Sudan’s military would abandon power to civilians: al-Burhan

July 4, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan called on political forces to agree on a civilian transitional government without them, adding they want only to establish a national security council.

After the collapse of the al-Bashir regime in April 2019, al-Burhan repeated that the army should have the upper hand in the country and it should be seconded by a technocratic cabinet until the elections.

During the past two years, he quarrelled with the civilian government as he put his nose in everything: peace talks, foreign policy, and economic policies until the coup of October 25, 2021, when the ruling coalition asked to implement security reforms and hand over the chairmanship of the Sovereign Council.

Nonetheless, he surprised Sudanese on Monday when he declared the army withdrawal from the political scene saying they decided not to participate in the dialogue facilitated by the trilateral mechanism.

The purpose of this decision is to “allow the political and revolutionary forces and other national components to sit down and form a government of independent national competencies to complete the requirements of the transitional period,” he said in a speech broadcast by the state television.

“After the formation of the executive government, the Sovereignty Council will be dissolved and a higher council of armed forces, formed from the (Sudan) Armed Forces and Rapid Support (Forces), will take over the high command of the regular forces,” he added.

He pointed out that the national security body will be tasked with the security and defence and related responsibilities in agreement with the would-be-formed government.

The surprising announcement comes as the Resistance Committees launched a series of sit-ins in the Sudanese capital so as to trigger a general strike in the country forcing the coup leader to hand over power to the people.

If al-Burhan said they would quit power to civilians, he rejects the FFC calls to merge the RSF into the national army. Also, he kept silent about the economic activities of the army and the militia leader.

The dissolution of the Sovereign Council means also the dissolution of the military-led cabinet, and the leaders of the peace signatory groups would lose their positions.

So, the proposal brings partial solutions and creates problems as much as it brings solutions.

The FFC are expected to issue a statement on this development as they are holding a meeting to discuss al-Burhan’s speech and define a joint position.

The National Consensus groups that backed the coup said they would hold a meeting on Tuesday.

(ST)