Remembering Yousif Kuwa Mekki
Throughout their strife for social justice and political participation, the Nuba people have been led, since Sudan’s independence in 1956, by two paramount leaders – namely, the veteran Fr Philip ‘Abbas approach to the Sudanese authorities to tackle chronic problems that were, and are, engulfing the Nuba Mountains, including high infant mortality rate, lack of hygienic water, recurring famine, epidemic diseases, dilapidated schools, unpaved roads and so forth. The Nuba took their dissent to the central authorities, and they even used the conventional methods that the Northern Sudanese are accustomed to in their bid to topple governments, but theirs were dubbed racist movements. However, such brewing dissatisfaction drove the Nuba to desperation, decided to take the message home, and barricade there to lead armed struggle. In such circumstances, a people poised on defending their families, properties and land are too difficult to defeat. Despite gross loses of Nuba’s lives because of Government’s embargo, aerial bombardment, the combined assaults of Sudan Government army and the militias, and the spread of diseases, their spirit was never broken under the leadership of Cdr Yousif Kuwa Mekki, the Governor-Commander of the
Nuba Mountains. But who was he?
Yousif Kuwa was elected to a Regional Assembly, but joined the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) in 1984, despairing of peaceful political change that appeared to be almost impossible. While an active member of the Regional Assembly, it was thought that Yousif would be lured by the perks and prerogatives of the parliamentarian life in a tyrannical regime that was leaving no room for opposition, but Yousif elected not to forget his people. He was always in a firing line; he once confided to the author that at some stage every sign of malcontent among the Nuba people everywhere was ascribed to him, real or imaginary. Always outspoken, always militant – of course, with a cause, Yousif’s involvement in the underground movement produced work aimed at raising awareness of Nuba rights, rectifying the image of their vilified culture and promoting struggle against racial discrimination and prejudice. He had a vision, and he strongly argued that the problem of Sudan lay in oppressing its people, pride and prejudice of so many few against the marginalised majority who lived on the brink of oblivion; amongst this considerable section of society, the Nuba borne the full brunt of such a disadvantage. As Governor-Commander of the Nuba Mountains, he oversaw the establishment of a civil administration unique in the SPLM/A areas, encouraged a renaissance of Nuba culture and urged the children to learn their vernacular languages as a sense of identity and belonging. He was the first SPLA commander to allow a human rights monitoring organisation in his territory. Yousif played a pivotal role in cementing the unity of so many a Nuba around their legitimate claim to be a distinguished ethnic identity; he was the proud defender and bearer of Nuba traditions and
culture. So much so that this sense, and sensibility, is characteristically embedded in the Nuba Mountains where the people cherish the ethnic, religious and cultural diversity. In fact, the entire country should learn this kind of tolerance from the Nuba people where you may find a household with several faith believers, and yet they lead a peaceful coexistence and harmonious livelihood. Yousif strived hard to maintain this normality, always reminding his people that petty tribalism and religious bigotry are the surest route to destruction. According to one commentator:
The clarity of purpose and the rigorousness of
action had never deserted him throughout his political and military life. From his student days at the University of Khartoum to his last days among us, Yousif was transparent about his objectives, clear in the articulation of his aims, acknowledging difficulties, but never renouncing hope or abandoning his infectious optimism.
When a bevy of SPLM/A officers attempted to carbon-copy what Dr Riek Machar and his fellow conspirators did in Southern Sudan in August 1991, Yousif, the astute politician moved swiftly and managed to avoid the bloodshed the ensued in the aftermath of Dr Machar’s breakaway SPLM/A-United. Worse still, the defection of some Nuba individuals, joined by a few from Europe, to the Sudan Government failed to discredit the SPLM/A in the Nuba Mountains. In actuality, these opportunists became buffoons to their communities, because they neither brought peace to the region nor did the Sudan Government take them seriously. However, their personal vested interests had weighed heavily on their misdemeanour. After a long battle with prostate cancer, Cdr Yousif Kuwa died on Saturday, March 31, 2001 in a Norwich hospital while writing an open letter to the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, deploring the UN’s failure to deliver relief to the Nuba Mountains three years after Khartoum promised to end its 12-year blockade. In a memorial service that held in his honour in London on Saturday, May 12, 2001, emotions were high and all the speakers were profusely praising the late Cdr Yousif Kuwa for courage, dedication and commitment he gave to the cause of the Nuba people in particular and Sudan’s armed struggle in general. Messages were pouring by telephones from
those whose circumstances did not allow them to attend this heartbreaking occasion. Chief amongst the callers was Dr John Garang de Mabior, the SPLM/A Chairman. In an elegiac address, Dr Johan Garang emphasised that:
Cdr Yousif Kuwa was known to all and loved by all in the SPLM/A. His untimely death is a great loss not just to the Nuba people, but to the whole people of New Sudan as a whole. He will be greatly missed by all and by the liberation struggle, and, of course, by his beloved and bereaved immediate family. The Nuba people and people of New Sudan are resilient and one is confident that they will produce more Yousif Kuwa’s who will continue the struggle to its logical conclusion as Comrade Yousif Kuwa would have wished to see. The officers, NCOs and men of the 4th Front and people of Southern Kordofan must, therefore, not be dispirited, but rather should thank Almighty God for giving them Yousif Kuwa in the first place and for the
invaluable services this great martyr has rendered to the liberation struggle and the people of New Sudan.
Cdr Yasser Saeed ‘Arman, the SPLM/A spokesman who telephoned from Asmara, Eritrea, stated that he would like the community to know that he would have wished to be among them, but it was not possible. Nevertheless, he was in spirit with them as in commemorating Comrade Yousif. ‘He was,’ Cdr ‘Arman reaffirmed, ‘a humble man and great leader: a role model to some of us; may he rest in peace!’ The Sudan Alliance Forces (SAF) reiterated that Cdr Yousif Kuwa was one of the symbols that had pioneered the national movement during the last thirty years for equality, justice, human rights and resisting the systematic genocide of the marginalised people. He was, the SAF message went on, a revolutionary, national freedom fighter, who loved his people and his country until he became one of the most prominent leaders in the contemporary, political history of Sudan, as well as a beacon of armed struggle. The SAF beseeched Almighty God to grant the deceased mercy, and bid goodbye to this majestic mountain; his career, magnanimity and nationalism
would live on as a pinnacle that everybody would crave to climb to its top in order to be inspired by his strength, solidarity and determination. In so doing, we would pursue struggle for the realisation of New Sudan. In the words of Dr Mansour Yousif al-‘Agab, Chairman of the London-based Sudan Human Rights Organisation: ‘Kuwa struggled for social justice, equality and citizenship based on rights and obligations; he tussled for the restoration of democracy to our country: a democracy, which is not formal [sic], but a real one.’ Mr Ahmed ‘Abd Allah, the Umma Party representative in the UK, was quoted as saying:
By his departure, the Sudan lost [one of] its best leaders, who carried a vision of a nation and opposed suppression. The Umma Party looks forward to all Sudanese [people] to unite together for the change of the present military regime, and for a peaceful Sudan where democracy, peace and human rights prevail. We pray that may the Almighty Allah (God) bless his soul and give him the right place in paradise.
Yousif was once asked by a journalist that what did the Nuba gain from their involvement in the armed struggle? Firstly, the Nuba, Yousif retorted, in the past used to be perceived as slaves who were there to carry out menial jobs and domestic chores, but now they have gained respect and dignity; they are proud to be Nuba. Some non-Nuba elements are even claiming to be Nuba, and trying to reap the benefits of the international recognition the Nuba have acquired through their blood. Secondly, any Government in Khartoum has to include a Nuba representative, however nominal they may be, including those minions who are now siding with the Northerners against their own people. Yousif sacrificed so much for the Nuba people; he lived as a teacher, politician and soldier, and died as a martyr. May the Almighty God rest his soul in eternal peace, and may his memory always be an inspiration to the living and to generations to come.
When the Nuba people held their All Nuba Conference at Kauda on December 2-5, 2002, one figure that was vividly missing was Cdr Yousif Kuwa Mekki. However, the conference came as a result of his great struggle, dedication to the Nuba cause and perseverance, despite all trials and tribulations the Nuba people had found themselves in because they were merely expressing their right to be Nuba in the first place. May Almighty God bless him and his soul for what he had achieved for the Nuba people.