HIST 4339

Sudan: The Southern Policy and Sudanese Independence

Indirect Rule

• First established 1922

• Early efforts at gradual sudanization of administration

• After 1924, British reluctant to allow educated Sudanese any responsibility

Southern Policy

• Separation of south from north

• Encouragement of development of southern culture

• Early and vague consideration of partition

Nuba Policy

• Extension of Southern policy

• Instituted in 1929

• Goal: “to preserve an authentic Nuba civilization and culture as against a

bastard type of Arabization”[1]

• British politicization and alteration of existing divisions and communities

Sudanese Nationalism

• 1938: establishment of “Graduates’ General Congress” (educated Sudanese)

• 1942: Sudanese leaders demand “right of self-determination” at WWII end

• 1946: draft treaty renegotiating Sudan’s status leaves all parties unhappy

“The policy which the High Contracting Parties undertake to follow in the Sudan within the framework of unity between the Sudan and Egypt under the common Crown of Egypt, will have for its essential objective to secure the well-being of the Sudan . . . the development of self-government, and consequently the right to choose the future status of the Sudan.  Until the High Contracting Parties, in full common agreement, realize the latter objective, after consultation with the Sudanese, the Agreement of 1899 will continue and Article 11 of the Treaty of 1936 . . . will remain in force.”[2]

• 1952: military revolution in Egypt, Egyptian call for Sudanese independence

• 1953: British agree Egyptian proposal

• 1955: Sudanese demand that Britain withdraw troops

• Dec 1955: Sudanese declaration of independence

• 1 Jan 1956: official transfer of power in Khartoum

Suez Crisis

• Egyptian leader Col. Gamal Abdul Nasser accepts Soviet military aid

• July 1956: Nasser’s nationalization of Suez canal

• Nov 1956: Britain’s disastrous military operation to regain canal

• Britain no longer a world power