins Rangers
Bahrain begins national dialogue after upheaval
|
Fake drugs adding to death toll in warring Somalia
Kvitova defies experienced Sharapova, captures Wimbledon crown
Analysis: Sudan's Bashir faces tough balancing act
|
Edgy Thailand votes in crucial test of stability
|
Clinton slams Gaddafi threat to attack Europe
|
Michael Brantley homers, Tribe pitchers excel in win vs. Reds
Cardinals hopeful Albert Pujols will return after All-Star break
Britain to pull 800 troops from Afghanistan: report
|
Israel targets top rabbis for anti-Arab incitement
|
Chavez foes say his absence a security risk
|
MLS: Toronto FC edges Vancouver to claim Canadian Championship
Utley's homer, Halladay's pitching lead Phillies past Blue Jays
Yanks topple Columbia, advance to knockout stage of Women's World Cup
Wladimir Klitshcko dominates David Haye in title unification bout
Belgian Philippe Gilbert wins first stage of Tour de France
Bubba Watson apologizes for behavior at French Open
Nick Watney ignites early fireworks show at AT&T National
Chien Soon Lu goes for 63, leads Cook at one at Montreal Open
Cheers and some boos greet royal tour in Quebec
|
French leftists want Strauss-Kahn return to politics: poll
|
Serb general Mladic to boycott war crimes court
|
Texas Rangers lure Dominican outfielder with $5 million bonus
Saleh clings to power while unrest rises in south
|
Corbin Mills, Brianna Do capture USGA Public Links titles
Sir Charles says NBA season will be cancelled, Chris Paul prepares for lockout
Dominick Cruz decisions Urijah Faber to defend UFC title
Walk this way? Maybin awarded first on three-ball pass; keys Pads win
Chavez supporters rally, pray for their comandante
|
Tito Ortiz pulls off huge upset, taps Ryan Bader in first
Rail protesters clash with police in Italy
|
Giant power: Home runs spark San Francisco past Tigers
Financial crisis forces Palestinian wage cuts
|
MLS: Kansas City tops Portland, hikes unbeaten streak to eight
David Ragan scores first career Cup win at Daytona
Spain government trails opposition by 14 points: poll
|
Italy expels Algerian jailed for planning attacks
|
Soundgarden reunion tour relives band's '90s glory
|
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights