Sudan: TMC – opposition agreement after three Islamist generals resign

Three members of Sudan’s Transitional Military Council (TMC) have resigned, following pressure from the from the Forces for Freedom and Change, including the Sudanese Professionals association, who have spearheaded the public uprising across Sudan since December 2018, and are coordinating a rolling sit-in in front of the General Command of the Sudanese army in Khartoum, demanding a transition to civilian government.

The official Sudan News Agency (SUNA) has confirmed that the Lt Gen Omar Zeinelabdin who headed the TMC’s political committee, Lt Gen Jalaleldin El Sheikh, and Police Lt Gen El Tayeb Babikir have all tendered their resignations. Sources close to the TMC say that while the resignations have not yet been officially accepted, they are on the desk of the chairman Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, and “the three will take no further part in the TMC”.

The resignations are a clear concession to the demands of the opposition forces, who were reluctant to negotiate with the TMC, calling for the three generals, who they accused of being ‘Islamist’ and ‘remnants of the old regime’ to be dismissed and brought to justice for their part in the crackdown under the ousted Al Bashir regime that caused dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries among peaceful protesters.

Until late on Wednesday afternoon, opposition forces threatened to completely suspend negotiations with the TMC.

Committee

On Wednesday evening, the opposition and the TMC agreed to form a committee to resolve their disagreements, amid tensions over how long it will take to move to civilian rule.

“We are partners working together to bring Sudan to safety,” TMC spokesman Lt Gen Shamseldin Kabbashi said on state TV following a meeting with the umbrella group Forces of the Declaration of Freedom and Change, including the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA). The TMC had invited the opposition to the talks, saying that “the doors of dialogue and negotiation are open.”

The opposition movement voiced a willingness to participate in the talks.

“The Forces of the Declaration of Freedom and Change decided to respond to the invitation and listen with an open mind to what the president of the military council will propose, asserting that our desire is the peaceful transfer to a transitional civilian authority that reflects the forces of the revolution,” the SPA said in a statement.

Positive steps

In a subsequent statement released on Thursday morning, the forces of the Declaration of Freedom and Change said the military council has pledged to take positive steps that enhance trust and make it possible for joint cooperation between the two parties.

“On the basis of these developments and the agreement reached on the next steps with the Transitional Military Council, the Forces of Freedom and Change decided to postpone the announcement of the names of their nominees for the Transitional Civil Authority.”

The statement stressed that the purpose of this step is to “reach a comprehensive and complete agreement with the Transitional Military Council paving the way for the declaration of all levels of the Transitional Civil Authority (TCA)”.

Visit www.dabangasudan.org for ongoing coverage and independent news from Sudan