SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: Radio France Internationale - Sudanese revolutionaries impatient for post-Bashir reforms

23/4/2021: Radio France Internationale - Sudanese revolutionaries impatient for post-Bashir reforms, by Laura Angela Bagnetto

Laura Angela Bagnetto’s feature piece on the progress of Sudan’s democratic transition quotes veteran journalist Osman Mirghani, the editor-in-chief of al-Tayar newspaper, who argues that the mistakes of “weak” politicians with “limited personal capacity” will “enable the military to step into the gap they are creating.”

Mirghani added that the politicians are “ruling as employees, not leaders”, and lack “a true vision of what needs to be done…a strategic approach and plan, and [are incapable] of ruling.”

Furthermore, Mirghani added: “When the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) alliance signed their declaration, they were looking to remove the dictatorship. What will happen the day after was not considered.”

In addition, Husamuddine Ismail of Sudan’s New Economic Alliance warns that the World Bank and IMF reforms are “not tailored to the Sudanese experience” and will “create continuous instability,” calling for new methods of political economic management focusing on reducing poverty.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Multiple sources - Umma Party freezes its FFC’s activities, calls for conference on Sudan’s transition

23/4/2020: Multiple sources - Umma Party freezes its FFC’s activities, calls for conference on Sudan’s transition

• Sudan Tribune

• Radio Dabanga

 The National Umma Party (NUP) has suspended its activities on all levels for the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC). The NUP called for “a new social contract” to rebuild Sudan, calling on its FFC partners to meet within two weeks to discuss ways to achieve democratic transition’s goals.

 Without indicating the agenda of the proposed conference, the NUP noted “urgent” tasks including: the formation of national commissions as provided in the transitional constitution, and the need to schedule elections - starting locally, followed by state legislative assemblies and state governors elections, ending with the general elections at the end of the transitional period.

 The NUP also called for an immediate videoconference on economic issues, and criticised the  “lack of clear strategy in the Juba peace talks” which “pave the way for blackmail and exaggerated demands by the armed groups.”

SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: Washington Post - Sudan is tasting freedom for the first time. We can't turn back.

23/4/19: Washington Post – Sudan is tasting freedom for the first time. We can’t turn back, by Reem Abbas

Freelance journalist and communications consultant Reem Abbas highlights the “remarkable flowering of freedom of expression,” in the 10 days that have followed Omar Al Bashir’s fall.

 Arguing that the “fear of retaliation has vanished — at least for the moment,” Abbas notes that Sudanese journalists are accustomed to working under the heavy hand of the state — especially the “notorious” National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), leading dozens (including herself) to go into research or communications work instead.

 Although Sudanese people “gave up on” official media outlets “a long time ago,” Abbas highlights a contrast in their output since Al Bashir’s fall, with Sudan News Agency, “a mouthpiece of the ruling party,” and Sudan TV giving activists and protesters a platform. 

 Abbas concludes “now that we’ve tasted freedom, it will be even harder to go back.”

SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: Foreign Affairs - What’s Next for Sudan’s Revolution

23/4/19: Foreign Affairs – What’s Next for Sudan’s Revolution, by Alex de Waal

 Alex de Waal argues that the minimising the risks of Sudan’s transition to democracy “[descending] into chaos” requires foreign actors to encourage democracy, and prevent weapons from flowing into the hands of rival factions. 

 De Waal argues that the Arab world's regional rivalries being played out within Sudanese politics could have "the same calamitous results" as in Libya and Yemen.

 De Waal states that the troika (US, UK and Norway) has been "conspicuously absent" during the protests and the coup, and labels  the African Union's position "problematic," given with the AU's chair (Egypt) support of the coup.

 Moreover, De Waal argues that Darfuri and South Kordofani rebels refusal to join the Declaration of Freedom and Change coalition "echoes" that of John Garang's refusal to join a newly-established civilian government in 1985, a mistake that "condemned Sudan to 20 years of bloody civil war."

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Al Monitor - Muslim Brotherhood exiles from Egypt face uncertain future in Sudan

23/4/19: Al Monitor – Muslim Brotherhood exiles from Egypt face uncertain future in Sudan, by Ahmed Ramadan

Following Omar Al Bashir's fall, Ahmed Ramadan highlights the uncertainty facing Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood (MB) senior figures and members who escaped to Sudan after Abdelfattah Al Sisi took power in Egypt.

 MB member Ismail Assem said that following Al Bashir’s ousting, the MB is "panicking" as all the leaders of Al Bashir's party and the regime, with whom they used to communicate, are unreachable, either in detention or on the run. Many members are said to be trying to leave Sudan "as soon as possible," before they are arrested.

 An anonymous MB source in Sudan told Al Monitor that MB officials are seeking to meet with Sudanese military council leaders to discuss a way to leave the country should Sudanese officials decide they are unwelcome.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Sky News - Sudan military chief: We’ll hand over power when there’s ‘consensus’

23/04/2019: Sky News- Sudan military chief: We’ll hand over power when there’s ‘consensus’, by Stuart Ramsey

 General Abdel Fattah al Burhan, head of the sitting military council of Sudan, has stated that the military council is determined to give up authority to the civilian government, once consensus has been reached on how the power transition should be conducted. The general suggests that there is a possibility that the 2-year transitionary period be reduced, should there be agreement from all parties.

 General al-Burhan has assured that protestors will be protected until a deal is reached and that nothing would occur without the cooperation of the protestors. The military chief, however, is facing criticism from opposition group for being too slow in bringing about political change.

 With growing fears among protestors that the army my attack them, General al-Burhan has reassured protestors that the army would not attack

SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: Reuters - Sudanese militia commander waits in wings after president ousted

23/4/19: Reuters – Sudanese militia commander waits in wings after president ousted, by Khalid Abdelaziz and Michael Georgy

Khalid Abdelaziz and Michael Georgy examine the possibility of Himedti, the deputy president of Sudan’s transitional military council (TMC) taking power.

 Anonymous western diplomats and Sudanese opposition figures say that Hemedti helped force out Omar Al Bashir because he has set his sights on the presidency.

 Despite Himedti’s insistence that he favours a a technocratic government, a senior western diplomat said it was unlikely the TMC would hand over power to civilians, citing the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that Himedti leads “at his disposal,” adding that the “strong” cooperation between the RSF and the army means “there is no way they will agree to hand over power.”

 Sudanese opposition figures said Hemedti could wield huge influence behind the scenes if he did not win power personally.

SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: New York Times - The Son Protested the Dictator. The Father Helped Throw Him Out.

23/4/19: New York Times – The Son Protested the Dictator. The Father Helped Throw Him Out., by Declan Walsh

Declan Walsh's spoke to Sudanese air force chief Abdelkhalig Salah, a member of Sudan’s transitional military council, and his son Salah Abdelkhalig, a commercial airline pilot.

 Revealing "for the first time" details of the coup ousting Omar Al Bashir, the father said it was planned and implemented within 5 hours, with Al Bashir accusing former Sudanese spy chief Salah Gosh.

 The father, already disillusioned with the regime’s corruption and travel-restricting sanctions, turned against Al Bashir after his son joined the protests. The son was frustrated that sanctions restricted his planes access to spare parts.

 Nonetheless, the father warned of a civil war if demands, driven by "communists," for an immediate civilian government continue. He also "defends Sudan’s army against accusations of human rights abuses," and refuses to send Al Bashir and other officials to the International Criminal Court because: “you cannot give them to white people to judge.”

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: BBC News - Sudan army chief says soldiers 'will not attack protesters'

23/4/19: BBC News - Sudan army chief says soldiers 'will not attack protesters'

 The head of Sudan's military transitional council, Abdelfattah Al Burhan, has told the BBC the army will not use force against protesters who want it to leave power.

 Al Burhan told the BBC HARDTalk programme that the military had taken control to ensure security in the country.

"Protesters have a right to demonstrate anywhere, and we want to reach an agreement [to hand over power], we are not here to stay. The army will go back to the barracks," he said.

He added that he was willing to hand over power within days if a consensus can be reached with civilian groups.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Reuters - Protesters from city where Sudan uprising began head for Khartoum

23/4/19: Reuters - Protesters from city where Sudan uprising began head for Khartoum

Reuters reports that protesters from Atbara, the birthplace of the uprising that toppled Omar Al Bashir were converging on the capital Khartoum on Tuesday, to pressure a transitional military council to relinquish power to civilians.

Atbara residents were travelling to Khartoum by train in a highly symbolic show of support for demonstrators camped at a sit-in outside the defence ministry compound.

 Atbara, about 290 km (180 miles) northeast of Khartoum, is a railway hub with a large railworker population and has historically been known to be the hotbed of opposition unions and unrest.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Reuters - Prominent Sudan protester says a revolution seeks removal of whole regime

23/4/19: Reuters – Prominent Sudan protester says a revolution seeks removal of whole regime

 Alaa Salah, who rose to prominence after a video of her addressing protesters from a car roof at the beginning of April went viral, has told Reuters that Sudan’s revolution was far from over and sought to remove what she called a regime of “murder and tyranny” in its entirety.

 “We want a better Sudan, a democratic state, one that judges all in accordance with the law, without favouritism,” Salah said, adding that “our revolution is continuing until our demands are met.”

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Multiple sources - African summit gives Sudan military time for democratic reforms – Sisi

23/4/19: Multiple sources – African summit gives Sudan military time for democratic reforms – Sisi

• Reuters

• Agence France-Presse

African leaders meeting in Cairo agreed to give Sudan’s ruling military council more time to implement democratic reforms, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi said. The states had agreed to give “more time” to carry out these measures with the help of the African Union, Sisi said in his closing remarks at the summit.