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Paper short abstract:

This paper examines how Sudan's resistance committees sustained their mobilisation for democracy and persisted as the only credible civilian actor, despite grave challenges. By adapting to context and providing public goods, they maintained their legitimacy and sustained their mobilisation.

Paper long abstract:

After witnessing a historic popular revolution in 2019, Sudan has been going through unprecedently volatile events. The turbulent political transition that followed the revolution faced serious challenges, before the military halted the democratic aspirations of the people by orchestrating a coup in 2021. Two years later, the ‘marriage of convenience’ between the military factions that partnered in implementing the coup came to an end when the violent war erupted. Throughout these events, all civilian actors that led the revolution including political parties and professional associations, lost their relevance and credibility, except for the resistance committees. The resistance committees are grassroots movements that emerged during the revolution and became a new source of public authority, in the face of the military of the politics of ‘traditional’ political groups. They represent an informal alternative institution that transcends societal divides.

The resistance committees in Sudan have managed to sustain their mobilisation for democracy and continued to maintain their legitimacy. Despite the violence they faced from military actors and the exclusion they encountered from civilian political leaders, they have shown admirable resilience and persistence in their resistance and continued to mobilise people through protests and producing political charters. Furthermore, they maintained their legitimacy and credibility by adapting to the fluctuating context by remaining true to their constituents and providing humanitarian assistance in times of need. They also provided an innovative model of governance, that prioritises participation, transparency and accountability. This paper investigates how the resistance continued to mobilise for democracy despite these grave challenges.