National Charter group rejects power grab by Sudanese military
March 5, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – A leading member of the National Charter coalition on Saturday rejected the “military component’s power grab”, and called on the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) to hold genuine negotiations to end Sudan’s political crisis.
The National Charter, an FFC faction including splinter groups from Darfur and other areas that supported the military coup, held a meeting chaired by al-Tom Hajo and attended by Minni Minnawi leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM-MM) and leaders of other groups.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the coalition pointed to the deteriorating economic situation in the country and the failure to reach a consensus leading to appointing a prime minister who would lead a new transitional government.
The coalition agreed to form an economic committee to work with the Economic Committee of the Sovereign Council and the economic sector in the caretaker government to address the deterioration in the currency rate.
Speaking to the Sudan Tribune after the meeting, Noreldaem Taha Assistant SLM-MM Chairman for Media and Public Relations said formed committees to reach out to the other political forces in order to agree on a political declaration on the leadership of the transition.
Taha who is also is a leading member of the FFC National Charter representing his group further accused their allied military leaders of power grab after the coup d’état of October 2022.
“Just as we have rejected the FFC Central Council’s power grab, we will reject the military component’s control of the government,” he said.
“The military component is part of the political arena, as is the National Umma Party, the FFC National Charter. We call on the FFC Central Council to hold genuine negotiations and form a real partnership to make the transition a success,” he said.
The main groups of the National Charter coalition SLM-MM and Justice and Equality Movement broke away from the FFC complaining that the political forces of the Central Council control the decision making process in the broad coalition.
They further accused the FFC political groups of power grab and shutting out them and their allied factions of subaltern but key positions in the government.
The military component allied themselves with the National Charter groups. The army leaders reject demands by the FFC National Council such as handing over the chairmanship of the Sovereign Council to civilian forces and implementing the crucial security reforms ending their privileges.
The National Charter factions have been disappointed when they realised that the coup leader al-Burhan reinstated all the Islamist cadres and he and his deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo “Hemetti” are not even consulting them after the coup.
Taha said they reject international interference in Sudan’s internal issues.
“We reject any interference in Sudanese affairs by the international community. The Sudanese people are able to solve their problems by themselves. The international community should help the African Union to contribute to solving the Sudanese problem,” he added.