RSF leader calls for short transition in Sudan

April 13, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – The commander of the government militia Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Mohamed Hamdan Daglo (aka Hemitte) has called for a very short transitional period before to hand power over to civilians.

Hemitte surprised the street by his strong support to the democratic forces and was one of the army generals who pressed to unseat the former President Omer al-Bashir.

Also, he stepped down resigned from the transitional military council to protests the decisions issued by its former head Awad Ibn Ouf who was also the former first vice president and defence minister.

In a statement released during the first hours of Saturday morning, Hemitte said he had already made it clear that the decisions of the army leadership should satisfy the demand of Sudanese people and called to expedite dialogue with political forces and the Sudanese Professionals Association.

To announce “a clear program for a transitional period of no more than three to six months, during which the constitution will be revised through a drafting committee with the participation of all the Sudanese forces,” he said.

He further proposed to form a new transitional military council flanked with a civilian government to be formed by the political parties and the professionals’ group.

Two days al-Bashir’s removal, Hemitte addressed his troops saying they have many enemies and they have to demonstrate once again who they are and protect the civilians and their properties, stressing they should not repress the peaceful protests.

“Time has come to prove to Khartoum people the true nature of the Rapid Support Forces,” he stressed.

In an interview with the Egyptian Almydan TV on Friday, he said the army leadership agreed on the need to overthrow al-Bashir to avoid chaos and killing.

He said the move aimed at preventing “possible massacres by the militias of the old regime” or armed men join the protesters to defend them.

Asked about al-Bashir’s handover to the International Criminal Court (ICC), he indicated his preference for a national court stressing that a decision on this respect should be taken by the Sudanese people.

Formed in August 2013, the RSF were part of the government militias that fought rebel groups in Darfur region and the Two Areas. They are accused of atrocities and war crimes.

(ST)