FFC coalition calls for unity of civil forces to end armed conflict in Sudan
July 25, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – The Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) called for the unity of anti-war, civil forces on Tuesday to put an end to the ongoing armed conflict between the regular army and paramilitary forces in Sudan.
Pro-democracy political forces in Sudan held their first meeting in Cairo since the beginning of the war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces in April 2023.
At the conclusion of the two-day meeting, the FFC issued a statement declaring their agreement on a political vision to end the wars and establish a new Sudanese state. They emphasized the need to initiate a political process that would immediately end the ongoing hostilities.
The coalition stated that the inclusive political process would involve active participation from Sudanese civil forces supporting an end to the war and a transition to civil democracy. They explicitly excluded the National Congress Party (NCP) of the former regime and its affiliated groups from the process, accusing them of obstructing democratic transition and instigating the war.
The FFC underscored the significance of achieving unity among civil democratic forces against the war and commended the efforts already made to construct a civil front advocating peace and restoring democracy. They also acknowledged the various efforts and initiatives presented by civil democratic forces and individuals.
The statement emphasized the importance of agreeing on a political vision, designing the political process, its parties, and its agenda in a manner that would expedite efforts to stop the war and establish a new Sudanese state.
Various civil groups have recently called for the representation of civil society in the political process aimed at ending the war and forming a transitional government in Sudan. Former Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok leads one such group, advocating for independent representation.
There is also another coalition, the Democratic Bloc, which includes Darfuri movements like the Justice and Equality Movement, the Sudan Liberation Movement of Minni Minnawi, and a faction of the Egypt-backed Democratic Unionist Party led by Jaafar al-Mirghani.
The FFC meeting was preceded by a gathering in Lome, the capital of Togo, which brought together groups from the Darfur region, including the Rapid Support Forces, along with a former Sovereign Council member Mohammed al-Hasan Altaishi and former Minister of Justice Nasreddin Abdel Bari. However, no statement was released about the outcome of that meeting held under the banner of peace in Sudan.
Furthermore, the FFC called for the classification of the NCP as a terrorist organization due to the crimes it committed in Sudan, pointing to the separation of South Sudan, the genocide in Darfur, and the ignition of war between the army and RSF.
(ST)