Day: November 25, 2022

A meeting to prepare a draft framework agreement to present to Sudan’s military junta will take place before the end of the week, the spokesperson for the Forces for Freedom and Change-Central Council (FFC-CC), El Wasig El Bereir, told Radio Dabanga this week.

In the interview, he said that “a crucial meeting will be held within 72 hours” to discuss the agreement, following the comments of Sudan’s political, civil, and professional forces and the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) rebel alliance that signed the Juba Peace Agreement with the Sudanese government in October 2020.

The FFC* said last week that the “imminent” agreement is based on a two-stage political process: the preliminary ‘framework agreement’ and the ‘final agreement’. The framework agreement will likely already be signed within the next 10 days and the final agreement within a month.

El Bereir explained that the military reconfirmed its willingness to move forward with the framework agreement in a meeting with representatives of the FFC-CC on Monday.

His statement came after Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, head of the Sovereignty Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) said that the military has not yet signed any bilateral agreement with any party on Wednesday. He reiterated that “the military institution, including the Rapid Support Forces, will not be neglected”.

Political detainees

Regarding the continued detention of political leaders, including leading member of the FFC and former head of the Empowerment Removal Committee** (ERC) Wajdi Saleh, El Bereir reiterated that it is not possible to sign any kind of agreement before releasing Saleh and other political activists, including resistance committee members.

He also noted that the agreement must ensure freedom of expression and address the issue of restoring trade unions set up by the ousted regime of Al Bashir.

“The proposed agreement fulfils the demands of the Sudanese on the street,” he said, calling on all groups rejecting the agreement “to deal positively with the proposals for current negotiations”.

Yasir Arman, a leading member of the FFC-CC, called for a halt to the current political process. He insisted on creating the right atmosphere, stopping the violence, and releasing political detainees in the country.

In a press conference organised at the Press Centre on Wednesday, he said that it is shameful that the FFC intends to sign a framework agreement without stopping the continued detention of political leaders. The continuation of the violations of the law is a non-positive indicator of the political process, said Arman.

He wondered how a political solution can be achieved considering the continuing violence against demonstrators, and the failure to protect people living in many rural areas in the country.

Mohamed El Faki, member of the Sovereignty Council during the government of Abdallah Hamdok and acting head of the ERC, said at the press conference that the detention of Saleh is purely political and called on his lawyers “to take a clear position”.

Support for agreement

On Tuesday, the SRF announced that it will back the upcoming political agreement, provided that their amendments are included in the draft Constitution Charter prepared by the Sudanese Bar Association in August.

When asked about the possibility of a new civilian government based upon an agreement between the military and the FFC, all 12 people a Dabanga reporter spoke to in Khartoum said they did not mind. They stressed that there should be justice, but that the deteriorating economic situation cannot continue.

“Any government of capable technocrats who could lead the country out of these terrible problems is welcome,” an elementary school teacher said.

At the start of November, Minister of Finance and JEM leader Jibril Ibrahim stressed the importance of forming a civilian government in Sudan as soon as possible to end “the vacuum that the country has experienced during a whole year since the military coup on October 25, 2021.”

Against the agreement

On the other hand, hold-out rebel leader Abdelwahid El Nur is part of a growing group of movements and parties who reject the upcoming agreement between the Forces for Freedom and Change and the military.

Rejecting the framework agreement in a statement last week, Malik Agar, member of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council and head of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N Agar) in the Blue Nile region said that “any settlement which does not include the JPA will be rejected and resisted.”

The mainstream Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party also rejected “any political settlement with the putschists led by Abdelfattah El Burhan” in a statement on Saturday

Resistance committees in Khartoum said in a statement on Sunday that any agreement that the FFC-CC makes with those responsible for the coup d’état on October 25 last year means that there will be no retributive justice done for the many victims of the military rulers.

El Fateh Hussein, member of the Khartoum Southern Belt resistance committees, told Radio Dabanga last week that they consider negotiations with the junta “a violation of the demands of the streets to achieve justice and retribution for the blood of the martyrs.” Recently, Sudan has seen multiple demonstrations which reject any political settlement with the junta.

Awatif Abdelrahman, chair of the Darfur Displaced Women, stressed to Radio Dabanga this week the need to reach a comprehensive political agreement that does not exclude any political party, rebel movement, displaced, or refugees.

Source: Radio Dabanga

Lu’ay Osman, head of the Kassala department of the National Campaign to Combat Drugs (NCCD), told Radio Dabanga that Kassala has witnessed an “alarming increase” in drug abuse among young people in the state, especially crystal meth, aka ‘ice’.

The rise in drug abuse and availability has been accompanied by an “unprecedented” rise in crime and aggressive behaviour in the region, said Osman. The number of drug abusers has not been officially counted yet.

The people living in Kassala and further afield in eastern Sudan are “shocked and panicking” because of the “new kinds of criminal behaviour,” he said. Crimes are mainly directed towards peoples’ own families or communities, including a person killing his brother and another person hitting his parents. Kassala’s police force has arrested some drug users and drug dealers who are about to be brought to trial.

Efforts are underway to count the total number of drug abusers in the state and publish it officially next week. Osman explained that the Afia Centre of the Kassala Clinic for Addiction Treatment is receiving new cases daily.

The NCCD Kassala department is endeavouring to launch a campaign to combat drug abuse and raise awareness among young people of the dangers. Ice has ‘no stage of return’; the abuser can become addicted from the first dose, whereas heroin usually needs to be used several times before addiction occurs. Osman confirmed that the department is working with the government of Kassala, in cooperation with all military and police agencies, and UN agencies on the campaign. The UN will reportedly provide free treatment for all in the state.

Sudan has been witnessing growing drug abuse in the past decade, with an explosive but under-reported increase in the past few years, reported Radio Dabanga in August.

Though reports on drugs being smuggled in Sudan already appeared in the 1970s, it was only in 2003 that a specialised department was set up to combat drug trafficking. In 2015, the country developed a national drug control strategy, to enable the authorities to work with non-governmental organisations in combating drug trafficking. Yet, official data on the sale and number of users are hard to find.

Traditionally, Sudanese people consume alcohol and cannabis for enjoyment and relief from the hardships of life. Cannabis is still grown in Sudan, in particular in El Radoom in South Darfur. This has definitely changed. Independent Arabiya said in May this year that crystal meth is used on a wide scale as well, by both young men and women.

Rumours go that many young demonstrators protesting against the military junta in Khartoum are taking this very addictive stimulant. Radio Dabanga recently reported that the authorities are now subjecting detained protesters to drug tests.

In September, social activist Omar Tarig Baraka told 3Ayin News that in the past, drug abuse was linked to age groups between 20 and 30 years old. At the moment, however, he sees abuse start in groups as young as 12 years old.

Source: Radio Dabanga

The non-signatory Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid al-Nur (SLM/A-AW) accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and other armed groups form the area of attacking areas under their control in northern Jebel Marra.

Fighting between the holdout group and the RSF over land accessibility occurs from time to time in the restive part of the mountainous area, according to UNITAMS reports to the Security Council.

Also, internal clashes take place regularly between SLM/A-AW, SLA-Zanoon and SLA-Mubarak Aldouk splinter factions in eastern and northern Jebel Marra.

SLA-AW Military Spokesman Walid Mohamed Abakr on Friday said they repelled an attack by the RSF elements on Umu and Daya areas in northern Jebel Marra on November 19.

Abakr pointed out that peace signatory and splinter groups took part in the attack on the SLA-AW-controlled areas. He added that Aldouk was transferred to an RSF hospital in Khartoum for treatment.

On November 24, UNOCHA reported internal fighting between the SLA factions in Umu and Arshin before spreading later to Daya, Wara and Kia on November 19.

The UN humanitarian agency added that the fighting displaced 5,600 people who have taken refuge in internally displaced persons (IDP) gathering sites.

SLM-Transitional Council denies

The SLM-TC led by Hadi Idris issued a statement late on Friday denying claims that they took part in the alleged attack on Umu and Daya on November 19.

“The inclusion of the Movement and its leaders in the (clashes) is pure slander and fabricated allegations. Also, it is a cheap attempt to confuse the scene and discredit the Movement,” said the SLM-TC Spokesman Abdel Aziz Adam.

The spokesman of the holdout group accused the SLM-TC leader Hadi Idris of backing the attack.

The SLM-AW declined calls to join the Juba peace agreement but the South Sudanese government still hope to convince the group leader Abdel Wahid al-Nur to join the process.

Sudan Tribune failed to reach the RSF Spokesman for comment on these attacks.

Source: Sudan Tribune

The coalition of South Sudan’s armed and non-armed holdout groups have reiterated their commitment to the peace talks mediated by the Rome-based Sant’Egidio community.

The National Salvation Front (NAS) spokesperson, Suba Samuel Manase said the Rome peace talks offer the best opportunity for ending the ongoing civil wars in South Sudan.

“We saw the statement of the government from the media. It was addressed to the mediator. We have been preparing for resumption of peace talks. But now this is the decision of the government. What is clear and I want to tell our people, the South Sudanese, region, and international community that the allegations are unfounded. They are true. We are not planning for war. Instead, the opposite is true,” he explained.

Manase further accused the Juba government of delaying the resumption of peace talks.

Similarly, South Sudan United Front (SSUF) said it remains fully committed to peaceful dialogue aimed at restoring lasting peace and stability in the East African nation.

SSUF’s spokesperson, Garang Malual said government was not interested in ending war.

In a November 21 letter to the Secretary of the Sant’Egidio community, Presidential Affairs minister, Barnaba Marial Benjamin said talks were suspended until further notice.

“While we have been preparing to engage in serious dialogue with the non-signatory South Sudan Opposition Group to bring lasting peace to the people of South Sudan, it has come to our attention that this group is using these talks to buy time as they prepare for war,” the letter read in part.

Marial also invited the secretary of the mediation team to Juba for further consultation on the way forward. The details of the consultation with the mediator remained unclear.

Critics of the Juba government have argued that the delay in the resumption of the talks was a strategy to frustrate the efforts of the mediation team and weaken the opposition while using it as a card to not implement the 2018 revitalized peace agreement.

Source: Sudan Tribune