Ending Military Coup Should be Ultimate Goal of the Intra-Sudanese Process: FFC

April 29, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – The solution to the political crisis in Sudan depends on ending the military coup of October 25, the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) told Western envoys who met them on Thursday.

Special envoys from France, Germany, Norway, the United Kingdom, the U.S. and the European Union on Thursday met with the Sudanese stakeholders including the military-led Sovereign Council, the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF), the National Consensus groups and the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC).

The EU and Troika diplomats expressed their support for the tripartite process to end the political crisis and encouraged the Sudanese parties to speed up talks to restore the civilian-led transition.

Speaking to the Sudan Tribune about meeting with the visiting delegation, FFC leading member Yasir Arman said that the discussions were characterized by frankness and understanding.

The coalition stressed that any solution should reflect the aspirations of Sudanese for peace, freedom and justice, said Arman.

“Solutions must be compatible with the Sudanese people’s aspirations and lead to achieving the demands of the revolution and the pro-democracy protesters after all these huge sacrifices”.

“Therefore, we must take advantage of what happened on November 21, 2021” he added referring to the Burhan-Hamdok agreement which was rejected by the Sudanese people and forced the latter to resign because it established a military guardianship over the government.

“A solution that does not meet the demands of the revolution will not persist and will not find support,” he stressed.

The FFC official expressed their appreciation for the visit of the envoys and the support provided by the international community to the tripartite mechanism.

He explained that the solution to the political strife must be based on the fundamental goal of the mechanism, “which is to turn the page on the coup”.

To justify their coup, the military say the civilians worked to monopolize power and put aside the reforms toward democracy. Also, they pointed to the divisions within the then ruling coalition.

Arman said that there is no dispute between opponents of the coup and its supporters, but it is rather between those who carried out the coup and the forces of the revolution.

“The coup failed politically and economically, as it failed to provide security and protect civilians, as happened in Darfur recently,” he added.

In a statement issued Friday before their departure from Sudan, the international envoys called on all Sudanese stakeholders to engage constructively and fully in this process.

The envoys “warned against any agreement or government resulting from non-inclusive processes which would lack credibility with the Sudanese public and the international community”.

The deputy head of the SPLM-N said the Juba peace agreement is facing a real crisis because the coup has undermined its political framework, which is the achievement of democratic transition, and impeding the establishment of a single national army.

Also, he underscored that the Forces of Freedom and Change recognize the need to build a new national democratic front that brings together all the forces of the revolution to achieve peace and democracy in the country.

(ST)