FFC meet UNITAMS head, call for civilian transitional authority

February 8 2022 (KHARTOUM) – The Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC)  called for a new transitional constitution that establishes civilian government without the military component to complete the reform of the transition and prepare for the elections.

In a meeting with Volker Perthes head of the UNITAMS mission on Tuesday, the FFC handed over a position paper detailing its proposals on how to resolve the three-month political crisis triggered by the military coup last October.

The 4-page text calls to form a transitional government that would lead the country for two years. The civilian authority consists of a lean collegial presidency (Sovereign Council) and a cabinet. Also, the legislative council and other commissions will be immediately established.

In a press conference held after the meeting, former Cabinet Affairs Minister and FFC leading Member, Khalid Omer Youssef, said that since the launch of the UN initiative they pledged to deal positively with the process “provided that it leads to ending the coup and restoring the path of civil and democratic transition in the country.”

Youssef accused the coup leaders of hampering the initiative. He said they increased the bloody violence against peaceful demonstrators, and mobilised their new allies, “the remnants of the former regime”, to protest against the UN initiative.

“The coalition’s vision is based on cancelling the Constitutional Declaration (of 2019) and not re-establishing the previous partnership before the military coup on October 25. (Instead, it proposes) a new constitutional declaration clearly stating that the institutions of the transitional authority are entirely civilian,” he further stressed.

The former minister stressed the necessity of separating the military institution from politics and limiting its role to specific tasks under the democratic system.

In its position paper, said it was important to include a road map for reforming the security and military agencies through specific and clear mechanisms, ending with the formation of a unified national army.

The coalition did not elaborate on the military role, but several FFC leaders said they should only participate in the national security council which is chaired by a civilian leader.

The military leaders and their allied armed groups say one of the objectives of the coup was to open talks on the constitutional declaration to include political groups that were part of the former regime.

However, in its paper, the FFC said talks should include only the forces that signed the FFC founding charter even those who quit the coalition such as the Communist Party, and the signatory as well as no signatory groups armed.

FFC Spokesman Jaafar Hassan said they have started practical steps to unify all the revolutionary forces to defeat the military coup.

(ST)