Anniversary of Sudan’s December 2018 Revolution – Cartoons by Omar Dafallah
What began as local demonstrations in Ed Damazin capital of Blue Nile state on December 13, 2018 soon spread across Sudan in what became the December Revolution.
What began as local demonstrations in Ed Damazin capital of Blue Nile state on December 13, 2018 soon spread across Sudan in what became the December Revolution.
On Friday, mass rallies were held in Khartoum and several other states across Sudan to mark the first anniversary of the start of the revolution.
This retrospective features a series from the sharp-witted and often barbed pen of veteran Sudanese cartoonist Omar Dafallah, that have been used to illustrate Radio Dabanga reports over the past year.
From mid-December 2018, Sudan experienced a popular uprising called-out by the Sudanese Professionals Association and signatories to the Declaration of Freedom and Change, calling for the overthrow of the regime. Demonstrations were met with violent resistance from the government, however the sheer volume of public support resulted in the uprising reaching critical mass. On April 11, the 30-year dictatorship of Omar Al Bashir was overthrown by a military coup.
The past year has seen Sudan pass from 30 years of Al Bashir dictatorship, through rule by a military junta, to the current Interim Government of military-civilian power sharing, Sudan re-entering the international community under the leadership of renowned economist, Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok, and peace negotiations with the armed movements brokered by the South Sudan government in Juba.
December 2018
and Chair of the Sudan Call alliance, arrived at Khartoum airport on December 19, 2018.
El Mahdi was abroad in self-imposed exile until early 2017, when he returned to the Sudanese capital.
He left Sudan in August 2014 after having been detained for one month.
He was accused by the National Intelligence and Security Service of undermining the Constitution.
El Mahdi had denounced the widespread attacks against civilians in Kordofan and Darfur
by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commanded by the NISS.
He and Bashar Al Assad agree to add Sudan to the “Russia-Iran axis” basket.
January 2019
February 2019
March 2019
April 2019
now a kooz (which is also slang for ‘Islamist’) will be hanged
May 2019
June 2019
and the Forces for Freedom and Change “civilian”
on their way to the “negotiation hall”,
while an Islamist regrets the “Islamic constitution"
July 2019
an ancient Nubian Sudanese queen known as kandaka
and representative of the “FFC”.
Hemeti’s ‘stool’ is junta leader Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan
August 2019
to “clean up the mess of the Islamists” who were headed
by ousted President Omar Al Bashir – inside the Ministry, a Saudi is watching
September 2019
October 2019
Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW),
an international treaty adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1979
El Mahdi has with him the “National Salvation Charter”
that formed the basis for the 1985 uprising against Nimeiri
November 2019
The tin mug refers to kooz كوز which is also slang for ‘Islamist’
the US list of State Sponsors of Terrorism,
while an Islamist tries to hold it back
December 2019
tells Al Bashir: “You will die in The Hague”
[reference to the Sudanese movie produced this year ‘You Will Die at 20’]
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these cartoons are those of the contributing artist and do not necessarily reflect the position of Radio Dabanga.
Omar Dafallah was born in Teiba El Sheikh Abdelbagi in Sudan. He studied at the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts at the University of Khartoum and has worked as an illustrator, designer, and cartoonist for magazines, newspapers, and publishers across the Arab world and Europe.
As a fine artist, his paintings have been exhibited in numerous art exhibitions in Cairo, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.
His sharp-witted and often barbed cartoons are featured regularly by Radio Dabanga.
Radio Dabanga’s editorial independence means that we can continue to provide factual updates about political developments to Sudanese and international actors, educate people about how to avoid outbreaks of infectious diseases, and provide a window to the world for those in all corners of Sudan. Support Radio Dabanga for as little as €2.50, the equivalent of a cup of coffee.
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