Sudan’s RSF, allies sign charter for parallel government
February 23, 2025 (NAIROBI) – Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and 23 other entities signed a charter late on Saturday to establish a parallel government in areas under their control, raising fears of further division in the war-torn country.
The signing ceremony took place late Saturday night in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, amid tight security and limited media coverage. It followed widespread controversy in Sudan and Kenya.
Signatories included Fadlallah Burma Nasir, head of the National Umma Party; RSF commander Abdelrahim Dagalo; and Joseph Tuka, deputy chairman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N).
Other signatories included Hadi Idris, leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement-Transitional Council (SLM-TC); Al-Tahir Hajar, head of the Gathering of Sudan Liberation Forces; Suleiman Sandal, leader of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM); and Haroun Medeikher, head of the United Civilian Forces “Qimam”.
Former Sovereign Council member Mohamed Hassan al-Taishi signed the charter representing independent figures, while Alaa El Din Nugud signed on behalf of the Coordination of Trade Unions and Professionals. Other representatives included Osama Saeed of the opposition Beja Congress, Mabrouk Mubarak Salim of the Free Lions Party, and Abu al-Qasim Imam of the Sudan Liberation Movement-Second Revolution.
On Saturday, protests against the charter and the formation of a parallel government took place in Gadaref and Omdurman (Khartoum state), while rallies in support were held in Nyala (South Darfur) and Geneina (West Darfur).
Justification for preventing division
The charter outlines the formation of a “peace” government aimed at ending wars by addressing their root causes, achieving peace, delivering aid, uniting Sudanese people, and preserving Sudan’s voluntary unity.
According to the charter, the government’s tasks include stopping violations against civilians and civilian objects, restoring constitutional rights (including health, education, security, and identity documents), and restoring civilian rule.
The RSF has been accused of committing atrocities in all areas under its control, including retaliatory attacks against the Massalit ethnic group in West Darfur and villages in eastern Al-Jazeera state.
The charter stipulates that the planned peace government will work to end the phenomenon of multiple armies and establish a professional national army that represents the Sudanese people and protects the country and its sovereignty.
However, in an interview with Sky News Arabia, SPLM-N Chairman Abdelaziz al-Hilu ruled out merging the fighters of the signatory factions into a single army, stressing that such a step would only come after a comprehensive peace agreement is signed with the Sudanese government in Port Sudan. However, the text released
The Sudanese government objected to Kenya hosting the signing ceremony, viewing it as an act of hostility towards the Sudanese people. Nairobi, however, justified its role as providing a platform to end the conflict that erupted on April 15, 2023.
The move to form a parallel government raises concerns about Sudan’s potential division, as most of the signatories to the founding charter hail from Darfur and Kordofan.
Self-determination
The charter sets out principles including the establishment of a secular, democratic, decentralized state, without bias towards any cultural, ethnic, or religious identity, while prohibiting the formation of political parties on religious grounds. It stipulates that populations have the right to exercise self-determination if secularism, which separates religion and state, is not enshrined in the transitional constitution and the future permanent constitution or if any of the supra-constitutional principles are violated.
The charter sets out principles including the establishment of a secular, democratic, decentralized state, without bias towards any cultural, ethnic, or religious identity, while establishing political organization on religious grounds. It stipulates peoples to be able to practice self determination if Secularism isn’t established.
It stipulated the right of peoples to exercise self-determination if secularism, which separates religion and state, is not enshrined in the transitional constitution and the future permanent constitution, or if any of the supra-constitutional principles are violated.
The SPLM-N has consistently demanded either the adoption of secularism or the right to self-determination in any agreement or political declaration it signs, whether with the government, armed groups, or political forces.
The forces signing the founding charter are working to adopt a transitional constitution and form a government in areas controlled by the RSF.
New army, dissolution of existing forces
A newly signed agreement calls for the Transitional Founding Peace Government to establish a unified, professional, and national army. This new force would operate under a revised military doctrine, reflecting the diversity of the Sudanese population and subject to civilian oversight from its inception. The army’s composition would aim for equitable representation from all regions of Sudan, based on population distribution.
The RSF, the SPLA-N, and armed groups that have signed the New Founding Sudan Charter are designated as the core of this future national army.
Critically, the agreement also mandates the dissolution of the current Sudanese army, which it characterizes as “militias affiliated with the National Congress and the Islamic Movement, along with all other militias”, upon the constitution’s ratification and implementation.