When Critics Fear the Voice of Civilians: The Islamist and Militia Backlash Against the Civilian Tr

08:37 PM December, 02 2025

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When Critics Fear the Voice of Civilians: The Islamist and Militia Backlash Against the Civilian Transition Memorandum

The fierce attacks launched by Islamists and militia-aligned propagandists against the Civilian Transition Memorandum were not surprising. The document—addressed to the global conscience and to supporters of democracy worldwide—was never meant to appease any armed faction or offer a shortcut to power. Its purpose was far more fundamental: to reopen an international conversation about Sudan through the voice of civilians, not the echo of guns.

For decades, the forces now attacking the memorandum have monopolized the narrative of Sudan—politically, ideologically, and morally. Any civilian voice that rises outside their orbit is treated as an existential threat. Thus, what enraged them was not the content of the memorandum, but its courage:
the courage to speak directly to the world,
the courage to name the war for what it is,
and the courage to reclaim Sudan’s story from those who profit from endless conflict.

Why Do They Fear a Document Addressed to the Global Conscience؟

Because the memorandum breaks three long-standing monopolies:

1. The monopoly over interpreting Sudan to the international community

Islamists want to shape how the world sees Sudan: either as a battlefield of divine struggle or as a victim of global conspiracy. The memorandum reintroduces Sudan as it is: a society shattered by a war that benefits only those longing for a return to authoritarian rule.

2. The monopoly over representing Sudanese people

Sudanese civilians have been pushed to the margins. The memorandum restores them to the center of the narrative, insisting that Sudan is not an arena of militias but a nation of people seeking dignity, safety, and democratic governance.

3. The monopoly of intimidation and silencing

The memorandum calls on the world to recognize its moral responsibility toward Sudan—not through interference, but by ending external military support to the warring sides. This threatens those whose political survival depends on keeping the war alive with foreign backing.

The Memorandum Is Not a Political Settling Plan—It Is an Appeal to Humanity

The document does not propose new power-sharing arrangements or seek to favor one faction over another. Instead, it calls for a wider, more inclusive international understanding of Sudan’s tragedy by urging:

An immediate end to foreign military assistance to both warring sides.

Protection of civilians nationwide.

Recognition of the civilian majority that rejects war.

Rebuilding diplomatic engagement with Sudanese civil society—not only armed groups.

This is the voice of a nation exhausted by violence and abandonment.

Those Who Attack the Memorandum Fear the Future

Their reaction reveals two truths:

Islamists see any civilian-led vision as a threat to their long-term strategy of returning through chaos.

Militia-aligned propagandists fear any initiative that shifts the spotlight back to civilians and away from the logic of guns and coercion.

Their loud rejection only confirms that the memorandum touched the sensitive nerve they seek to hide:
that Sudan’s future cannot be militarized forever.

A Call to the World: Stop Feeding the War—Start Hearing the Civilians

Sudanese do not need more weapons, nor more geopolitical games played over their suffering. They need:

An end to regional and international military support.

Serious political engagement with non-violent actors.

A framework that restores human rights, dignity, and justice.

Africa’s democratic movements, civil societies, parliaments, and media can play a decisive role. Silence is complicity; and complicity prolongs death.

Conclusion: The Memorandum Will Not Be Silenced

The attacks against it demonstrate its necessity.
It is not a final document—it is the opening chapter of a broader struggle to reclaim Sudan’s narrative and demand a civilian future.

The memorandum stands as a reminder that:
peace is made by civilians, not by militias;
dignity is restored by truth, not propaganda;
and Sudan’s future must be written by its people, not its guns.

Arabic Forum