New hope for Sudan after sanctions lift

The end of Sudan’s 20-year embargo from the global economy could now bring investors back to the country and prop up its media and entertainment industry, which would be good news for music professionals in the war-torn northeastern African nation.

Sudan was embroiled in two civil wars from 1955 to 1972 and between 1983 and 2005. Many Sudanese were displaced and fled to countries such as Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Chad and the US, among others.

In 1997, the US imposed sanctions that were predicated on allegations that the country was backing Islamist militant groups. Former US president Bill Clinton, who at the time signed the sanctions, described Sudan as “an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the US”.

Earlier this year, the US State Department praised Sudan for “enhanced interagency and international cooperation to address the threat from Isis and other terrorist organisations”. Sudan had also improved humanitarian access, it said.

But the entertainment sector is still underdeveloped due to limited support and a lack of platforms for new talent. The Sudanese government has also been criticised for restricting freedom of expression.

In 1994, a number of Sudanese artists’ music was banned for being non-Islamic and for openly criticising the government. Abu Araki al-Bakheit is one such artist. The singer was arrested in the early 1990s for speaking out against President Omar al-Bashir’s regime. Bakheit retired from music following the arrest but made a comeback due to popular demand.

Bashir’s 28-year rule has been defined by the suppression of the media, artists and popular culture. The 73-year-old autocrat is also sought by the International Criminal Court for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur.  

“Another target of censorship during Bashir’s regime has been popular music, dancing and traditional celebrations considered un-Islamic,” author Diana Childress writes in her book Omar al-Bashir's Sudan. “Radio stations erased tapes of popular singers or simply taped over the songs with sermons and Islamist propaganda.”

But the censorship of the ‘90s has carried over into the new millennium. According to a report by The Guardian, Sudanese religious police used the sanctions as an excuse to exercise control over nightlife and music. Last month, they raided a café in Khartoum where a number musicians were arrested.  

“The revellers were thrown into a truck on the grounds that there was no permit for a guitar,” musician and graphic designer at Capital FM Eltayeb Hajo told the UK publication. “One man was charged with singing in English. They just came up with this stuff on the spot.”

Capital Radio owner Taha Elroubi said: “I would love to set up a nightclub but that’s not possible. The station cannot hold public events or invite musicians from abroad.”

Capital Radio began operating five years ago despite the government’s initial refusal to give Elroubi a licence to run the station. The station was started with the objective to inspire Sudanese citizens to stay in the country and to encourage those who fled to return.

“I found that there was this vacuum here,” Elroubi said. “The idea of a radio station just playing pop music wasn’t very accepted. The government told me very bluntly: ‘You’re not going to get this licence’.”

But Elroubi says he expects the media industry to improve because people are curious about Western culture and music. He told The Guardian there was hope that more radio stations would broadcast in English and play music from abroad.

“We’re not into politics, we’re not into religion, we’re not into regime change,” he said about the vision of his station. “We’re good for them. They want foreigners to see that Sudan has English radio. It’s good for the new image.”

The end of US-instated sanctions in Sudan has brought optimism for the socio-economic outlook of the country. However, some say Bashir’s almost three-decade rule has created a general sense of apathy among the citizens of the country.