International diplomats and governments involved with Sudan have been repeating the same line about the need for “restoration of a civilian-led government” since the military coup of October 25. That line is currently attracting curses and mockery against international mediators from the Sudanese people.

A nation usually obsessed with being on its best behavior around strangers and maintaining the image of the polite Sudanese is drowning the tweets of these diplomats with sarcasm and vulgarity. The reaction to the deal between the civilian prime minister, Abdalla Hamdok, and the coup leaders, which was announced on November 21, was similar, as those who had been in the streets protesting against the coup condemned Hamdok’s willingness to bargain with its instigators.

A lot has changed in Sudan in the few weeks since the coup, but it has been the culmination of a three-year-long journey. The latest attempt to contain the struggle for democracy and justice will run into strong resistance from the Sudanese people, who have already shown the capacity to organize themselves in difficult and dangerous circumstances.