The world loves to hate a villain, and Sudan’s recently ousted president, Omar al-Bashir, is a villain worthy of despise. During his 30 years of autocratic rule, he presided over the deaths of millions of Sudanese citizens, oversaw the establishment of proxy militia that have devastated communities across the country, and fostered a ruthless security apparatus that has tortured thousands of dissidents. The demise of this villain, however, means less than many casual observers in the West might imagine.
Set up to fail by the administrative policies of British colonialists, Sudan has been in a state of near-perpetual civil war since its independence in 1956. Last week’s ouster of Bashir marked the fifth military coup in the country’s post-independence history. And while it is certainly a milestone, Bashir’s exit from center stage does not make a dint in the structural pathologies he nurtured. Continue reading here.
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