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General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan announced on October 26 the formation of a government with civil representation, after taking power by force on Monday. The lieutenant general denied that the army’s actions correspond to a coup d’état and assured that the ousted Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok “is safe.”
“The Armed Forces cannot continue the transition period by themselves, we need the participation of the Sudanese people.”
With these words the main military man of Sudan, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, he promised the formation of a new government. His statements on the national chain came on October 26 after on Monday he dissolved the Sovereign Council of Sudan, the civic-military body that governed the country, which he led.
Burhan assured that a new prime minister, a Sovereign Council and a cabinet will be formed with real representation from all the regions of the country. “A minister will be elected from each Sudanese state in the next government,” he said, although he did not specify the date on which those authorities will be appointed.
Until Monday, he had indicated that he would appoint a technocratic government in charge of organizing the elections scheduled for July 2023 and that until then the military would continue to command the nation.
“We want to dedicate ourselves to protecting Sudan after transferring power to civilians,” he added on Tuesday.
The statements come amid the international community’s condemnation of the armed forces’ seizure of power and the continuation of protests blocking Khartoum, the country’s capital.
Regarding the judicial bodies of the country, the leader affirmed that they will be appointed in “the next few days.”
Likewise, the military man pointed out that the current state of emergency that he declared a day earlier does not have the objective of restricting freedoms and that it will be withdrawn after the state institutions are restructured.
Burhan says the ousted prime minister “is safe”
During the seizure of power, the country’s prime minister, Abdalla Hamdok, and most of the cabinet were detained by the Armed Forces. Until now it was known that he was being held in a military camp on the outskirts of the capital.
However, in his first press conference after unleashing the new crisis, Burhan surprised by stating that he keeps the ousted premier in his own home.
“Hamdok is at my house leading a normal life (…) he is safe and has not been hurt, but he is being taken away for his own safety,” he said.
He added that the ousted leader will return home in the next few hours.
Regarding the rest of the arrested political leaders, the lieutenant general indicated that those with criminal charges will continue to be held and that the others will be allowed to participate in politics.
Burhan denies the existence of a coup
Abdel Fattah al-Burhan continued to justify his actions and those of the military institution and assured that at no time was it a coup d’état and that his main objective was “to avoid a civil war.”
The dissolution of the government took place after several weeks of tensions between the civilian and military leaders who shared power after the overthrow of Omar al-Bashir in 2019.
Burhan justified that the Army was forced to intervene by claiming that Hamdok was unable to work freely while he was politically held.
However, the United States and the United Kingdom condemn Burhan’s actions as a coup. Washington even announced that it is withdrawing 700,000 million dollars in aid for the impoverished country.
Protesters block Sudan’s capital
The military leader’s announcements occurred in the middle of a new day of strong protests rejecting the dissolution of the government.
Columns of smoke rise over Khartoum from burning tires as roads are under siege and loudspeakers in mosques call for a general strike.
At least seven people have been killed and 140 wounded in Monday’s riots as a result of gunfire by the armed forces, according to the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors.
In the early hours of Tuesday, citizens reported that the telephones do not work, while the Internet service is intermittent, although Burhan said later that those communications are gradually returning to normal.
Despite promises from the military, discontent is strong in a country that has faced several coups since gaining independence from the United Kingdom and Egypt in 1959. The confrontation could be made worse by challenging messages from ousted government officials, who say that Hamdok remains the only “executive authority recognized by the Sudanese people and the world.”
With Reuters, AP and local media
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