FFC criticize al-Burhan’s UN speech, call for peace in Sudan
September 22, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – The Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) coalition voiced their disappointment with the recent address to the United Nations General Assembly by Chairman of the Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. They asserted that the speech lacked clear commitments to address the ongoing Sudanese crisis.
On Thursday, al-Burhan delivered his speech during the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he called upon the international community to designate the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as a terrorist organization, emphasizing their threat to regional peace and security.
“We expected the speech to focus on ending the war and achieving peace primarily,” said the FFC in a statement on Friday. The pro-democracy coalition underlined that this expectation arose because Sudan is currently embroiled in a brutal conflict that has resulted in thousands of casualties, displaced over five million people, and a dire humanitarian crisis.
The FFC emphasized that the war poses significant threats to Sudan, including challenges to its unity and sovereignty. Consequently, they called for all parties to exercise reason and seek peaceful, negotiated resolutions rather than resorting to armed confrontations.
“The ongoing war primarily serves the interests of remnants of the former regime who seek to perpetuate their control, even if it comes at the expense of what remains of our homeland,” further stressed the coalition.
Burhan says committed to peace
In an interview with Al-Hurra TV on Friday, al-Burhan reiterated his commitment to end the war and ensure that the Sudanese people can return to their homes and resume their regular lives without feeling exploited or oppressed by any faction.
“To achieve this, we are open to pursuing viable solutions that will restore the dignity of the Sudanese people,” he added.
“Rebel forces seeking to rejoin the state will receive treatment consistent with established procedures for rebel groups whenever they choose to rejoin the state,” he further emphasized.
The head of the Sovereign Council also asserted that he had no plan to form a new government before the end of the ongoing conflict.
The FFC reaffirmed their commitment to work towards ending the war through peaceful means, uniting Sudanese around a national initiative aimed at halting the conflict, rebuilding the Sudanese state, and recovering from the devastation wrought by the war.
The statement urged all warring factions to return to the negotiation table through a comprehensive political process that addresses the root causes of the crisis, ends the suffering of Sudanese civilians, delivers justice to war victims, and provides reparations and compensation for those harmed by the conflict.
Additionally, they stressed the necessity of the comprehensive political process to establish a path toward democratic civil transition and create a professional and non-political national army dedicated to its constitutional role of safeguarding the country and its security.
(ST)