The ruling Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) said the police forces and the intelligence service should be under the direct authority of the civilian government.
After two years of statements about a harmonious partnership between the civilian and military components of the transitional authority, frustrations are mounting and relations are strained as a result of the non-implementation of many reforms crucial for the transition.
The FFC leadership on Wednesday held a meeting to discuss recent strife at the level of the Sovereign Council, the eastern Sudan crisis, and the political and security situation in the country.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the coalition underscored the need to settle a number of issues to overcome the current crisis and to enhance civil and democratic transition and peace, adding they formed a committee for this purpose.
These issues include adherence to the Constitutional Document and the Peace Agreement of which it became a part, security sector reform, implementation of security arrangements, and bringing the police and intelligence under the authority of the civilian government, a matter that they raise for the first time.
“The civilian government should be directly responsible for the police forces and the General Intelligence Service (GIS),” read the statement.
In line with the Constitutional Document governing the transitional period, the police forces “are subject to the policies and decisions of the executive authority”, while the intelligence service is under the authority of “the sovereign and executive authorities”.
Recently, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan the Head of the Sovereign Council withdrew security forces from the premises of the Empowerment Removal Committee and the building confiscated from the dignitaries of the former regime besides.
The tribal protesters in eastern Sudan closed roads and blocked terminals on the Red Sea affecting gravely the national economy.
Al-Burhan refused to send security forces to protect the seaports and ensure circulation in the vital highways saying there is no security problem a political crisis the government should resolve with the protesters who demand the resignation of Hamdok’s cabinet.
The statement underlined that the two services should be reformed.
The police service was neglected by the former regime to establish parallel militias to protect the regime while the GIS remains infested with Islamist elements appointed by the former regime.
The statement mentioned the pending reforms such as the security reform, the rotation of the Sovereign Council chairmanship to civilians next November, al-Bashir handover to the ICC, and transfer of economic companies to the government.
“All economic resources and wealth, especially gold, should be managed by the government and under the control of the Ministry of Finance and National Economy so that it can be directed to resolving daily life and services problems without interference from any of the sectors of the regular forces,” reads the text.
Obviously, the statement was pointing to the Al-Junaid Group companies owned by the Deputy Chairman of the Sovereign Council and General Commander of the Rapid Support Forces working in the gold and other mining activities in Sudan.
Also, the FFC blamed the security component saying it did not involve the civilian government at the highest levels about the recent anti-terrorist operations.
Source: Sudan Tribune