Political Leader Fears New Military Coup in Sudan

Kamal Omer, political secretary of the Popular Congress Party

April 1, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – The reluctance of military leaders to sign the final political agreement coupled with the blockade of roads indicate that a coup could happen in Sudan, said a political leader involved in the ongoing political process.

Instead of signing the final political agreement on Saturday, the signatories of the framework agreement have agreed to sign it on April 6. This decision was made to allow the military leaders to resolve their differences over the integration and reform processes, which is critical for the formation of a single army.

Speaking after the meeting, the political secretary of the Popular Congress Party (PCP) Kamal Omer decried the decision of a tribal coalition in East Sudan to block the roads linking the crucial Red Sea port with the rest of the country to protest the final political agreement.

He told Al-Jazeera TV that the de facto rulers of the country have the responsibility to stop these violations stressing that they may lead to chaos and civil war.

“That is the responsibility of the de facto regime. The military government, which controls the country, bears the responsibility for restoring law and ensuring freedoms in the country,” he said.

He further said that the lack of action to restore the public order in the country leads to linking between this inertia and the “backtracking” on the signing of the political agreement.

“In law, there is what is called circumstantial evidence when I do not have direct evidence,” he said.

“The link between leniency (with these violations) and delay in signing the political agreement leads to a link between the two,” he added.

Omer was alluding to the blockade made by the Beja Chiefdoms Council in October 2021 before the military coup and the protests organised by former rebel groups. The chaos in the capital by former rebel groups and in eastern Sudan preceded al-Burhan’s coup on October 25.

In a related development, some traditional leaders in Khartoum state announced they would block the roads of Khartoum state on April 6, to protest the signing of the final political agreement.

(ST)