FFC, civil society groups slam statements of African Union envoy in Sudan
June 22, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – The mainstream Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) and a number of civil society groups on Wednesday denounced statements by the African Union ambassador in Sudan suspending his participation in the Trilateral Mechanism.
Mohamed Belaiche, a Moroccan diplomat serving as the African Union (AU) representative in Sudan, Tuesday, said he has been excluded from the efforts by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia to bridge the gaps between Sudanese main rivals, the FFC and military component and suspended his participation in the tripartite facilitation’s mechanism including IGAD and UNITAMS.
Belaiche who made his remarks with the representatives of political groups supporting the coup stated that his decision was taken after consultation with his leadership, the AU Commission.
The statements triggered strong criticism from the FFC coalition, Darfur Lawyers Association and the Civil Action Group that rejected these statements and called for a clear position from the African Union on it.
“Ambassador Mohamed Belaiche appeared at the wrong time and place, and failed to consider the impartiality and independence of the African Union as one of the facilitators of the political process,” said the FFC.
The formerly ruling coalition in Sudan before the coup d’etat said the representative of the African Union spoke about exclusion while he was surrounded by figures known for their support of the military coup that ousted them.
“So about what exclusion does Ambassador Belaiche speak? We reject () his statements, condemn it and call on the African Union to correct them,” stressed the FFC.
The AU representative in Sudan, on Wednesday, issued a statement saying that he does not withdraw from the mechanism but would not participate in “some activities due to the lack of transparency”.
He further stressed that his position comes “In line with the values and principles of the continental organization”.
The Sudanese government did not react to Belaiche’s statements.
For its part, the Civil Action Group, an alliance of political and civil society activists accused the African Union of exercising “clear and explicit blackmail, several times, to disrupt the handling of the coup crisis”.
Also, they questioned the “weakness” “shown by the United Nations and IGAD towards the continuous blackmail practised by the African Union in favour of the putschists, adding they consider it “as complete complicity” that they “reject altogether”.
In the same vein, the Darfur Lawyers groups said that Belaiche’s statements alongside the leaders of the National Consensus represent “a clear interference in Sudanese internal affairs and an attempt to cause confusion in the political scene”.
The lawyers further stressed that his statements question his eligibility and
Statements questioning the eligibility and integrity of the AU representative to deal with the Sudanese crisis, and called on the African Union to review and evaluate the performance of its envoy in Sudan.
The African Union Special Envoy for Sudan Mohamed el Hacen Ould Lebatt of Mauritania did not react to this controversy sparked by his colleague.
The incident, however, “shed the light on the discomfort of the political forces to deal with the African Union envoys who in the final analysis reflect a counterrevolutionary mentality” said a Sudanese prominent politician who requested anonymity before pointing to the situation in the countries they represent.
However, the Forces of the National Movement (FNM), headed by Tijani al-Sisi held a press conference on Wednesday held a press conference to praise the position of the African Union envoy in Sudan.
The FNM was one of the groups that, thanks to the African Union, took part in the first direct meeting of the intra-Sudanese process held by the Tripartite Mechanism on June 8.
Earlier this year, the Movement which support the coup leaders slammed UNITAMS head and the mechanism.
(ST)