Articles

Mahgoub El-Tigani
The Ramadan Martyrs' National Committee
 

About these same hours, nine years ago, while millions of the Sudanese People were joyfully waiting for the Ramadan Eid (Bairam) to exchange the good wishes with one another, as an old Muslim centuries' tradition, the NIF/Inqaz officers and ruling beasts were executing in the early hours of that celebration morning an unprecedented act of brutality.

The act was nothing but the Inqaz massacres of Ramadan (April 24, 1990), the bloodshedding of 28 army officers and, most likely, more than 200 soldiers, with no regard, whatever, to the public sentiments or the Muslim Holy Month of Ramadan. That certainly was one of the 20th century' worst State crimes.

The brutality of the massacres clearly revealed the savage nature of the terrorist coup that actually started a few days earlier a
hysterical campaign against the Sudanese opposition of the NIF treacherous coup that abrogated, for no reason, the Mirghani/Garang national masterpiece, the Sudanese Peace Agreement 1988, the promising hope of the fair and permanent peace and consistent development of Sudan.

The massacres crowned the maximum state of brutality with which the coup leaders and their mentors, the NIF Cult's Shura Council, repressed the brave, peaceful, and civilized Memorandum of the Sudanese Unions' to the Inqaz leader Omer Bashir  to reinstate democratic constitutional rule, public freedoms, and human rights in the country.

The savagery of the Ramadan massacres further promised that the greatest brutalities of all, i.e., the central government's civil war against the South and the other Sudanese Regions, would be escalated to unprecedented levels of genocide and ethnic cleansing under the newly-established Inqaz deceptive war of Jihad.

It is for all the Sudanese martyrs, the children, women, and men, the innocent victims of civil war, conscription camps, and ghost houses, for whom the Ramadan Rectification Movement made the daring attempt to put an end to the NIF savage rule early in time, before it would puruse any more century's crimes or brutalities against our People, that this essay is humbly dedicated.

It is for all those who are concerned with Justice, Sudanese or non-Sudanese, Muslims or non-Muslims, to increase the determination to put to trial the wrong-doers. It is for the sake of Justice that the Inqaz century's most heinous crimes against the innocent Sudanese citizens, civilian or military, regardless of their race or religion or status, should never be forgotten.

The wrong-doers must be judicially prosecuted for the deserved punishment.

The Sudanese regulars and officers who moved in April 23, 1990, to put an end to the NIF corruption coup were indeed high-quality citizens. The bibliographies that the Ramadan Martyrs' National Committee, the Darb Al-Intifada, and the Mihaira sites published in the International Internet are worthy of a careful look. These were not ordinary members of the Army. These were a refined blend of the Sudanese Armed Forces.

In this anniversary of the Ramadan martyrs, this writer is indeed motivated to highlight the high-level training and the high-quality merits of the martyrs. The strategic values they imbued into our national struggles, the terrific contributions they offered to their army and country, and the noble and most glorious sacrifice they made to salvage the Nation from the NIF cancer are marvelously unique.

The majority of the martyrs were devout husbands to their wives and children. They were sincere friends of the masses that lived with them in the army barracks and the civilian neighborhoods, or during the external missions they served in the course of their military life. Their military uniforms were all decorated with medals of bravery and excellent service.

In particular, the martyrs were highly appreciated by the corps as popular, well-disciplined, and professional men of the army. They all acquired high training in their respective fields of specialty. Let us read some information in the bibliographies.

General Khalid Al-Zain, a father of a daughter and a son, was a graduate of the National Defense College, the High Military Academy, a leader of an air force base, the Military Attaché of Sudan in China, and the commander of the Sudanese Air Force.

Lieutenant-General Osman Idris Baloal, father of a daughter and 3 sons, was a Fellow of the National Defense College, an officer of infantry and artillery, a Military Attaché in Iran, the second-in-command of the artillery, and instructor of the Sudan Military Academy.

Lieutenant-General Hussain Abdel-Gadir Al-Kadaro, father of a daughter and 4 sons, and the leader of the artillery who received high training in the field from the military academies of Egypt, Czechoslovakia, and Germany.

Lieutenant-General Mohamed Osman Karar, graduate of the British Royal Air College, commander of the Helicopter Force, governor of Eastern Sudan for the democratic government, and a highly trained officer in the Soviet Union, England, Romania, and Iraq.

The Ramadan Rectification Movement colonels, Mohamed Ahmed Gasim, Ismat Mirghani Taha, Salah Al-Sayed, and Bashir Mustafa Bashir exemplified the best of the Army caliber. Colonel Gasim, a father of 9 children, was a founder of the army parachute force. Highly trained in Great Britain, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, he was one of the key officers who supported the Glorious Intifada in April 1985 that overthrew the Nimeiri tyranny.

Colonel Ismat Taha Mirghani, father of 2 daughters, was a parachute specialist. He was highly trained in the United States and Iraq. An intellectual with a B.A. in Sociology and a Diploma in Information, Ismat selectively represented the Sudanese Armed Forces in the Arab League Forces in Lebanon and further represented the Army in Nambia. His last position was Chief Instructor of the parachute force.

Colonel Salah, a father of 4 children, was trained in the Soviet Union, United States, and Saudi Arabia. He also graduated in Sociology from the Cairo University/Khartoum. Colonel Bashir Mustafa Al-Bashir, a father of 2 children, was a prominent instructor and commander of the artillery force.

The parachutist Lieutenant-Colonels Bashir Al-Tayeb Mohamed Salih, and Abdel-Moniem Hassan Ali Karar were popular army leaders who moved with Colonel Mohamed Ahmed Gasim the first day of the Inqaz coup with a counter movement aimed to correct the Inqaz NIF tendencies. They were arrested and dismissed by acts of treachery exercised by Omer Al-Bashir, the Inqaz/NIF coup leader.

The Ramadan officers with the Artillery Lieutenant-Colonels Amir Abu Deek, who was also a graduate of Cairo University Sociology Department as well as an engineer of the Sudan Polytechnic, and Lieutenant-Colonel Mohamed Abd-Aziz with his deep knowledge and literary works were responsible citizens with high merits.

Major Al-Shaikh Al-Baqir Al-Shaikh, Major Babiker Abdel-Rahman Nugd-Allah, Major Salah Al-Dirdiri, Major Seed Ahmed Salih, Major Taj Al-Deen Fath Al-Rahman, Major Moawiya Yasin Ali, Major Al-Fatih Khalid, Major Usama
Al-Zain Abd-Allah, and Major Akram Al-Fatih Yousif. Captain Mustafa Awad Khugali, Captain Mudathir Mohamed Mahgoub, and Captain Abdel-Monim Khidir Kemair were all specialized army officers who acquired intensive training in the army air force, the artillery, and the parachute troops.
 

This writer certainly regrets the fact that there is not yet adequate information on the regulars and non-commissioned officers who bravely participated in the Ramadan Rectification Movement and sacrificed their dear lives. The Legitimate Command estimated more than 200 regulars probably had been killed by the Inqaz rulers at Al-Jebal Al-Aswad right behind the military prison in Omdurman.

Throughout these nine years, the Ramadan Martyrs' National Committee exerted additional efforts with different sources in the Sudanese Armed Forces to find the names and whereabouts of these noble martyrs.

As General Abdel-Rahman Sa'eed, the Leader of the Legitimate Command of the Sudanese Armed Forces repeatedly ascertained, "The facts would only come about when the Inqaz killers would be put to trial for the deserved punishment." General Sa'eed, a spiritual father and a leading force behind the Commitee's annual activities, is fully convinced that day is not far.

These were the soldiers who participated with the 28 officers in the Airport and Al-Shigara Camp, besides the non-commissioned officers the guards of the Omdurman Radio Station. Tens of officers were subsequently unlawfully dismissed from service and imprisoned in appalling conditions. A large number of officers and regulars whose names are not fully reported were also dismissed and put under tight surveillance by the NIF security and intelligence officers. Many were hunted down in markets, farms, and other legal businesses to force them to leave the country for bewilders of exile.

The secrets of the Ramadan Movement are not yet completely unfolded. The names of these noble citizens who together with other secretive participants have planned and executed the military operation are not easily accessible. Many secrets might have died with the martyrs themselves. There will come a day, nonetheless, when their roles would be identified and their
sacrifice fairly glorified.

It is well documented that the Ramadan Martyrs did not shoot one bullet or wounded any one. Although Al-Kadaro was already in full control of the artillery forces of Al-Shigara and the other commanders seized the strategic forces of the army in the National Capitol Khartoum, they did not use armed violence against the Bashir elements.

Lieutenant-Colonel Bashir Al-Tayeb who approached the General Command with his tank that morning, for example, did not want to shoot down Major Shamsaldeen Ibrahim, the NIF coup leader. Al-Tayeb wanted to arrest Shamsaldeen with his bare hands. Shamseldeen's guard shot Al-Tayeb who continued to bleed up to death at the NIF Squad later on.

The killers Omer Bashir and all members of his Inqaz Security Committee really were mischievous. They should face a public trial, in accordance with the law, before Sudan's independent judiciary as soon as available.

Who were the killers of the  Ramadan distinguished regulars and officers?

Documentary material by the Legitimate Command of the Sudanese Armed Forces indicated that Zubair Mohamed Salih, the NIF coup second-in-command and Kamal Ali Mukhtar, leader of the military intelligence, were already aware of the Ramadan Movement. This occurred when an insider leaked the deadly information albeit a few hours before the zero point.

The Intelligence Department prepared two summary courts to trial the 28 officers. Colonel Mohamed Al-Amin Shamsaldeen was appointed chair of the first court. The members were Colonel Mohamed Al-Tayeb Al-Kahnjar and Colonel Ibrahim Mohamed Al-Hassan. Colonel Mohamed Ali Abdel-Rahman was appointed chair of the second court. Colonel Yasin Arabi and Colonel Sayed Kunna were members.

The courts hurriedly submitted execution sentences to the Intelligence Department. An Operation Room was immediately prepared to oversee the whole process. The members were Colonel Bakri Hassan Salih, Lieutenant-General Mohamed Ahmed Mustafa Al-Turabi, Brigadier Kamal Ali Mukhtar, Brigadier Abdel-Raziq Al-Fadl, and Brigadier Hassan Osman Dahawi. The case was submitted further to the Inqaz Security and Operations Committee.

The Inqaz coup leader Al-Zubair Mohamed Salih was chair of this committee. The members of the Committee included the Inqaz executive leaders: Lieutenant-General Ibrahim Nayil Idam, Lieutenant-General Al-Tigani Adam Al-Tahir, Colonel Bakri Hassan Salih, Major Ibrahim Shamsaldeen, and Lieutenant-Colonel Faisal Abu Salih (the minister of interior).

The Inqaz killing committee also included Dr. Hussain Abu Salih, the minister of foreign affairs, Ali Shumu, the minister of
information and culture, Brigadier Kamal Ali Mukhtar, the director of intelligence, and Dr. Ali Nafi' the Chief of the State Security.

The committee approved the procedure of the first court. The sentences of the court were either dismissal of service or execution. The committee decision was finally submitted to Brigadier Omer Hassan Ahmed Al-Bashir, Leader of the Inqaz coup. Al-Bashir approved of the sentences and the 28 officers with the 200 participant soldiers were all executed. The trial,
approval, and executions lasted for 2 hours, all in all.
 

How were the Ramadan officers and soldiers killed?

It was the day before the Ramadan Eid (Bairam). The prisoners were isolated from any contact with the other army subjects as well as any civilian visitors. The Inqaz officers wickedly deceived the martyrs' families. They told them the prisoners were detained in decent conditions under interrogation according to the military law. They mockingly agreed to take the clothes and food the families delivered to their detained men as lawfully allowable.

The execution part was directly planned and executed by Colonel Abdel-Rahim Mohamed Hassan, Colonel Bakri Hassan Salih, Major Ibrahim Shamsaldeen, and Captain Mohamed Al-Amin. Approximately 4 o'clock in the early morning of April 25, 1990, Colonel Al-Hadi Abd-Allah moved a convoy of army trucks on behalf of the Intelligence Department to the surrounding space of the Omdurman Military Prison.

The executions did not take any time. Every five officers were tied together, led blind-eyed towards a ditch, and shot on the back to fall unconsciously into the ditch. Lieutenant General Mohamed Osman Karar was already wounded in his bellies by the direct stab he received from the Inqaz leader Mohamed Al-Amin Khalifa at the Khartoum Airport.

Lieutenant-Colonel Al-Tayeb Bashir was bleeding from the shot he received by the Shamsaldeen guard at the gate of the General Command. The two wounded officers and the others who were still alive, bleeding from the fire on their backs, were all buried the same way.

It was the Holy Month of Ramadan, a sacred month for Muslims all over the world. Blood shed is strictly prohibited in Ramadan. The martyrs were not allowed to meet with their families. Nor were they allowed to deliver their wills to their wives or children. They were not even permitted to say their prayers or to farewell the Holy Month as they would have liked to do as Muslims.

The trial committee was entirely prejudiced against the accused. The courts were established with premeditated sentences. They unlawfully deprived the accused of all rights that the military law guaranteed. Not a single lawyer was permitted to defend the accused. No military friends were summoned to defend them in court. The summary trials were not challenged, and the sentences were immediately approved and executed.

 This certainly was the century's crime.

We sincerely pray for the Al-Mighty Lord to have mercy on the souls of all our dear Sudanese martyrs, civilian or military, who suffered the brutalities of the succeeding dictatorships or the arrogance of Sudan central governments. Those killed in the civil war zones or tortured to death by the Inqaz beasts in the NIF ghost houses. The innocent children, daughters or
sons, bombarded by the Inqaz air boming or those shot with machine guns by Omer Al-Bashir direct orders at the schools' demonstrations or the Ailafoun Camp. The Juba Martyrs and the Ramadan Martyrs.

A pressing question is for all Sudanese and the Sudan Friends to consider: Who on earth would not want the Lord's Justice via the international law procedure perfectly implemented on the Inqaz existing criminals and those of the former dictatorships?!
 

(END)