Sudan civilians reject army offer as ‘ruse’, urge more protests

Khartoum, Sudan – (AFP)

Sudan’s main civilian bloc has rejected a proposal by the country’s coup leader to make way for a civilian government as a “giant ruse” and urged more protests.

Army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, whose power grab last October derailed a transition to civilian rule, had vowed in a surprise move Monday to “make room” for civilian groups to form a new transitional government.

But the main civilian alliance, the Forces for Freedom and Change, called for “continued public pressure” on the streets and dismissed Burhan’s move as a “tactical retreat and a transparent manoeuvre”.

“The coup leader’s speech is a giant ruse, even worse than the October 25 coup,” said FFC leader Taha Othman. “The crisis will end with the coup leaders resigning and the forces of the revolution forming a civil government.”

The transitional government uprooted by Burhan last year had been painstakingly forged between the military and civilian factions in 2019, following mass protests that prompted the army to oust Omar al-Bashir in April that year.

On the streets of Khartoum, protesters defied security forces and held firm on their makeshift barricades, despite heavy fatalities late last week.

Security forces — as they have done repeatedly during the long-running protests — sought to break up the crowds by firing barrages of stun grenades and tear gas, according to pro-democracy medics.

Protests also spread to other cities Tuesday, including Wad Madani, 200 kilometres (125 miles) south of the capital, where hundreds staged a sit-in, according to witnesses.

“We launched this sit-in in response to coup leader Burhan’s speech,” said protester Safa Abderrahim. “We want freedom, peace, justice and a civilian government.”

Another protester said the sit-in would not end until such a government was formed.

‘Topple him’

The FFC has so far refused to take part in talks with military leaders, despite pressure from international brokers that range from the United Nations to the African Union and regional bloc IGAD.

Burhan said late Monday the military would itself no longer participate in talks, wanting instead “to make room for political and revolutionary forces and other national factions” to form a civilian government.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres “takes note” of Burhan’s withdrawal from the talks and “hopes this creates the opportunity for Sudanese to reach an agreement that ultimately leads to a civilian-led transition to democracy”, a spokesman said.

Sudan, one of the world’s poorest countries, has seen only rare interludes of civilian rule. The latest coup not only worsened a political crisis but has also pushed the country deeper into a dire economic slump.