Category: General

The head of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) confirmed the determination of the trilateral mechanism to launch direct intra-Sudanese dialogue within days, despite the rejection of some groups.

The African Union, IGAD and UNITAMS envoys plan to convene a direct dialogue in Khartoum between the Sudanese stakeholders to solve the political crisis. They have to agree on a mechanism to choose the prime minister, his cabinet, and its programme, in addition to preparing for elections.

Speaking to the Sudan Tribune in the margins of a function of the trilateral mechanism organized on Thursday, Volker Perthes confirmed that the three envoys are resolved to launch soon direct talks between the Sudanese parties.

“We will invite all the actors, and if a party decline to participate, we will respect its decision,” he stressed.

The UNITAMS head further underscored that the United Nations and his person would not interfere in the decisions that the parties take.

“If the Sudanese agree on Mohamed as a Prime Minister, or choose Fatima for this position, we will welcome and support their choice,” he added.

The Sudanese Communist Party and the Resistance Committees refuse to participate in the dialogue process organized by the tripartite mechanism. They demand that the military hand over power to civilians.

While the Forces for Freedom and Change announced that their participation depends on the implementation of confidence-building measures including the end of violence against demonstrators, release e of political detainees, and lift of the state of emergency.

For their part, the coup leaders say they would hand over power to a civilian government if the political forces reach an understanding over the transitional period.

No date has been officially announced for the direct dialogue meeting. Some media reported that the meeting would take place on Wednesday.

In a related development, the State Department said on Saturday that Molly Phee U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs would fly to Sudan from June 5-9 to support the inter-Sudanese process to resolve the ongoing crisis.

Phee will “urge (the political forces) to seize the opportunity offered by the UN-AU-IGAD-facilitated process to restore the transition to democracy and economic stability, and to advance peace”.

Source: Sudan Tribune

Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee will start on Sunday a five-day visit to Sudan to encourage the Sudanese parties to engage seriously in a dialogue process facilities by the UN, AF and IGAD.

The trilateral mechanism is expected to launch next Wednesday an intra-Sudanese dialogue to restore a civilian-led transition in the country.

The continued violent repression of protesters remains an issue of concern and might push the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) to not take part in the process.

Keen to contribute to the success of the process, Phee is expected to urge the military leaders to refrain from violence and encourage the FFC to join the process.

“Assistant Secretary Phee will meet with a wide range of Sudanese stakeholders and political actors and urge them to seize the opportunity offered by the UN-AU-IGAD-facilitated process to restore the transition to democracy and economic stability, and to advance peace,” said the State Department on Saturday.

Biden administration is under pressure from the Congress to sanction the military leaders in Sudan after the October 25, coup which paused the transitional process led by the civilian government.

However, the administration opted to follow a gradual approach with the military considering they have the means to bring them hand over power to civilians.

On May 23, the State Department warned U.S. companies of “growing reputational risks” of conducting business with Sudanese State-Owned Enterprises and military-controlled companies.

“These risks arise from, among other things, recent actions undertaken by Sudan’s Sovereign Council and security forces under the military’s command, including and especially serious human rights abuse against protesters,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.

Two months before on March 21, the U.S. Treasury Department on Monday imposed – what was perceived in Khartoum as symbolic – sanctions on Sudan’s Central Reserve Police, accusing it of using excessive force against the anti-coup protesters.

Source: Sudan Tribune

Volker Perthes UNITAMS Head called to refrain from the use of violence against the protesters in the planned demonstrations to commemorate the third anniversary of the bloody attack on peaceful protesters in 2019.

Perthes exhorted Sudanese to observe the peaceful spirit of the December revolution in remarks delivered during a function organised by the trilateral mechanism for the families of the martyrs of the December revolution on the occasion of the third anniversary of the raid on the pro-democracy sit-in.

During the commemoration attended by the Sudan Tribune, he called on the security forces to respect the freedom of demonstration and to avoid repression.

“Even if one feels provoked, there is no justification for the excessive use of force,” he said.

The UN official further expressed hope that the implementation of the recent lifting of the state of emergency would be clearly evidenced during the rallies on Friday.

“Human rights violations must stop,” he emphasized.

Despite the government’s decision to lift the state of emergency, the security forces continued to open fire on protesters and arrest protesters and activists.

The visiting UN expert on human rights in Sudan Adama Dieng issued a similar call to abstain from the use of violence against protesters on Friday.

In a statement posted on Twitter, Dieng expressed his solidarity with “the victims and their families in their quest for justice”.

“I call on the authorities to exercise restraint today and to refrain from use of excessive force in response to today’s protests to commemorate the anniversary,” he added.

Dieng arrived in Khartoum on Wednesday evening and held a series of meeting with the government officials, Sudanese human rights commissioner and advocacy groups.

The Senegalese diplomat discussed with the Sudanese foreign and justice ministers the human rights situation and the recent government decision to lift the state of emergency and release political detainees.

The group for the defence of the victims of illegal detention and martyrs of unlawful killing together with the Darfur Lawyers Association said they requested the human rights expert to raise the need to dissolve the joint force tasked with the dispersal of protesters.

After the coup, al-Burhan formed a joint force involving the police, the army, the Rapid Support Forces and the peace signatory armed groups to disperse the protests under the state of emergency.

Source: Sudan Tribune

South Sudan’s security advisor, Tut Kew Gatluak has emphasized the importance of peace and stability in neighbouring Sudan.

Speaking during a press conference at Al-Salam Rotana hotel in Khartoum on Wednesday, Gatluak said Sudan’s stability benefits neighboring nations.

“It is our concern that the people of Sudan shall sit down to solve issues in a Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue,” he said, stressing the need for reconciliation.

Gatluak, who heads South Sudan’s mediation team to Sudan’s peace process, said the initiative taken by President Salva Kiir aims to solving the Sudanese crisis because South Sudan is interested in Sudan’s stability.

He said Juba’s initiative is purely a national one to resolve the crisis in Sudan.

According to Gatluak, the mediation team discussed with the Sudanese forces the way of governance in Sudan and the need for a Sudanese – Sudanese dialogue, stressing that, “Sudan is now in difficult circumstances, and we are all its sons and we are striving to return it to its normal situation”.

He, however, acknowledged that it is important that all the parties in Sudan shall unite their rank, gather all the initiatives in one initiative and hold a general conference to determine how Sudan will be governed and define a successful transitional period that will lead to free and fair elections.

On Tuesday, the South Sudanese official met members of the Higher Council of Sufi Sects to discuss Juba’s efforts towards resolving the Sudanese crisis.

He hailed the Higher Council of Sufi sects’ initiative for realizing peace and stability in neigbouring Sudan and their understanding of the nation’s issues.

For his part, Al-Sheikh Hashim Al-Tayeb Sheikh Qariballah, a member of the Higher Council of Sufi Sects, commended Juba’s efforts to solve Sudan’s crises, stressing that Sudan and South Sudan are one people in two states.

Source: Sudan Tribune

The head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Nicholas Haysom has urged parties to expedite the implementation of key provisions of the peace accord, before it elapses.

He remarked this during the 22nd plenary meeting convened by the Revitalized Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC) in Juba on Thursday.

“To underline our main concerns, the government and the parties must work with a sense of urgency to; pass the constitutional making process bill, Graduate the first batch of the NUF and progress the 3 April agreement,” said Haysom.

He added, “The parties should work with National Constitution Amendment Committee (NCAC) to expedite the National Elections Bill process and agree on a roadmap to exit the transitional period with free, fair, and peaceful elections”.

Haysom, also the Special Representative of the Secretary General in South Sudan, said UNMISS’s presence in all 10 states shows its willingness to support the consolidation of accountable and responsive government structures.

“I welcome the progress made on Chapter 2 by means of the April 3 Agreement on the Command Structures and subsequent appointments. While long overdue, I congratulate the parties for their courage in reaching a compromise and I thank the Government of Sudan for its facilitative role,” he observed.

Haysom cited signs of progress made in Chapter 5 of the peace agreement regarding the Commission for Truth Reconciliation and Healing (CTRH).

“It is encouraging to see that the public consultation process has begun in earnest through dispatching members from the technical committee of the Commission to different states,” he remarked, adding “This process provides the platform to realize the rights to truth, justice, reparation and the guarantees of non-recurrence by addressing root causes of past trauma.”

The Special Representative of the Secretary General pointed out that the recent mandate extending the National Constitutional Amendment Committee and the passing of the Political Parties (Amendment) Bill by parliament are examples of promising results of demonstrating political will.

“The resumption of the NCAC supports the legislative process and in particular allows for the review of the National Elections Act 2012. This in turn will provide the legislative framework for launching the electoral process, including the reconstitution of the National Elections Commission,” stressed Haysom.

He further added, “This process is fundamental for South Sudan to exit the transitional phase. The pace with which the parties pass the electoral bill and reconstitute the NEC will demonstrate their commitment to the timelines for conducting free, fair, and credible elections.”

The body monitoring South Sudan peace agreement (R-JMEC) earlier expressed concerns that the implementation of the September 2018 revitalized peace accord is far behind schedules earmarked for a transitional period.

Source: Sudan Tribune

Khartoum state on Thursday announced the closure of bridges in the Sudanese capital ahead of planned demonstrations to commemorate the third anniversary of the bloody raid on a pro-democracy sit-in.

Some 130 people were killed on June 3, 2019, according to rights activists, when the security forces attacked a sit-in outside the army general command in Khartoum. But the authorities said only 87 were killed.

In advance of a planned demonstration on Friday, the Khartoum state issued a statement announcing the closure of all bridges except for Al-Halfaya and Soba bridges.

This decision is “part of the measures taken by the authorities to maintain the security and safety of the citizens of Khartoum state and preserve their property in anticipation of possible violence and vandalism alongside the marches announced tomorrow ” reads a statement released by the state.

After the October 25, coup, the ruling military authorities used to take a series of measures including Bridge closure, internet shutdown, and road blockade to prevent protesters in the three cities of capital from holding unified rallies or reaching the presidential palace in Khartoum city.

Troika calls for justice

The Troika countries issued a statement on the third anniversary of the “brutal massacre” calling to try the perpetrators of the attack.

“The Troika (Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States) stands in solidarity with the survivors and victims and joins Sudanese in calling for the prompt resolution of the government-appointed investigation into the massacre and disclosure of findings to the public”.

“We urge the military authorities to bring those accountable for these horrendous crimes against peaceful civilian protesters to justice,” further stressed the statement.

The three countries, in addition, called for further confidence-building measures to support the political process facilitated by the trilateral mechanism and to refrain from the excessive use of violence against protesters.

Source: Sudan Tribune