The four-day “final phase” round of consultations between the
military and civilian powers in Sudan should end with the adoption of a roadmap
that delivers a non-partisan civilian government, which will prepare for
general elections. Supported by the international community, the consultations,
which kicked off this week, will focus on issues related to dismantling the
rump regime of Omar Al-Bashir, achieving transitional justice, reforming the
military and security apparatus, and dealing with the issue of Eastern Sudan.
اضافة اعلان
The consultations come less than a month since the ruling military
council signed a framework agreement with the main civilian powers, chief among
them is the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC). This agreement was negotiated
with the support of the tripartite mechanism of the African Union, the
Intergovernmental Authority on Development, and the UN, in addition to Saudi
Arabia, the EU, the UAE, the US, the UK, and Egypt.
All of these interlocutors praised the ongoing consultations
calling on all involved to speed up forming a civilian government. For the
Sudanese, what was more important is the commitment made by the head of the
Sovereignty Council, Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, and his deputy Gen. Mohamed
Hamdan Daglo, AKA Hemetti, that the military will return to the barracks and
will not be involved in politics after handing over the running of the country
to a civilian body.
A majority of the Sudanese people support the ongoing process.
However, some are against the framework agreement because it collaborated with
the military, which overthrew a civilian government last year. Those against
the agreement also blame the military for killing hundreds of unarmed civilians
who protested against the coup. And the Democratic Block of the FFC is leading
the opposition and has threatened to mobilize after severing talks with the
central bureau of the FFC.
Still, both the military and the civilian forces must speed up the
process of embracing a civilian government so that international aid can
resume. Sudan’s economy is in tatters, and the problem in Eastern Sudan is
festering.
The Supreme Council for Beja tribal chiefdoms, which is against the
Juba Peace Agreement, is now threatening an armed rebellion against Khartoum,
calling for a separate negotiating platform for self-determination for the
region. They also declared their refusal to participate in a workshop on
Eastern Sudan, which the signatories of the framework agreement are aiming to
settle the crisis in the region.
Making things worse, some of these tribal heads appear to have
joined forces with the Islamists who were associated with the Bashir regime.
So, the dismantling of the regime will pose a challenge for both the military
and civilian forces.
For the Sudanese, what was more important is the commitment made by the head of the Sovereignty Council, Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, and his deputy Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, AKA Hemetti, that the military will return to the barracks and will not be involved in politics after handing over the running of the country to a civilian body.
How far should the dismantling go, and would it reach the top brass
in the military, including Hemetti, who is head of the notorious paramilitary
Rapid Support Forces (RSF)?
The RSF, the successor to the Janjaweed militia, accused of
committing atrocities in Darfur, South Kurdofan, and Blue Nile State, is also
being blamed for killing anti-coup protestors. And opponents of the framework
agreement want transitional justice to exclude no one.
The dilemma facing those negotiating with the military is that they
have no other option. The FFC had trusted the military before, only to see it
topple the government of Abdalla Hamdok last year.
In the end, the civilian forces will have to renew trust in the
military and that it will stay away from politics and allow a civilian
government to lead the process of reuniting the country ahead of new
legislative elections.
Much is contingent on the outcome of the ongoing consultations, and
a roadmap with an effective timeline will have to emerge as soon as possible.
Once a clear road map is adopted, civilian forces must attempt to
resume talks with other civilian powers that have rejected the framework
agreement. The army has also hinted that all civilian streams must join the
agreement. An attempt by the Democratic Block of the FFC to call for
demonstrations will only weaken those who want to send the army to the barracks
as soon as possible.
A cause for optimism is the fact that the ongoing process is being
supported by the international community, the African Union, the UN, the US,
and Sudan’s neighbors.
Such commitment to helping this country overcome the challenges it
faces is paramount.
The country has suffered under three decades of authoritarian rule,
and the sacrifices of the 2018–2019 revolution and what followed must not go to
waste.
Osama Al Sharif is a journalist and political commentator based in
Amman.
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