Aisha Musa, former leader: Can Sudan rebuild?
5/26/202623 min
“I feel numb. It feels unreal to me, having been in Sudan all my life. I have never imagined that it will turn into a war field, it looks like a nightmare. At first that it is just days or months or even a year, but it went on and it kept escalating. Even our homes are no longer habitable. One of my sons went back to have a look and he said you wouldn't even find a spoon for your tea.” James Copnall speaks to Aisha Musa, one of the civilian figures who helped lead Sudan after the overthrow of Omar al-Bashir in 2019.
After popular protests led to Bashir’s fall, Sudan’s presidency was replaced by a Sovereign Council made up of military and civilian representatives. Aisha Musa was one of only two women appointed to the body, an unprecedented position of influence for a woman in Sudan.
But hopes of democratic change collapsed with the outbreak of civil war in 2023 between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
Aisha reflects on working alongside the generals responsible for Sudan’s civil war, what it would take to rebuild democracy and her frustration at UK visa restrictions for Sudanese refugees.
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Presenter: James Copnall Producer: Osman Iqbal Editor: Farhana Haider
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(Image: Aisha Musa Credit: Mahmoud Hjaj/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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Transcript preview
First 90 secondsJames Copnall· Host0:00
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Asma Khalid0:03
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James Copnall· Host0:34
Hello, I'm the BBC presenter James Copnall, and this is The Interview from the BBC World Service. The best conversations coming out of the BBC. People shaping our world from all over the world.
Speaker 30:48
If you're not a little bit afraid, then you're not paying attention.
Aisha Musa· Guest0:55
You have never seen a people so united.
James Copnall· Host0:58
Do not make that boat crossing. Do not make that journey.
Asma Khalid1:01
Being born in America, feeling American, but having people treat me like I'm not.
Aisha Musa· Guest1:05
We're more popular than populism.
James Copnall· Host1:07
For this episode, I speak to Aisha Musa, one of the civilian figures who helped lead Sudan after the overthrow of Omar al-Bashir in twenty nineteen. After popular protests led to his fall, Sudan's presidency was replaced by a sovereign council made up of military and civilian representatives. Aisha Musa