Activists criticise Sudan committee tasked with purging remnants of old regime

In February, Sudan's Empowerment* Elimination, Anti-Corruption, and Funds Recovery Committee instructed the formation of subcommittees in the states. Sudanese activists are criticising the way the committee, tasked with the removal of employees and affiliates of the former regime, are formed.

According to the committee, the new subcommittees in each state are to be headed by the state governor and a representative of the Forces for Freedom and Change.

Members are state representatives from the Ministry of Interior, Finance and Justice, the Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS), the Sudan Armed Forces, the General Intelligence Service (GIS), and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) government militia, in addition to four representatives of the FFC and three representatives from the localities.

Eastern Sudanese activist Jaafar Khidir told Radio Dabanga that many government agencies have not seen any change since the fall of the former regime.

“The acting military governor is now also the chairman of the El Gedaref Empowerment Removal Subcommittee. The other members are representatives of state ministries, the CBoS, the army, the security apparatus, and the RSF,” he explained.

“Affiliates of the now defunct regime represent a majority in the Empowerment Removal Subcommittees, hindering their removal, the fight against corruption, and the recovery of stolen funds.”

Khidir expressed his concerns about the possibility of selecting loyalists to the defunct regime, and called on the federal Empowerment Removal Committee to review its decision concerning the membership of the subcommittees.

Last month, Sudan’s Anti-Corruption Committee dissolved the administrative board of the Central Bank on Sudan (CBoS) and 11 other banks as well as dismissed nine bank managers with links to the deposed Al Bashir regime. Another nine boards of directors of corporations were dissolved, and a number of directors of other institutions removed.

* Empowerment is the term with which the government of President Omar Al Bashir, ousted in April last year, supported its affiliates in state affairs by granting them far-going privileges, including government functions and the setting-up of various companies.

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