Resistance Committees: A Long Journey of Aspiration
On the Resistance Committees: Their Emergence, Organization, and Political Activism
By: Mohamed Tahir Ahmed Al-Nour
First Article: On the Resistance Committees
Introduction
With the resounding ululation of the December 2018 protests, Sudanese people declared their desire to launch a revolution for change. They chose to embark on this struggle despite being well aware—at least some of them—of the sacrifices and arduous paths that lay ahead, paths they were determined to walk together.
The change led at the time by the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) represented a collective dream that the Sudanese youth actively pursued. They began by organizing neighborhood protests and events announced by the SPA, then moved on to establishing grassroots organizations in support of change—Resistance Committees—and later engaged in drafting political charters and advocacy efforts aimed at bringing about transformation. Despite facing storms of challenges, Sudanese youth remained steadfast in their commitment to change.
Emergence and Formation
One of the most significant innovations of the Sudanese revolution—perhaps the most crucial—was the creation of Resistance Committees at the neighborhood level. These grassroots organizations were tasked with leading the movement and spreading it within local communities. On February 8, 2019, the Sudanese Professionals Association called for the formation of Resistance Committees, and the revolutionary youth immediately responded, swiftly establishing these committees.
In a statement published on March 11, 2019, titled "Building and Organizing Resistance Committees: Our Path to Overthrowing the Regime," the Sudanese Professionals Association emphasized that, while social media and the internet provided new tools for mobilization, they remained insufficient in Sudan’s context. The statement stressed that real change depended fundamentally on the peoples ability to take initiative and organize, making the formation of Resistance Committees a crucial component of the revolutionary movement.
Below is an excerpt from the statement published on the SPA’s official Facebook page:
Sudanese Professionals Association
March 11, 2019
Building and Organizing Resistance Committees: Our Path to Overthrowing the Regime (Part One)
Since the launch of our glorious revolution on December 19, 2018, its slogans and methods have been rooted in peaceful resistance, leading up to political strikes and comprehensive civil disobedience, ultimately aiming to overthrow the regime, dismantle its totalitarian institutions, and build a democratic alternative.
Peaceful resistance is not a random or spontaneous act; rather, it is fundamentally based on the ability of our people to take initiative and organize—an ability deeply ingrained in our culture and historical experiences. The collective community efforts regularly seen in villages and cities alike stand as a testament to our inherent capacity for solidarity. In addition to these traditions, Resistance Committees have drawn inspiration from and innovated new tools adapted to the modern era and the experiences of younger generations.
Social media platforms have provided new means for mass mobilization and revolutionary engagement. However, given the underdeveloped state of our country, exacerbated by the oppressive regime, these tools remain limited and insufficient. Thus, one of the most critical elements in organizing the popular movement and escalating it toward general strikes and civil disobedience is the establishment of Resistance Committees in neighborhoods, workplaces, and educational institutions.
The process of building, organizing, and networking Resistance Committees will accelerate the downfall of the regime while reinforcing the principle of collective leadership within our glorious revolution. These committees also serve as a formidable barrier against any attempts to hijack the revolution’s achievements or counter-revolutionary maneuvers, which inevitably accompany any revolutionary movement striving for fundamental change in society.
Resistance Committees in neighborhoods and workplaces, when interconnected, can form a unified leadership that coordinates with...
For further details, the full statement can be accessed through the SPA’s official Facebook page:
Link to the statement
The Resistance Committees: A Long Journey of Aspiration
On the Definition and Roles of Resistance Committees
In a later statement, the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) provided a definition of Resistance Committees and their roles:
"Resistance Committees are small, organized entities that lead peaceful resistance efforts against the regime in residential and workplace settings, aiming to overthrow it. They include any individual who opposes the regime, regardless of their political party affiliation—or lack thereof."
The statement outlined several key tasks for Resistance Committees, including:
Raising awareness among neighborhood residents about the necessity of revolution and change.
Encouraging participation in the movement.
Providing aid and services to local communities.
Organizing demonstrations against the regime.
Setting up barricades to protect protests from repression.
Documenting peaceful resistance activities.
It also proposed an organizational structure, naming several essential offices required for forming a committee. The full details can be accessed here:
Sudanese Professionals Association Statement – March 11, 2019
Organizational Structure
The excerpts above come from a March 2019 statement by the Sudanese Engineers Association—a component of the SPA—on the organization and structure of Resistance Committees. At the time, the proposed structure included:
Organizational Coordinator – Responsible for coordinating committee members and tracking task completion.
Financial Officer – Oversees financial contributions and fundraising.
Publicity Officer – Handles propaganda efforts and mobilization for protests.
Security Officer – Ensures the safety of committee members and protest routes.
Services Coordinator – Manages community service initiatives to counter pro-regime local committees.
Liaison Officer – Coordinates and networks with other Resistance Committees.
Resistance Committees quickly formed in neighborhoods, villages, and towns, evolving their structures over time. Instead of individual officers, they transitioned into a committee-based structure, adopting a horizontal leadership model in which all members participated in decision-making and strategic planning. The final authority rested with the General Assembly, comprising all members, which distributed tasks among designated committees.
This development led to the emergence of coordinating bodies, groups of neighborhood committees working together toward shared objectives.
Nationwide Expansion of Resistance Committees
Khartoum, as the center of political activism and power, saw significant advancements in the organization of Resistance Committees. However, this does not overshadow their simultaneous emergence in other Sudanese states—from the east to the west and the central regions. These committees fueled massive popular movements across the country.
For example:
In Atbara, the Revolutionary Committees Collective announced the formation of neighborhood committees in response to the SPA’s call, sparking powerful anti-regime protests.
In Wad Madani, Resistance Committees were established and played a key role in mobilizing people.
In Al-Obeid (North Kordofan) and El-Fasher (North Darfur), as well as several other cities, Resistance Committees contributed significantly to expanding revolutionary activities, lending a national character to the December Revolution.
As the December movement continued, these committees further developed and organized themselves independently of the SPA. Over time, Resistance Committees formed in nearly every part of Sudan, adapting their structures and strategies in alignment with the spread of revolutionary discourse. Their decentralized nature enabled them to operate widely and efficiently.
Membership and Challenges
Initially, membership in Resistance Committees was based on trust and personal relationships due to the intense security crackdowns by the regime. Early recruitment relied on:
Personal and social connections.
Shared political party or trade union affiliations.
A revolutionary stance and non-affiliation with the ousted regime.
While this approach helped expand the committees beyond immediate personal circles, it also posed a challenge later on. Internal factions, often shaped by political and ideological interests, sometimes sought to advance their own agendas at the expense of the broader revolutionary goals. This contradicted the fundamental principle of Resistance Committees as independent entities.
Although these committees have been criticized for their reliance on trust-based membership, it was a necessity given the brutal repression by the regime. However, this same dynamic later led to internal divisions and power struggles within some committees.
Lessons from the Resistance Committees Experience
There has been much debate about the organizational structure of Resistance Committees, warranting further exploration in a separate article. However, one undeniable fact is that their organizational transformations signify growth rather than failure. Studying their evolution provides valuable insights for revolutionary movements worldwide.
It is crucial to examine the Resistance Committees successes, shortcomings, and lessons learned, as the struggle for democratic governance is a long road that requires reflection and adaptation.
One of their most remarkable achievements was exposing the false narrative propagated by the former regime—that it had firm control over local communities. Resistance Committees fiercely contested the regime’s influence, demonstrating that its dominance relied more on state power and coercion than on political legitimacy or ideological strength.
By engaging directly with local communities, Resistance Committees swiftly undermined the National Congress Party’s rhetoric and revealed the opportunism of its members at the neighborhood level. This ultimately paved the way for stripping the regime of its legitimacy and dismantling its grip on power.
Despite the challenges and missteps, the experience of grassroots-led resistance and local governance—developed during the December Revolution and refined over the four years leading up to the war in April 2023—proved to be effective and democratic.
Even with my own personal biases, I can confidently say that Sudanese people have every right to be proud of this innovation. Resistance Committees, despite their flaws, represented a genuine shift in Sudan’s political movement against dictatorship. Their emphasis on local engagement, giving a voice to the voiceless, and challenging elitist representation models based solely on academic credentials are key strengths that Resistance Committees contributed to Sudan’s democratic struggle.
Conclusion: A Revolutionary Force in Sudan’s Political Landscape
From their emergence and formation, Resistance Committees have established themselves as a significant force in Sudan’s political movement. As a product of the December Revolution, they have fundamentally changed the political game, introducing new methods of grassroots activism.
Like any evolving political actor, Resistance Committees have undergone major organizational and political transformations—some positive, others contentious. However, the rapid pace of change since 2019 means these shifts must be analyzed in context.
Resistance Committees have had their share of successes and failures, and I will explore their organizational transformations and political stances in more detail. Criticism is welcome, as this analysis reflects my personal perspective and remains open to discussion and correction.
Footnotes
The December Revolution protests were often marked by ululations at exactly 1:00 PM as a signal for mobilization.
The SPA initially planned a protest march to Parliament but redirected it to the Presidential Palace on December 25, 2018, demanding the ousted presidents resignation. Link to SPA announcement.
