FFC leaders blame military component for collapse of political process in Sudan
July 3, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – The military component bears complete responsibility for the collapse of the political process, said the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) leaders pointing to the continued killing of protesters in Sudan.
On June 30, the security forces massively used live ammunition to disperse anti-coup protests in Khartoum state killing nine demonstrators and wounding over 629 others.
The bloody repression took place despite pledges made by the coup leaders to implement confidence-building measures including an end to violence. The purpose of these measures was to create a conducive environment for a political process facilitated by the trilateral mechanism, besides backchannel talks between the two key actors brokered by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.
On Sunday, the FFC leaders held a press conference to clarify their position on the ongoing violence after criticism by political rivals and reports that they were close to striking a deal with the coup leaders despite the continued bloodshed and unlawful arrest of protesters.
Omer al-Dogair, Sudanese Congress Party (SCoP) leader stressed in his speech that the military regime is “clinically dead” and the best option for the political forces is to build a united centre for the anti-coup forces instead of false accusations.
After calling for unity, al-Digair said that there is no political process with the coup leaders but discussions to end the military coup and to ensure the army’s return to barracks, alluding to the talks brokered by the United States and Saudi Arabia.
He added that there cannot be negotiations with the military component because they did not meet the requirements of such a process.
“There were no negotiations (with the coup leaders) or agreement on 80% of its agenda. The discussion was about the procedures on which the dialogue will be held. There is no agreement and any such talk is baseless,” further asserted the SCoP leader.
The Sudanese communists and armed groups allied with the military leaders echoed statements made by UNITAMS Head Volker Perthes to the Al-Hadath TV channel on June 28. The international envoy said the military component and the FCC agreed on 80% of the agenda of the U.S.-Saudi mediated process.
Perthes added that the main points of contention between the two sides were the army’s participation in the government’s institutions and who represents Sudan’s sovereignty and how.
SPLM-N Deputy Leader Yasir Arman reiterated the putschists’ responsibility for torpedoing the democratic transition and the political process.
“The bullets that penetrated the body of the martyrs blew up the political process, at the same time,” stressed Arman.
General al-Burhan announced the lift of the state of emergency and the release of political detainees. However, the security forces continued to use excessive violence against protesters and unlawful arrest of activists and protesters.
(ST)