La
Licorne
SUDAN,
SETTING
The Mullah and the Soldier
Tribes of different nation habitate the Sudan.
The Arabs of the north and the tribes of the south are strangers to one another
and devoid of common purpose, so are the Nomad and the Settler as well as the
Traditional Believer, the Moslim and the Christian. The vastness of Sudan
suggests that there is sufficient room for thirty million people in the
emptiness of two and half million square kilometers, but in reality calm holds
as long as isolation holds and conflicts arise as soon as parties meet in
contest of the valuables of the land.
In Sudan the arab army brass is after control
of the country, the orthodox islamic leadership after hold on the people and
both after control over the resources. These ends have driven the two together
in alliances of sorts which have in common that there is no room for critics,
let alone opposition. Already for years a dirty war is going on against the
southern Dinkas and Nuers, followed by slashed down upheavals in Dardur. Invariably
with losses on both sides, but the heaviest for the black Africans. To supply
the ranks young men of southern and western origin are rounded up from the
streets and the fields to fight their kinship. For support the government is
dependent of radical quarters, para militaries and smart-ones that know how to play
the game for their own ends. The consequent withdrawal of most foreign
assistance has plummeted the country in an dreadful monetary and economic
imbalance.
For staying in power the consecutive
governments apply carrot and stick. The privileges for the inner circles and
the subsidies for buying popular support burden the government budget, while
the military activity is believed to absorb half it.
How ends are made to not meet
The authorities take pride in settling the
local bills as token for being in control. The shortages in income from taxes
is supplied by crisp banknotes in such an abundant supply that more money
circulates than goods to buy exist, resulting in prices that constantly go up.
The foreign currency account runs short as
well. With much pain a certain level of credibility is maintained by keeping
the army going and the basic facilities running. Cash for the essential imports
is ensured by confiscating foreign payments in exchange for local money.
Meanwhile agriculture is crying for investment
in areas as infrastructure, human resources, prevention of environmental
degradation, research and extension. As the leading sector for the entire
economy, agriculture will doubtlessly remain the main provider of food
security, people's income, government revenue and foreign exchange earnings,
but again and again is prevented from improving its capability to perform its
task.
Taxation of agricultural exports proves a ready
income earner which is facilitated by the fact that the government is in charge
of the commodity market. The compulsory sale of products against the official
exchange rate creams off the farmer's profit; on the open market the full price
for scarce inputs has to be paid. Whereas the government is grabbing with one
hand it is wasteful with the other in an effort to apeace the farmer and
stimulate production and export. However, subsidies are placing a wrong price
tag on the farm inputs, besides facilitating a lavish use of agro-chemicals and
scarce irrigation water.
How ends are to meet
Technical measures for recovery will not work
if they are not accompanied by a pact of confidence between the players in the
field such as tribes, religions, classes and generations. Trust there must be
established of the government in the people and of the people in government;
trust must be worked up in foreign relations and trust must grow in the
countries' future. Trust could lay the basis for an end to the war and a start
of the stability which is needed for development. The savings on military
spending are needed in other areas. Peace can be regarded as a condition
for economic restoration of the nation at large and - of course - in particular
of the regions subjected to instability. Such a development would certainly
help restore the steady flow of foreign public and private funds to the country
which are indispensable for economic recovery.