Isrudan: The First Sudanese Civil Society Organization To Support Normalization
Isrudan: The First Sudanese Civil Society Organization To Support Normalization
Two days after the fourth visit of the occupation delegations to Sudan, the Sudanese activist Abdul Qadir Al-Ashari announced the establishment of an organization called Isrudan with the aim of normalizing relations between Sudan and the state Occupation.
Normalization with Israel
Since the announcement of the rapprochement with Israel in early February of last year with the meeting of the head of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, with the Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu in Entebbe, Ugandan, civil entities supported the government’s actions, such as the Sudanese-Israeli People’s Friendship Association, and the Popular Authority for Peace and Normalization, which work on supporting popular and societal communication between the two countries.
The head of Isrudan Abdel Qader El-Ashary stated that the general trend encouraged him to establish the organization, after normalization with Israel on the official and popular levels became a reality.
On January 6, 2021 the Sudanese government officially signed the declaration of the Abraham Accords leading to rapprochement with Israel, during the visit of former US Secretary of the Treasury, Stephen Mnuchin, to Khartoum.
The government of Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok stated that the official normalization agreement between Khartoum and Tel Aviv will not be effective before it is presented to the Legislative Council – which has not yet been completed -, yet steps for rapprochement between the two countries are accelerating, as Israeli delegations visit Khartoum from time to time, in clear violation of the boycott of Israel law which is still in effect.
According to El-Ashry, the registration of the “Isrudan” organization was on February 14, amid great support of Sudanese across the country, and without facing any difficulties from the Ministry of Labor and the Humanitarian Aid Commission and he obtained the official registration certificate.
Registry Controversy
However, experts in voluntary affairs emphasized that the voluntary and humanitarian work law in Sudan of 2006 prohibits the registration of any front or organization promoting political activity, which makes it strange for “Isrudan” to obtain a registration certificate as a voluntary organization, especially with the clarity of its visions and goals.
On the other hand, a source in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs confirmed that the organization was registered in accordance with the generally accepted rules by the principles governing voluntary and humanitarian work. The statute submitted by the organization shows that it is working in the field of development and reconstruction without any reference to Israel or normalization.
This means that Isrudan” is working to support popular relations between Sudan and Israel contradict the principles governing voluntary and humanitarian work stipulated in the Voluntary Work Organization Law of 2006, and accordingly, the organizations and entities that work in strengthening relations between peoples, should be registered at the World People’s Friendship Council.
However, Abdel-Qader El-Ashry clarifies that all the registration procedures were correct and his organization is concerned with development and reconstruction, and is working to communicate with all countries by opening offices in many capitals in the name of the organization itself, and it does not exclude Israel, of course.
He also stressed that the organization is independent and is not supported by any party, and that it is completely far from any political activity and focuses only on the areas of development, reconstruction, rejection of hatred, combating terrorism, and supporting coexistence between peoples.
Read More: To Spread Tolerance and Coexistence: Al-Burhan Justifies Normalization During “Israel Summit”
