Sudanese Forces Reject Agar’s Initiative to End Political Stalemate

July 14, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – Anti-coup political forces downplayed a new initiative put forward by Sovereign Council member Malik Agar, saying said it would not end the political crisis.

On Tuesday, Agar detailed his three-stage roadmap saying it should start with discussions to define the role and responsibilities of the government organs as he pleads for the participation of the military component in power.

The other two points, they are similar to the initiative of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF). As they call for an agreement between the FFC, armed groups signatory of the Juba peace agreement, and the military leaders on the prime minister and his cabinet. The third point calls for inclusive talks on the future constitution and the electoral process.

Noureddine Salah, a member of the Forces for Freedom and Change leadership told Sudan Tribune clearly brushed aside the proposition of the SPLM-N leader because it implies the participation of the military component in the government.

“We would not be part in any initiative that does not lead to the establishment of a civilian authority and removes the army from power,” Salah said.

For his part, Arwa al-Sadiq, National Umma Party leading official, told the Sudan Tribune that Agar’s initiative was overtaken by the events, adding “There is no room for constitutionalizing the current coup d’état”.

Sadiq underscored that the initiative was a mixture of the positions of the military component and the FFC.

He further expected that it would provoke controversy and confuse the political arena because it is rejected by the non-signatory groups, in addition to giving more time for military rule.

“Any initiative that does not end the ongoing coup, nullify its decisions and restore the civilian-led transition will have no value,” stressed the NUP official.

On Thursday Agar discussed his imitative with Lucy Tamlyn the outgoing U.S. Chargé d’affaires in Khartoum.

In a statement issued after the meeting, he said the initiative aims to end the coup, consolidate peace and stability as well as ensure the return of displaced people and refugees and grassroots development projects in war-affected areas.

Agar pointed out the SPLM-N position supporting the December revolution and its declared objectives before expressing readiness to amend the proposed roadmap.

It is not clear why Agar proposed this personal initiative which develop what the SRF has already proposed at the end of its deliberative conference last March.

Agar previously had criticised the anti-coup protests by the Resistance Committees and described the FFC opposition to the coup as a “power struggle”.

Last June, he spoke about the anti-coup protests saying “what is happening in Sudan is chaos and terrorism against the state.”

His deputy Yasir Arman openly rejected the statement. Also, the move further frustrated the cadre of the Movement who feel the growing gap between their leader and the Sudanese street.

A member of the Sudanese Communist Party (SCP) Central Committee told the Sudan Tribune that Agar is not qualified to propose any initiative because he is an integral part of the military regime.

“Agar’s initiative is a repetition of al-Burhan’s statements with different vocabulary,” added Karar before stressing that the “aim of these initiatives is to abort the revolution”.

(ST)