Sudan’s pro-democracy leader slams Burhan’s warning to new UN envoy

December 4, 2023 (KHARTOUM ) – Yasir Arman, a prominent figure of Sudan’s pro-democracy coalition Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC), has criticized the stern message delivered by the head of the Sovereign Council, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, to the newly appointed UN envoy to Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra.

“Is it reasonable to threaten the envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General, Ramtane Lamamra, before he even sets foot on Sudanese soil and before he has had a chance to meet with the concerned parties?” Arman wrote on social media hours after al-Burhan’s statement on Sunday.

In his Saturday remarks, al-Burhan had welcomed Lamamra’s appointment but cautioned that he might face the same fate as his predecessor, Volker Perthes, if he were to take sides with any particular faction or group.

“We do not want an envoy who sides with a faction or group, otherwise, his fate will be like Volker Perthes. Rather, we want a neutral mission that contributes to the stability, security and unity of Sudan,” al-Burhan said in Madani, Al Jazirah State.

Arman countered that using threatening language is counterproductive, emphasizing that Lamamra, an Algerian diplomat, brings both Algerian and African perspectives to the role.

In a separate post, Arman compared the approach adopted by the “National Committee for Dealing with the United Nations,” headed by Sovereign Council member Lieutenant General Ibrahim Jabir, to that of “the remnants of the ousted regime” in dealing with the UN and the international community.

“They were constantly seeking to restrict the United Nations and its agencies,” Arman wrote.

Instead of resorting to threats, Arman urged the authorities to focus their efforts on ending the ongoing civil war. “This war is destroying our country and will lead to the complete collapse of the state,” he stated. “The best option for our people is to stop it.”

(ST)