Troika statement is “gross interference” in Sudan’s internal affairs: FM

February 27, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan on Wednesday has rejected a statement by the Troika countries on the imposition of the state of emergency in Sudan saying it represents a “gross interference” in Sudan’s internal affairs.

The Troika countries, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States and Canada issued a statement on Tuesday saying that the state of emergency criminalizes peaceful demonstrations and allows security forces to act with impunity and erode further human rights, governance and effective economic management.

“This statement represents a gross interference in Sudan’s private affairs. It is based on the implicit assumption that the three countries that call themselves Troika members have a special mandate to deal with Sudan’s issues, and to add this group what they want from other countries giving them the same mandate,” said the Sudanese foreign ministry in a harsh statement.

The foreign ministry further declared its rejection of the Troika statement, pointing it has no support in “international law or established diplomatic norms”.

The statement further disputed the role of the Troika in Sudan saying they were the guarantors of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005 with the SPLM and its implementation, but this does not give them an open mandate to interfere in Sudan’s internal affairs.

Following the signing of the CPA, the United States and Sudan have been holding a dialogue to normalize bilateral relations, end economic sanctions and remove Sudan from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.

For the United Kingdom, also the two countries have been holding strategic dialogue to normalize relations and support Sudan’s efforts to secure debt relief.

In the two engagements, Khartoum committed itself to ensure freedoms and to make democratic reforms.

The Sudanese government said the exceptional measures announced on Friday did not suspend freedoms or rights but were mainly aimed at ensuring compliance with the law in the exercise of these rights. Also the state of emergency targets economic practices that are harmful to the national economy and corruption.

The presidential decrees provided that any demonstration should be licensed. But the security authorities used to reject demands for anti-government marches or processions in the past.

The foreign ministry also underscored the call of President Omer al-Bashir to the Sudanese opposition inside and outside the country to join the dialogue process.

Al-Bashir in his speech of Friday 22 February 2019, called on the political and armed opposition forces to engage dialogue with the government on the basis of the National Document adopted by the National Dialogue Conference of October 2016.

The government had previously rejected a preparatory meeting under the auspice of the African Union to discuss confidence-building measures to be implemented before the return of the opposition groups to the country and take part in the national dialogue.

The opposition insists on the need to create a conducive environment by ensuring freedoms and the release of political detainees and fighters of armed groups in the Sudanese jails.

(ST)