Asmaa Al-Husseini (Khartoum)
Sudanese, regional and international movements and mediations have been active to resolve the internal crisis in Sudan, while the Forces for Freedom and Change considered that the remnants of the former regime seek to fuel differences between the armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces, with the aim of undermining the transition to a civilian government.
Representatives of local and international bodies met with the Army Commander, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, and the Commander of the Rapid Support Forces, Lieutenant General Muhammad Hamdan Dagalo, who hold the positions of Chairman and Vice President of the Sovereignty Council.
The Forces for Freedom and Change, a coalition of pro-democracy parties, said in a statement, “The current scheme is a scheme for the remnants of the former regime aimed at destroying the political process.”
Abdullah Massar, the deputy head of the Sudanese National Movement and a member of the five-member committee that led intensive efforts to resolve the crisis, told Al-Ittihad that the five members of the committee are Malik Aqar, a member of the Sovereignty Council, Minni Arko Minawi, the governor of the Darfur region, and Jibril Ibrahim, the Minister of Finance. And Muhammad Issa Aliyu, the governor of East Darfur, met Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Lieutenant General Muhammad Hamdan Dagalo (Hamidti), and the two parties committed themselves to sit together to resolve the crisis once and for all, and he said: “They will meet within 24 hours.”
Masar added to Al-Ittihad: “We seek to solve the problem once and for all, and for each of the two parties to abide by the law,” expressing optimism that the crisis will soon be resolved, and indicated that the two parties are dealing with the matter positively.
The Forces for Freedom and Change said that, last week, they held “a series of meetings with the military component.” She added that they are still in touch.
The leaders of Freedom and Change say that one of the main goals of forming a new civilian government is to purge the public sector of loyalists to the former regime.
During Bashir’s three-decade rule, NCP loyalists had priority in filling positions in the government and the army.
The civilian parties to the “framework agreement” said, in a separate statement, the day before yesterday, that the elements of the National Congress Party are actively seeking “to stir up discord by driving a wedge between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, and to beat the drums of war” so that they can return to power.
Analysts believe that the desire to limit the spread of political Islam is among the motives behind foreign support for the agreement, which was brokered by Western powers as well as the United Nations and the African Union.
At the beginning of this month, the signing of an agreement between the political forces in Sudan to end the crisis in the country was postponed twice. This agreement, which was not signed, provides for a return to power-sharing between the military and civilians, which is a prerequisite for the return of the financial aid provided by the international community to Sudan.
“Leaders in Sudan must de-escalate tensions, and stakeholders must engage constructively to resolve outstanding issues and reach a political agreement,” Molly Fee, Assistant Secretary of State, said in a statement.
Yesterday, the US embassy in Khartoum warned Americans against traveling to northern Sudan, and the embassy said, in a statement published on its website: “Due to the increased presence of security forces, American citizens are advised to avoid traveling to Karima in northern Sudan and the surrounding areas.”
According to the statement: “In addition, American government workers are prohibited from traveling outside Khartoum, Omdurman and the Bahri region during the next week until the nineteenth of this month.”
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