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A Paramilitary Revolution: the Popular Defence Forces

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A Paramilitary Revolution: the Popular Defence Forces 10 A Paramilitary Revolution: The Popular Defence Forces By Jago Salmon Copyright The Small Arms Survey Published in Switzerland by the Small Arms Survey The Small Arms Survey is an independent research project located at the Grad- uate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. It serves as the © Small Arms Survey, Graduate Institute of International Studies, Geneva 2007 principal source of public information on all aspects of small arms and as a First published in December 2007 resource centre for governments, policy-makers, researchers, and activists. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a Established in 1999, the project is supported by the Swiss Federal Department retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior of Foreign Affairs, and by contributions from the Governments of Belgium, permission in writing of the Small Arms Survey, or as expressly permitted by Canada, Finland, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the UK. The law, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprographics rights organi- Survey is also grateful for past and current project-specific support received zation. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should from Australia, Denmark, and New Zealand. Further funding has been pro- be sent to the Publications Manager, Small Arms Survey, at the address below. vided by the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, the Geneva International Academic Net- Small Arms Survey work, and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining. The Graduate Institute of International Studies Small Arms Survey collaborates with research institutes and NGOs in many 47 Avenue Blanc, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland countries, including Brazil, Canada, Georgia, Germany, India, Israel, Jordan, Copyedited by Emily Walmsley Norway, the Russian Federation, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Typeset in Optima and Palatino by Richard Jones, Exile: Design & Editorial Services ([email protected]) Small Arms Survey Graduate Institute of International Studies Printed by nbmedia in Geneva, Switzerland 47 Avenue Blanc, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland ISBN 2-8288-0088-1 Phone: +41 22 908 5777 Fax: +41 22 732 2738 Email: [email protected] Web site: www.smallarmssurvey.org Small Arms Survey HSBA Working Paper 10 Salmon A Paramilitary Revolution The Human Security Baseline Assessment Contents The Sudan Human Security Baseline Assessment (HSBA) is a three-year research Acronyms and abbreviations ................................................................................................................................................. 6 project (2005–08) administered by the Small Arms Survey. It has been developed in cooperation with the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UN Mission About the author ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 in Sudan, the UN Development Programme, and a wide array of international Abstract ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 8 and Sudanese NGO partners. Through the active generation and dissemina- tion of timely empirical research, the HSBA project works to support disarma- I. Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 9 ment, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR), security sector reform (SSR), II. The origins of the Popular Defence Forces ....................................................................................... 12 and arms control interventions to promote security. III. Recruitment, training, and capabilities ............................................................................................... 24 The HSBA is being carried out by a multidisciplinary team of regional, security, and public health specialists. It reviews the spatial distribution of armed vio- IV. After the Comprehensive Peace Agreement ................................................................................. 28 lence throughout Sudan and offers policy-relevant advice to redress insecurity. V. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 33 HSBA Working Papers are timely and user-friendly reports on current research Endnotes ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 34 activities in English and Arabic. Future papers will focus on a variety of issues, including victimization and perceptions of security, armed groups, and local Bibliography ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 36 security arrangements. The project also generates a series of Issue Briefs. The HSBA project is supported by Canada, the UK Government Global Con- flict Prevention Pool, the Danish International Development Agency (Danida), and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For more information contact: Claire Mc Evoy HSBA Project Coordinator Small Arms Survey, 47 Avenue Blanc 1202 Geneva, Switzerland E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.smallarmssurvey.org/sudan HSBA Working Paper series editor: Emile LeBrun Small Arms Survey HSBA Working Paper 10 Salmon A Paramilitary Revolution Acronyms and abbreviations About the author DDR disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration Jago Salmon ([email protected]) holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from CPA Comprehensive Peace Agreement Humboldt University of Berlin and a MA in Middle Eastern Studies from the GoS Government of Sudan University of London. Over the past eight years he has worked and conducted research in Egypt, Lebanon, Sudan, and Yemen. From 2001 to 2005 he worked NCP National Congress Party as a research associate with the ‘Micropolitics of Armed Groups’ research unit NIF National Islamic Front at Humboldt University in Berlin. His primary field of research has been the RCC Revolutionary Command Council political sociology of armed conflict and complex emergencies. Since2006 he has PDF Popular Defence Forces worked as a consultant for NGOs, donors, and UN agencies based in Khartoum. SAF Sudanese Armed Forces SPLM/A Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army Small Arms Survey HSBA Working Paper 10 Salmon A Paramilitary Revolution Abstract I. Introduction In late June 1989, Sudan’s tumultuous third period of democratic governance was interrupted by a bloodless coup. Led by little-known, middle-ranking Sudanese youth are fighting in the war zone, while other youths in the world are military officers, the coup’s civilian base was Sudan’s highly organized Islam- busy with discos and parties. We thank God that we have prepared these youths ist movement, under the leadership of Dr Hassan al-Turabi. Proclaiming a as the future of Sudan. God is Great. (Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir, 11th ‘Revolution of National Salvation’, the new regime instituted a radical trans- anniversary speech to the Popular Defence Forces, June 2000) formation of the Sudanese state. Under policies of popular mobilization and cultural resurgence, state institutions were superimposed with Islamist inspired, The social and institutional character of the Sudanese state has undergone a radical transformation since the seizure of power by the National Salvation parastatal organizations loyal to the party. Within the security sector, this regime on 30 June 1989. The most enduring element of this self-proclaimed translated into a rapid expansion of both parallel and irregular security forces. revolution has not been the Islamist ideology from which it drew inspiration, One of the key elements in this ‘paramilitary revolution’ was the Popular but the transfer of authority and resources from the state bureaucracy to para- Defence Forces (PDF), formed as a legal entity by decree in November 1989. statal organizations. As a result, the political system, broadly defined, has After the consolidation of the regime in 1992, the PDF became one of the pri- blurred the boundaries between state, economy, and society. Two years after mary instruments of Islamist political and popular mobilization, before dec- the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), the interference of lining with the fragmentation of the regime in 2000–01. Since the signing of the governing National Congress Party (NCP) is still felt throughout civil society, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in January 2005, the future of the the private sector, and the state bureaucracy. Realigning executive power will PDF, and its relationship with the regular armed forces, has been contested. require a redistribution of resources throughout the country, a renewal of par- Still described as a force of mujahideen (fighters of the holy war),
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