FFC formulate new vision to end coup amidst suspended Sudan dialogues

The Forces for Freedom and Change-Central Council (FFC-CC) faction confirmed that they are in the process of formulating their vision to solve the political crisis in Sudan by ending the coup and handing over the putschists to the international community.

Wajdi Saleh, a leading member of the FFC, said in an interview with Radio Dabanga’s Sudan Today programme yesterday that the AU-IGAD-UN Trilateral Mechanism asked during Thursday's meeting with the military to present their vision.

He explained that they will submit their concept vision for consultation with the rest of “the anti-coup revolution forces” and called for the establishment of a joint coordinating centre with all revolutionary forces to present their vision for ending the coup.

'We demand to return to the situation before October 25 and will not accept the participation of the military institution in the political authority' – FFC-CC

Saleh reiterated the FFC-CC's “refusal to partner with the military in a new government” and explained that they “demand to return to the situation before October 25 and will not accept the participation of the military institution in the political authority”.

He stressed the FFC-CC’s adherence to the overthrow of the coup “either through popular revolution or political process”.

Refusal

Some rebel movements and protest groups, including FFC and the Resistance Committees of Khartoum, refused to participate in the initiative or take part in any dialogue with the military coup authorities and those who support them as they fear that this will legitimise the coup.

Dialogue sessions between the military junta and civilian opposition groups started last Wednesday under the auspices of the Trilateral Mechanism. The meetings were suspended, and the FFC-CC leaders met with the military component on Thursday during which they confirmed their refusal to participate in the sessions.

Saleh said that Thursday's meeting was held to clarify the FFC-CC position to the international community and made it clear that the session was not a dialogue or negotiation. He described the meeting as successful and that one of its most prominent results was the suspension of the dialogue sessions, held in the Khartoum El Salam Rotana Hotel.

The National Umma Party (NUP) praised the suspension of the Trilateral Mechanism’s technical sessions at the El Salam Rotana Hotel, which were preparing a direct dialogue between the military and the civilian opposition, and stressed that such dialogue would not lead to a solution to the existing crises.

In their statement published yesterday, the NUP also praised “the progress that took place in the overall political process” and called for diligence in achieving the hopes of ending the coup and resuming the course of civil democratic transformation in the shortest possible period.

The party demanded that the Trilateral Mechanism be in agreement with the parties opposing the coup and be supportive to ending of the coup and its consequences.

“The political process needs special credibility from the military component, and if this does not happen, the crisis will remain in place and the situation will worsen,” the statement warned.

FFC-National Accord

The FFC-National Accord Forces (FFC-NA) faction, a split-off group from the FFC led by a number of former rebel leaders, expects the resumption of the technical sessions in the near future.

Mubarak Ardol, FFC-NA Secretary-General, explained in an interview with Radio Dabanga’s Sudan Today Programme that the committee formed in the first procedural session to communicate with the boycotting parties will continue its work.

He said that direct dialogue has not started yet and that what started so far is the preparatory sessions.

He welcomed the meeting between the military and FFC-CC, stressing that what is being proposed is a multilateral dialogue and not a bilateral dialogue.

He affirmed “his categorical rejection of exclusion” and stressed the importance of the participation of all parties, including the military.

Mubarak Ardol moved away from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North in South Kordofan and became director of the Sudanese Company for Mineral Resources with friendly ties to the then-ruling National Congress Party of Omar Al Bashir.

Sudanese social media activists regularly call someone whom they consider a defector from the revolutionary course or any politician they do not trust ‘Ardoli’ or ‘Ardolian’.