Chapters › Independence to today · Sudan – Republic

Second parliamentary period

1964 CE – 1969 CE Arabic under review

Key events

• Civilian governments; First Sudanese Civil War continues

Capitals / sites

Khartoum

Geopolitics

Opened by the October 1964 civilian-led uprising that brought down Abboud's military regime, which GHA VIII calls exceptional in Africa (GHA VIII p.6). Ended by Nimeiri's 1969 coup, made in alliance with the communists (GHA VIII p.495).

Culture

The October 1964 uprising had a song culture: Mohammed Wardi sang al-Fitouri's 'Asbah al-subh' on the third day of the civil disobedience that toppled Abboud, and with poet Mohammed el-Mekki Ibrahim produced the 'Uktubariyyat' series including 'Uktubar al-akhdar' ('Green October'), plus 'Ya thuwwar Uktubar' (Salah Ahmed Ibrahim) and 'Nahnu rifaq al-shuhada' (Ali Abd al-Qayyum) (AJA_WARDI2019, 2019-08-21). During parliamentary periods the media served as channels for the political parties, while radio stayed a near government monopoly (LOC1991_MEDIA, 1991). Party politics turned on religion and the left: parliament banned the SCP and unseated its 11 members; Sadiq al-Mahdi defied a Supreme Court ruling overturning this; and Umma traditionalists opposed him for backing constitutional guarantees of religious freedom and refusing to declare an Islamic state (LOC1991_CIVIL6469, 1991). Arabisation policy in the south did not change significantly (SERIHERSCH2020) [VERIFY].

Economy

Independent Sudan's main development inheritance was the irrigated Gezira Scheme and Sudan Railways (LOC1991_ECONDEV, 1991). Under the Ten-Year Plan (FY1961–70) works such as Khashm al-Qirba, the Managil extension and Roseires Dam were done by mid-plan, but in the 1960s current spending outran revenue, partly because the southern war intensified; foreign reserves were depleted, the government turned to deficit financing and foreign borrowing, and by 1967 the plan was abandoned and Sudan's creditworthiness 'open to question'. Per-capita income still rose from about USD 86 (1960) to about USD 104 by decade's end [SINGLE-SOURCE: LOC1991_ECONDEV]. A FY1968–72 plan was discarded after the May 1969 coup (LOC1991_ECONDEV). Sadiq al-Mahdi's 1966–67 government 'sought to reduce regional disparities by organizing economic development' (LOC1991_CIVIL6469). No source read gives 1960s Gezira cotton output or prices; none are stated.

Regional power

Research in progress We have not yet read a source for this section. It will be added once one is checked; nothing is filled in by guesswork.

Open data flags

• regional_power: no actors scored
• Pass 13 text: Arabic is a working translation; needs native review
• Arabic is a WORKING TRANSLATION needing native review
• SINGLE-SOURCE: per-capita income USD 86→104 (LOC1991_ECONDEV)
• Gezira cotton figures for 1964–69 not found in sources read
• VERIFY: SERIHERSCH2020

Sources

1. A.A. Mazrui (ed.) General History of Africa VIII: Africa since 1935 – Sudan passages ('North Africa and the Horn', pp.148–150; economy and political-succession passages) UNESCO link [en]
2. U.S. Library of Congress, Federal Research Division (H.C. Metz ed.; history T. Ofcansky, economy R.O. Collins) Sudan: A Country Study (research completed June 1991) – 'Return to Civilian Rule, 1964-69' link [en]
3. U.S. Library of Congress, Federal Research Division (H.C. Metz ed.; history T. Ofcansky, economy R.O. Collins) Sudan: A Country Study (research completed June 1991) – 'The Economy' link [en]
4. U.S. Library of Congress, Federal Research Division (H.C. Metz ed.; history T. Ofcansky, economy R.O. Collins) Sudan: A Country Study (research completed June 1991) – 'Economic Development' link [en]
5. U.S. Library of Congress, Federal Research Division (H.C. Metz ed.; history T. Ofcansky, economy R.O. Collins) Sudan: A Country Study (research completed June 1991) – 'Media' link [en]
6. Iris Seri-Hersch Arabization and Islamization in the Making of the Sudanese 'Postcolonial' State (1946-1964), Cahiers d'études africaines 240, pp.779–804 link [en]
7. صفاء علي، الجزيرة نت (Al Jazeera Arabic) محمد وردي صوت السودان الثائر.. غنى للثورة حتى بعد مماته link [en]
8. P.M. Holt & M.W. Daly (2011) A History of the Sudan: From the Coming of Islam to the Present Day Routledge (Pearson/Longman) link [en]
9. Wikipedia contributors History of Sudan (1956–1969) Wikipedia link [en]

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