An Alliance of Malice and Greed
By Rashid Abdel Rahim
The alliance between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sumoud (the Forces of Freedom and Change — FFC) is built on greed for money and power and on a desire to rule after failing to do so legitimately. The slogans they shout — “no to war”, calls for democracy and for civilian rule — are merely instruments to deliver them to the seats of power.
This is an alliance in which each side covets and conspires against the other, seeking to exploit whatever advantage it can. Once a party gets what it wants and is satiated, it turns on its partner, smearing them and exposing the shared secrets — all of which are rife with malice and disgrace.
It is easy for either side to turn on the other because the relationship is founded on mutual utility: when interests coincide, they cooperate, and when they do not, they betray one another. When Kikel exposed the FFC figure Khalid Omar “Silik”, the spokesman for the rebellion, Abdul Munim al-Rabi, was quick to claim he had been a witness to Silik congratulating Kikel on the entry of rebel forces into Madani city.
Their relationship is steeped in treachery. How many buy-offs has the rebellion carried out of FFC leaders? One example, revealed by Hemedti’s spokesman, Yousif Ezzat, is that the FFC figure Othman Ishaq was listed as the Freedom and Change representative in the office of the RSF’s deputy commander, Abd al-Rahim Dagalo.
In a notorious exchange, Hemedti retorted to the well-known Mohammed al-Faki (nicknamed Faki Munqa): “They said we stripped you of your political capital — where did you find that power? That power wasn’t given to you by us.”
Among the names speaking on behalf of the RSF is Fadil Mansour, who worked in the office responsible for the rebellion’s funds and is the brother of Hemedti’s man Al-Qawni Dagalo. He has detailed payments made by the rebellion to FFC leaders — payments covering everything from visa fees to apartment rents and even alcoholic beverages.
One fighting unit threatened to break away unless their commander, known as “the Libyan”, who was wounded in al-Fashir, received treatment abroad. As with other commanders, he was arrested, threatened, and shown in a clip having had his legs amputated; he said Abd al-Rahim Dagalo had pledged to cover all his treatment costs abroad, though he preferred treatment “on loan.”
This is the Rapid Support Forces: a group that seeks to seize power by force. And this is Sumoud: a movement that seeks to be the manager of Sudanese politics. Both are groups lacking even the smallest measure of honour and humanity necessary for legitimate rule.
It is no surprise that this alliance buys soldiers from tribal leaders and mercenaries from neighbouring countries. It is an alliance without shame: it accepts weapons to kill its own citizens and takes money to sell the homeland. Once humiliated, a people become easier to humiliate further.
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