Anti-Imperialist Front

For the Slovene resistance organisation, see Liberation Front of the Slovene Nation.

The Anti-Imperialist Front (Arabic: الجبهة المعادية للإستعمار) was a political movement in Sudan, founded in 1952.^[1] The Anti-Imperialist Front was organized by the clandestine Sudanese Movement for National Liberation (i.e. the communist party).^[2] The communists decided not to try to register their own party ahead of the 1953 legislative election, preferring to launch the Anti-Imperialist Front as their legal umbrella organization.^[1][2]

Anti-Imperialist Front الجبهة المعادية للإستعمار
President	Hassan at-Taheer Zarouq
General Secretary	Abdel Rahman Abdel Rahim
Founded	1952
Dissolved	1958
Newspaper	Al-Midan
Ideology	Communism Marxism-Leninism Anti-imperialism
Political position	Far-left
Politics of Sudan Political parties Elections

Leadership

Hassan at-Taheer Zarouq was the president of the Anti-Imperialist Front, Abdel Rahman Abdel Rahim was its general secretary. Both were teachers by profession.^[3] Dr. Izzudin Ali Amir was another prominent leader of the Anti-Imperialist Front.^[4]

Profile

The membership of the Anti-Imperialist Front included both communist cadres and unaffiliated sympathizers.^[1] The organization, whilst generally identified with the communists, rejected the claim that it was a communist movement.^[3]

The Anti-Imperialist Front advocated for independence for Sudan, opposed a union with Egypt and called for guarantees for democratic rights such as freedom of expression and organization.^[5][6][7] By raising democratic demands through the Anti-Imperialist Front the Sudanese communists were able to win sympathies amongst non-communist professionals, particularly journalists.^[6]

The organization also ran evening schools for adults.^[3]

Press organ

The Anti-Imperialist Front published the twice-weekly newspaper al-Midan ('The Forum').^[8] Hassan at-Taheer Zarouq served as the editor of the newspaper.^[9]

1953 election

The Anti-Imperialist Front won one seat in the 1953 election (held by Hassan at-Taheer Zarouq).^[10][11][12] Hassan at-Taheer Zarouq was a schoolteacher, who had been dismissed due to his political activism. He was elected from the Graduates' Constituency.^[13] As a Member of Parliament, Hassan at-Taheer Zarouq was a vocal critic of Ismail al-Azhari's National Unionist Party cabinet.^[6]

Struggle against the al-Azhari government

In early 1955 the Anti-Imperialist Front joined the Independence Front (a coalition of opponents to az-Zahari, including the Umma Party). Through the participation of the Anti-Imperialist Front, the Independence Front gained more influence in urban areas as workers' and students' movements became active in the Independence Front.^[7][5] The Anti-Imperialist Front broke away from the Independence Front in September 1955.^[7] In November 1955 the Independence Front tried to oust al-Azhari through a vote in the House of Representatives. The Anti-Imperialist Front refused to support this action, and Hassan at-Taheer Zarouq abstained from voting. The Anti-Imperialist Front explained its position that it struggled for principles, rather against any particular individuals. Instead, the Anti-Imperialist Front called for a national unity government. This move alienated the Anti-Imperialist Front from both the government and the other opposition forces.^[7]

When the al-Azhari cabinet was followed by the government of Abdallah Khalil, the Anti-Imperialist Front retained its oppositional stance.^[6] Again, the Anti-Imperialist Front sought to build a broad, national front. However, such a front did not materialize as the People's Democratic Party (whom the communists had identified as a potential key partner) aligned with the Umma Party instead.^[7]

Suez Crisis

During the 1956 Suez Crisis, the Anti-Imperialist Front sent volunteers to help the Egyptian side (including its General Secretary). As Gamal Abdul Nasser emerged as an anti-imperialist leader, the Anti-Imperialist Front reversed its previous opposition to Egyptian-Sudanese unity.^[14]

In February 1957 the Anti-Imperialist Front and the Sudanese Workers' Trade Union Federation began campaigning against the introduction of a U.S. aid programme.^[15] The Anti-Imperialist Front struggled against the electoral law passed by the Umma-PDP coalition in June 1957, claiming that the law had been tailor-made to guarantee an Umma Party victory in the coming elections. The Anti-Imperialist Front again called on the PDP to break its alliance with the Umma Party, and join a coalition with the National Unionist Party.^[16]

1958 election

Ahead of the February 1958 elections, the Anti-Imperialist Front joined hands with the Federal Party (based in southern Sudan). The Anti-Imperialist Front raised demands for a federal Sudanese state, which would recognize both Islam and Christianity as official religions and where both Arabic and English would be official languages.^[15] The Anti-Imperialist Front, contesting the 1958 election, failed to win any seats.^[17]

1958 coup

Following the 1958 coup d'état, the Anti-Imperialist Front was dissolved.^[4] Many of its leaders were arrested, including Dr. Izzudin Ali Amir. He was, however, released in September 1959.^[4][18]

References

1. Sidahmed, Abdel Salam. Politics and Islam in Contemporary Sudan. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1996. p. 44
2. Niblock, Tim. Class and Power in Sudan: The Dynamics of Sudanese Politics, 1898-1985. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1987. p. 201
3. Fabunmi, L. A. The Sudan in Anglo-Egyptian relations: a case study in power politics, 1800-1956. Longmans, 1960. p. 334
4. Oron, Yitzhak (1960). Middle East Record Volume 1, 1960. The Moshe Dayan Center.
5. Sidahmed, Abdel Salam. Politics and Islam in Contemporary Sudan. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1996. p. 56
6. Warburg, Gabriel. Islam, nationalism and communism in a traditional society: the case of Sudan. London: Frank Cass and Company Limited, 1978. p. 99
7. Warburg, Gabriel. Islam, nationalism and communism in a traditional society: the case of Sudan. London: Frank Cass and Company Limited, 1978. pp. 100-101
8. Kirkpatrick, Evron M. Year of Crisis: Communist Propaganda Activities in 1956. New York: Macmillan, 1957. p. 215
9. The Middle East, Vol. 7. Europa Publications., 1959. p. 285
10. مركز الدراسات الاشتراكية .مجموعة وثائق الحزب الشيوعي السوداني (1961-) 1969 - 1999
11. National Electoral Commission. تاريخ الانتخابات في السودان December 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
12. Salih, Mohamed Abdel Rahim Mohamed. African Democracies and African Politics. London [u.a.]: Pluto Press, 2001. p. 85
13. Niblock, Tim. Class and Power in Sudan: The Dynamics of Sudanese Politics, 1898-1985. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1987. p. 69
14. Warburg, Gabriel. Islam, nationalism and communism in a traditional society: the case of Sudan. London: Frank Cass and Company Limited, 1978. pp. 141-143
15. Warburg, Gabriel. Islam, nationalism and communism in a traditional society: the case of Sudan. London: Frank Cass and Company Limited, 1978. p. 105
16. Warburg, Gabriel. Islam, nationalism and communism in a traditional society: the case of Sudan. London: Frank Cass and Company Limited, 1978. p. 102
17. Warburg, Gabriel. Islam, nationalism and communism in a traditional society: the case of Sudan. London: Frank Cass and Company Limited, 1978. p. 103
18. Newsweek, Vol. 52. 1958. p. 65