Arman Calls for Civilian Protection and Democracy in Sudan

Yasir Arman speaks to reporters in a press conference held by the FFC on November 16, 2022 (ST photo)

April 20, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – Yasir Arman, the SPLM-N Revolutionary Democratic Current leader and a prominent figure of the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC), has called for a broad national front to protect civilians and democracy in Sudan.

The eruption of war in the country between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has led to the death of over 200 civilians and the displacement of thousands outside Khartoum, with millions in their homes without food or water.

In response to this difficult situation, Arman has called for the establishment of a civilian front “against all the odds that can divide the Sudanese society by geography, ethnicity, religion, and culture”. “We should base our unity on the values and goals of the December Revolution that has united the Sudanese from all over Sudan and from all walks of life,” he stressed.

Following the stalemate of talks on the integration of the RSF in the national army, tension had grown in Khartoum between the two parties, and the RSF began to mass troops in Khartoum, particularly from Darfur. Clashes broke out in Khartoum on Saturday, April 15, following the deployment of RSF troops in Merowe in the Northern state three days later.

Arman told Sudan Tribune that he was one of the FFC leaders who held a four-hour meeting with General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan that began on Friday evening and ended in the first hours of Saturday. They were also in contact with the RSF Commander Mohamed Hamdan Hemetti and his brother Abel-Rahim.

“The parties agreed to form a committee headed by a member of the Sovereignty Council, Dr Al-Hadi Idris, and including Lt Gen Abdeen Al-Shami, the Operations Officer in the SAF, and Maj Gen Osman Hamid, the Operations Officer in the RSF, to stop the confrontations before they erupt. But the war broke out before the committee began its meetings on Saturday,” he said.

To ensure the protection of civilians, the FFC and the signatories to the framework agreement are engaging with the warring parties and reaching out to regional and international stakeholders in order to negotiate a humanitarian ceasefire. “The agreement would include monitoring mechanisms to ensure compliance and accountability,” he stressed.

Amidst the violence and attacks on hospitals, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that 16 hospitals have been forced to close across the country, with nine of these hospitals located in Khartoum alone. The situation is dire, and a further 16 hospitals in Darfur States are at risk of closure due to staff fatigue and lack of supplies.

There are also reports of attacks on civilians and foreign diplomats by the militiamen. The RSF has released a phone number to notify human rights violations and war crimes committed by its forces.

(ST)