First modification:
General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, leader of the coup in Sudan in late October, proclaimed himself the head of a new Sovereign Council and appointed 14 more members. The new body excludes several representatives who defend the democratic transition. The appointments are expected to generate further discontent in a country that has been rocked by massive demonstrations against the military’s seizure of power in the past month.
A new Transitional Council was appointed in Sudan on Thursday. Sudan’s army chief and leader of last month’s military coup, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, appointed 14 members to lead the African country. In addition, he proclaimed himself as head of the body, which excluded a good part of the sectors that demand the transfer of power to the civilian population.
It is the second time since dictator Omar al-Bashir came out of power in 2019 that a Sovereign Council has been formed. That of two years ago was made up of 11 members who sought to ensure the formation and transition towards a democratic government.
However, the appointments this Thursday do not respond to the agreements stipulated after the fall of Al-Bashir. According to which, the body should include five civilians, five representatives of the armed forces and a civilian member elected under an agreement between civilians and the military.
Of the new appointees, General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, leader of a paramilitary group known as Rapid Support Forces, stands out as vice president.
In addition, despite the fact that the new group includes nine members of the previous Council who are from the Army or from armed rebel groups that signed a peace treaty at the end of 2020, its composition has alerted defenders of the country’s democratic transition.
At the same time, all representatives of the Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change, the main group that led the uprising against Al-Bashir, were excluded. According to the AP news agency, the group announced that it will oppose Burhan to head the Council.
The announcement comes at a time when major demonstrations have taken place in the country against the takeover of the government by Burhan and the military.
Since then, about 100 officials have been arrested and at least 14 protesters have died in the protests. At the same time, the former prime minister, Abdalla Hamdok, remains under house arrest.
A decision that infuriates the defenders of the democratic transition
The decision to form the Sovereign Council is expected to enliven the spirits of those who have condemned the military coup led by Burhan. The opposition to the coup leaders has called for massive demonstrations over the last month and a massive one is expected for this Saturday.
The protests continue to demand a civilian government and condemn that the Army continue to maintain a role in power.
Sudan’s Minister of Culture and Information, arrested by the military last month, Hamza Baloul, said Thursday’s appointments are “an extension of the coup.” He also supported the demonstrations.
Similarly, one of the leading organizations of the demonstrations, the Sudan Professionals Association (SPA), ruled that the “decisions of Burhan and his council apply only to themselves, they have no legitimacy and will be received only with contempt and endurance”.
Burhan says he seeks to “respect” the wishes of the public
Some time after the formation of the Sovereign Council of Sudan, statements by Burhan made in a telephone call with the President of Uganda, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, were released. The military stated that he intended “to accelerate the formation of a government with civil and democratic powers.”
The general also expressed, according to the EFE news agency, his desire to respect “the aspirations of the Sudanese people” and to “protect the revolution” that led to the fall of dictator Omar al-Bashir in 2019.
Burhan promised to “maintain a serious dialogue with all political forces for a safe exit from the current political crisis” to achieve democratic elections.
However, the statements are given in the framework of failed negotiations between the military and civilian representatives, who have not advanced due to the demand for the restoration of all the institutions made by the civilian party.
Sudan’s political situation worries the international community
The takeover of power by the military in Sudan was strongly criticized by the UN and some world powers.
The World Bank suspended economic assistance to the country in rejection of the coup, and the United States also froze nearly 600 million dollars in aid for the country.
In addition, this Thursday the UN described the appointments as “very worrying”. The UN envoy to Sudan, Volker Perthes, warned that “he is closing the window for dialogue and peaceful resolution.”
With EFE, AP and Reuters
.