Kampala, July 08 (Darfur24)
A new study has found that most Sudanese support ending the war through a negotiated political settlement. It also found strong support for accountability and growing distrust of previous peace agreements.
The findings are based on a survey by the Sudan Peace Advocacy Group (Sudan Peace Call), which analyzed 1,667 responses from all 18 Sudanese states, as well as Sudanese refugees in neighboring countries and the Gulf.
The preliminary results were presented on Tuesday in Kampala, Uganda, in cooperation with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.
Dr. Essam Abbas, a member of the initiative’s coordinating office, said the study used stratified random sampling and Python-based data analysis to improve accuracy.
The survey found that 74.3% of respondents support an immediate ceasefire. Among those who favor a political settlement, 88.3% said they would support such an agreement. Central Darfur recorded the highest support for peace at 94.7%.
Respondents identified competition over power and wealth as the main driver of the conflict. They also cited the legacy of the former regime, marginalization, and foreign interference.
The study found that 80.9% blamed the military institutions involved in the conflict for the war, another 79.2% blamed the former regime, while 73.7% held armed groups responsible.
Confidence in past peace agreements remained low. Only 14.4% expressed high confidence, while 28.9% said they did not trust previous agreements.
Dr. Jumaa Kanda said the findings reflect disappointment with past peace deals rather than rejection of peace itself.
The survey found that 90% of respondents support accountability for war crimes. About 38.8% favored a hybrid justice system combining national and international mechanisms.
Respondents identified preserving Sudan’s unity, rejecting multiple armies and ending military involvement in politics as key conditions for any future settlement.
The study also found that 77.9% rely on social media as their main source of information. Meanwhile, 93.4% said tribal and regional rhetoric threatens national unity and citizenship.
According to the study, rebuilding confidence in any peace agreement will require addressing the root causes of the conflict, implementing clear security arrangements, launching an inclusive political process, ensuring accountability and compensation, and keeping the military out of politics.