Sudan as a Mirror of Today's World
Researchers Anthony Gieras and Moaz Ali from the University of Bergen write an article deconstructing the myth of Sudan's collapse, revealing governance patterns rooted in pre-colonial times, and criticizing Western double standards in applying the 'Responsibility to Protect' principle between Sudan and Gaza.
Researchers Anthony Gieras and Moaz Ali from the Sudan Group at the University of Bergen in Norway write an article deconstructing the prevailing myth of Sudan's 'collapse' into utter chaos, revealing instead a return to patterns of governance and power distribution rooted in the pre-colonial era. The article, a structurally insightful analysis, addresses the disintegration of the liberal world order as if it were an abstract moral paradox, rather than a direct result of specific political choices and economic interests that led to this moment. The article lacks a clear link between the US withdrawal from the 'burden' of protecting civilians in Sudan—a burden that was already selective—and the glaringly selective application of the 'Responsibility to Protect' principle elsewhere: Gaza. The same principle, as the authors note, was born from the tragedy of Sudan at the hands of South Sudanese diplomat Francis Mading Deng, but the West that raised its banner in Darfur and South Sudan refuses to apply it, and even refuses to acknowledge genocide, when it comes to Palestinians under US-backed Israeli bombardment. This double standard is not a side effect of the liberal order, but its essence, and a key tool in its collapse. The article also overlooks the relationship between the unregulated flow of Sudanese gold, which, as the authors mention, goes from Darfur's mines to global markets.