SRF urges tripartite panel to launch intra-Sudanese dialogue

August 29, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese Revolutionary Front urged on Monday to start an intra-Sudanese dialogue process facilitated by the tripartite mechanism to resolve the protracted political crisis.

After the army withdrew from negotiations with the political forces last July, the UN and African mechanism announced its need to rearrange its papers to resume the political process.

“Considering the critical situation in the country, we launch an urgent appeal to launch a direct dialogue as soon as possible. Also, we call on the Trilateral Mechanism to facilitate it,” SRF Spokesman Osama Saeed said on Monday.

In a press conference to brief the media about the updated version of the SRF initiative to end the political stalemate triggered by a military coup in October 2021, Saeed further stressed that the country is moving towards two options, either a consensus between political actors or collapse.

He said their initiative is comprehensive pointing out they added several initiatives such as that made by Malik Agar of the SPLM-N and the Sudanese lawyers.

The SRF spokesman said the three facilitators of the UNITAMS, African Union and IGAD could elaborate a paper on the common grounds included in their various initiatives to solve the political crisis in Sudan.

Last March, the group leaders launched a two-phase initiative reiterating their adherence to the 2019 constitutional declaration and the participation of the military component in the government distancing themselves from their allies in the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) who call for a fully civilian government.

The first phase involves the forces of the revolution (FFC and armed groups) and the military component agreeing on the formation of the transitional authority. While the second would discuss the future constitution and the elections.

Readiness for concessions

Speaking in presence of the alliance leaders about the position-paper of the SRF, he said they are ready to make major concessions for the sake of stability and security in Sudan.

He stressed their adherence to the 2019 constitutional document, adding they are open to amending it without prejudice to the gains of the Juba Peace Agreement.

Saeed said that the SRF initiative proposes a 39-month transitional period, starting from the day when the government is formed.

In line with the SRF initiative, the tasks of the transitional cabinet include ending the economic deterioration, reviewing the decisions issued after the October 25 coup and adhering to the empowerment removal committee tasked with dismantling the June 30, 1989 regime.

The coalition of the four armed groups that signed the Juba peace agreement renewed its demand to hand over the ICC indicted former officials, and an investigation into the crimes and human rights violations committed before and after the December revolution.

In addition, they called for the full implementation of the peace agreement including the eastern Sudan deal suspended by the military government.

In its updated initiative, the SRF proposed to form a civilian Sovereignty Council consisting of 9 members, three of whom represent the parties to the peace agreement, and six others to be chosen in consultation with all political forces, taking into account the women’s representation by 40%.

He stressed that the civilian cabinet should be formed in consultation between all the political forces except for the banned National Congress Party, and to allocate 25% of the government to the peace signatory groups.

For the legislative council, the alliance stressed that the peace signatory groups should be represented by 75 of its 300 members.

With regard to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, proposed by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on July 4, Saeed said that the powers and tasks of this body are to be agreed upon by consensus between the stakeholders.

He said they are preparing with the UN agencies to launch a comprehensive survey in the war-affected areas to identify development needs before the return of the displaced people and refugees.

Further, he denied holding any meetings with the National Consensus Group and added they have reservations about the proposed constitutional declaration put forward last week by the pro-coup coalition which includes a tribal group opposed to the eastern Sudan deal.

“Any talk about cancelling any of the tracks of the Juba Agreement means the collapse of the entire agreement, and this is what we do not seek,” he said.

(ST)