Republic of Sudan (1985–2019) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Republic of the Sudan جمهورية السودان (Arabic) Jumhūrīyat as-Sūdān
1985–2019
Flag Emblem
Map of Sudan before South Sudanese independence on July 9, 2011
Capital	Khartoum 15°38′N 032°32′E / 15.633°N 32.533°E / 15.633; 32.533
Largest city	Omdurman
Official languages	Arabic English
Ethnic groups	70% Sudanese Arabs 5.5% Beja 2.5% Nuba 2% Fur 1.2% Egyptian 0.5% Fulani 18.34% other
Religion	Islam (official)
Demonym(s)	Sudanese
Government	Unitary provisional government under a military junta (1985–1986) Unitary parliamentary republic (1986–1989) Unitary one party Islamic Republic (1989–1998) under a military dictatorship (1989–1993) personalist dictatorship (1993–1998) Unitary dominant-party authoritarian presidential republic (1998–2019)
President
• 1985–1986	Abdel Rahman Swar al-Dahab
• 1986–1989	Ahmed al-Mirghani
• 1989–2019	Omar al-Bashir
Prime minister
• 1985–1986	Al-Jazuli Daf'allah
• 1986–1989	Sadiq al-Mahdi
• 1989–2017	Post abolished
• 2017–2018	Bakri Hassan Saleh
• 2018–2019	Motazz Moussa
• 2019	Mohamed Tahir Ayala
Legislature	National Legislature
• Upper house	Council of States
• Lower house	National Assembly
Historical era	Cold War, War on Terror
• Establishment	6 April 1985
• Parliamentary election	April 1986
• Omar al-Bashir seizes power	30 June 1989
• Coup d'état attempt	23 April 1990
• Constitutional referendum	27 May 1998
• Comprehensive Peace Agreement	9 January 2005
• South Sudanese independence	January 2011
• Sudanese Revolution	2018–2019
• End of Islamist rule	11 April 2019
Area
1985	2,530,397 km2 (976,992 sq mi)
2011	1,886,086 km2 (728,222 sq mi)
Preceded by Succeeded by Democratic Republic of the Sudan Sudanese Transition to democracy South Sudan
Today part of	Sudan South Sudan

This article explores a key time in the history of Sudan, from 1985 to 2019. It began when Sudan's Defense Minister, Abdel Rahman Swar al-Dahab, took power from President Gaafar Nimeiry. This happened during the 1985 Sudanese coup d'état.

Later, in 1989, Lieutenant General Omar al-Bashir took control in another 1989 Sudanese coup d'état. He was supported by an Islamist political group called the National Islamic Front. Al-Bashir then ruled Sudan as President until he was removed from power in April 2019 during the Sudanese Revolution.

During al-Bashir's time in charge, he was re-elected three times. He also oversaw the independence of South Sudan in 2011. However, his government faced criticism for issues like human rights abuses. There were also serious concerns about the conflict in Darfur. Sudan was also accused of supporting certain groups, leading to United Nations sanctions and becoming isolated from many countries.

Sudan's First Coalition Government

In June 1986, Sadiq al-Mahdi became the leader of a new government. This government was a "coalition," meaning it was made up of several different political parties working together. These parties included the National Umma Party (NUP), the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), and the National Islamic Front (NIF). There were also four parties from the southern part of Sudan.

However, this government faced many problems. There were disagreements between the parties, issues with corruption, and personal conflicts among leaders. This led to a lot of political instability. Less than a year later, Sadiq al-Mahdi had to dismiss his own government. It had failed to create new laws, solve economic problems, or end the civil war in the south.

To keep the support of the DUP and the southern parties, Sadiq formed another coalition government. But this new government also struggled to make progress.

Sudan's Second Coalition Government

When Sadiq al-Mahdi formed his second government, he kept many of the same ministers who had been part of the first, unsuccessful one. Because of this, many people in Sudan felt that the new government was just like the old one and would not be effective.

Sadiq and the DUP leader, Ahmed al-Mirghani, signed an agreement. This agreement focused on applying Islamic law to Muslims and strengthening Islamic banks. It also aimed to change the national flag and national emblem. The agreement also said that former leader Nimeiry's name should be removed from all public places.

Many people were unhappy because this agreement did not mention the ongoing civil war. It also did not address the widespread hunger or the country's worsening economy.

In August 1987, the DUP left the government. This happened because Sadiq did not agree to appoint a DUP member to a high position. For the next nine months, Sadiq and al-Mirghani could not agree on how to form another government. During this time, Sadiq tried to work more closely with the NIF. However, the NIF did not want to join a government that included leftist groups.

The NIF leader, Hassan al-Turabi, said that forming a new government depended on several things. These included removing senior officials, ending the state of emergency, and continuing the Constituent Assembly.

Sudan's Third Coalition Government

After many debates, a new coalition government was finally formed on May 15, 1988. Sadiq al-Mahdi was still the leader. This government included the Umma party, the DUP, the NIF, and some southern parties.

However, just like before, this coalition quickly fell apart. There were constant political arguments among its members. Some major disagreements included the NIF wanting the top job in Khartoum. They also argued about how to choose regional governors. The NIF also opposed replacing senior military officers.

In August 1988, severe flooding hit Khartoum, adding to the country's challenges.

In November 1988, a new and very important political issue came up. Mirghani and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) signed an agreement in Addis Ababa. This agreement called for a ceasefire in the civil war. It also suggested pausing Islamic law, ending the state of emergency, and canceling all foreign military agreements. Both sides also wanted to hold a meeting to decide Sudan's future.

The NIF strongly opposed this agreement because of its stance on Islamic law. When the government refused to support the agreement, the DUP left the coalition. Soon after, the armed forces commander, Lieutenant General Fathi Ahmad Ali, gave an ultimatum to Sadiq al-Mahdi. He demanded that Sadiq make the government more representative. He also wanted Sadiq to announce a plan to end the civil war.

Changes in Leadership and New Conflicts

On March 11, 1989, Sadiq al-Mahdi gave in to the pressure and dissolved his government. The new government included the Umma, the DUP, and representatives from southern parties and trade unions. The NIF refused to join because the new government was not committed to enforcing Islamic law. Sadiq said his new government would work to end the civil war in the south. He also promised to bring food to areas suffering from hunger. He aimed to reduce Sudan's international debt and build national unity.

However, Sadiq could not keep these promises, which led to his removal from power. On June 30, 1989, Colonel (later Lieutenant General) Omar al-Bashir overthrew Sadiq. He then set up the Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation to rule Sudan.

Al-Bashir's government was determined to apply Islamic law to the non-Muslim south. They also wanted to win the war against the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) by military force. This approach seemed likely to keep the country divided. It also made it harder to solve the problems Sadiq al-Mahdi had faced. The NIF becoming a stronger political force made it even harder to find a compromise with the south.

The Revolutionary Command Council ended its rule in October 1993. Its powers were then given to the President (al-Bashir declared himself President) and a new assembly.

Conflicts in Sudan: South, Darfur, and Chad

The civil war in the south forced over 4 million people from their homes. Many fled to southern cities like Juba. Others traveled north to Khartoum or even to neighboring countries like Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, and Egypt. These people could not grow food or earn money, leading to widespread hunger. The lack of development in the south meant a "lost generation" without education or healthcare.

In early 2003, a new rebellion began in the western region of Darfur. Groups like the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) started fighting. They said the government was ignoring the Darfur region. Both the government and the rebels were accused of terrible acts in this war. However, most blame fell on Arab militias called the Janjaweed, who were allied with the government.

The rebels claimed these militias were trying to remove certain ethnic groups from Darfur. Hundreds of thousands of people were forced to leave their homes. Many sought safety in nearby Chad. There are different estimates for the number of people who died, ranging from thousands to hundreds of thousands. These deaths were from fighting, hunger, or disease caused by the conflict.

In 2004, Chad helped arrange peace talks in N'Djamena. This led to the April 8 Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement between the Sudanese government, the JEM, and the SLA. But the fighting continued despite the ceasefire. The African Union (AU) then created a group to monitor the ceasefire. In August 2004, the AU sent 150 troops from Rwanda to protect the monitors. Soon, 150 Nigerian troops joined them because more help was needed.

On September 18, 2004, the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 1564. It stated that Sudan's government had not kept its promises. The resolution expressed worry about helicopter attacks and attacks by the Janjaweed militia in Darfur. It supported the African Union's plan to increase its monitoring mission. By 2005, the African Union Mission in Sudan force grew to about 7,000 troops.

The Chadian-Sudanese conflict officially started on December 23, 2005. The government of Chad declared a state of war with Sudan. Chad called on its citizens to fight against rebels and Sudanese militias. These groups, supported by Sudan, had attacked villages in eastern Chad. They stole cattle, killed people, and burned homes.

Peace talks between the southern rebels and the government made good progress in 2003 and 2004. Even so, small fights continued in parts of the south. Both sides agreed that after a final peace treaty, southern Sudan would be self-governing for six years. After that, the people of southern Sudan could vote on becoming independent. Also, money from oil would be shared equally between the government and the rebels during this six-year period.

Some people wondered if the government would keep these promises. The status of three central and eastern provinces was also a point of disagreement. There were concerns that hardline groups in the north might stop the treaty.

A final peace treaty was signed on January 9, 2005, in Nairobi. The main points of the treaty were:

• The south would have self-rule for six years. After that, there would be a vote on becoming independent.
• Both sides would combine their armed forces into one group of 39,000 soldiers after six years, if the south did not vote for independence.
• Money from oil fields would be shared equally between the north and the south.
• Jobs would be split using different ratios. For example, in central administration, 70% would go to the government and 30% to the south.
• Islamic law would stay in the north. In the south, an elected assembly would decide if Islamic law would continue.

On August 31, 2006, the United Nations Security Council approved Resolution 1706. This resolution aimed to send a new peacekeeping force of 17,300 troops to Darfur. However, the government of Sudan strongly opposed a UN-only peacekeeping operation. The UN then tried a different approach. They aimed to strengthen the African Union mission first. Then, a joint African Union/United Nations peacekeeping operation would take over. After long talks and international pressure, Sudan's government finally accepted the peacekeeping operation in Darfur.

In 2009 and 2010, a series of conflicts between rival nomadic tribes in South Kordofan caused many deaths and forced thousands to leave their homes.

An agreement to restore peace between Chad and Sudan was signed on January 15, 2010. This marked the end of a five-year conflict between them.

The Sudanese government and the JEM signed a ceasefire agreement in February 2010, ending the Darfur conflict.

In January 2011, a vote for independence was held in South Sudan. The people of the south voted overwhelmingly to become a separate country later that year. The new country was named the Republic of South Sudan, with its capital at Juba. Salva Kiir Mayardit became its first president. Al-Bashir said he accepted the result. However, violence soon broke out in the disputed region of Abyei, which both the north and the south claimed.

On June 6, 2011, armed conflict started in South Kordofan. This was between forces from northern and southern Sudan. It happened before the south's planned independence on July 9. Before this, both sides had agreed to remove their forces from Abyei. On June 20, the parties agreed to remove military forces from Abyei. Ethiopian peacekeepers were then sent there.

On July 9, 2011, South Sudan officially became an independent country.

The End of al-Bashir's Rule

The 2018–2021 Arab protests reached Sudan in December 2018. On April 11, 2019, al-Bashir was removed from power. This ended his long rule. A new group, the Sovereignty Council of Sudan, was put in place to guide Sudan towards a democracy by 2022.

See also

• History of Sudan