RSF militia has no future in Sudan says Hamdok’s adviser
August 2, 2021 (KHARTOUM) – Yasir Arman, Political Advisor to the Sudanese Prime Minister, said that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have no future as an independent militia but must be integrated into the national army.
Arman who is also the deputy head of the SPLM-N Agar was recently appointed as a political advisor to Abdallah Hamdok. His appointment comes as the prime minister has seen a decline in his popularity due to harsh economic reforms and failure to achieve justice, especially for the victims of bloody raids by the RSF on the pro-democracy protesters in June 2019.
In an interview with Sudanese TV Saturday, Arman said he accepted the position offered to him last February because it would allow him to mobilize the Sudanese street to support the civilian-led transitional government.
Speaking about the RSF, Arman stressed the need to integrate the militiamen into the unified national army within a framework of the security arrangements agreed in the Juba Peace Agreement.
“We are against creating strife between the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces, but the RSF have no future as independent forces because Sudan cannot have two armies.”
Last May, the RSF General Commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo “Hemetti”, voiced his rejection of the integration of his forces into the unified national army saying the militia was established by law by the former regime.
Arman pointed out that the RSF leaders can have ambitions, interests and fears.
“If its leaders have political ambitions, they should participate in the elections just like the others,” he said.
“As for their interests and fears, they must be clearly discussed and resolved and a single national army is formed,” he stressed.
Arman was referring to the idea that Hemetti who owns many companies engaged in gold mining, agriculture and trade wants to keep to protect his interests.
Hemetti reiterated several times his support for the democratic change in Sudan. He says he encouraged the army generals to stand with the popular protests and to oust the former president. However, some of them reject these allegations.
(ST)