Sudanese communists reject transitional constitution because it gives executive powers to military

August 7, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese Communist Party said that the reason for its rejection of the constitutional declaration is the executive powers of the Sovereignty Council, which includes five members of the junta accused of killing civilians.

“The appointment of the ministers of defence and interior has become the prerogative of the Sovereign Council. Also, in line with the declaration, the armed forces belong to the Sovereign Council”, said Youssef Sidiq in an interview with the BBC Radio Arabic Service on Wednesday.

Sidiq stressed that they believe that the country should be ruled in accordance with the rule of the parliamentary regime that gives all the powers to the government and the parliament, while the presidency has symbolic powers.

“All matters relating to the defence of the homeland, the protection of the citizen and his freedoms, can only be given to the executive and the parliament,” he stressed.

The Communist official who represented his party in the talks with the military council over the transitional authority further said that members of the junta are accused and responsible for the killing of more than 300 people in recent months since last April, while the death toll did not exceed 200 demonstrators during the last six years under President Bashir,” he said.

“This shows the horror of what they have done in the past few months,” he emphasized.

However, he stressed their rejection of the agreement does not mean that they will not participate in the transitional parliament or abandon the coalition of Forces for Freedom and Change.

According to the agreed transitional constitution, the government will be formed by independent technocrats picked by a prime minister appointed by the opposition coalition.

(ST)