US Assistant Secretary of State Tibor Nagy backs demands of opposition in Sudan

US Assistant Secretary of State Tibor Nagy and US ambassador Donald Booth, who was appointed as Special Envoy for Sudan last week, visited Khartoum on Thursday and spoke to TMC chairman Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan and leaders of the opposition. In a statement after their visit Nagy supported the main demands from the opposition.

Tibor Nagy claimed after his visit to Khartoum that he pressed TMC chairman El Burhan to take steps to allow successful talks to resume. Specifically he asked for “a stop to the attacks on civilians, withdrawal of the military from Khartoum, to allow an independent investigation of the horrible June 3 attack on the peaceful sit-in and other recent violence, and an end to the repression of free speech and the internet”.

Commendable commitment

He said that the opposition “has shown a commendable commitment to peaceful protest and dialogue” and expressed support for the Alliance for Freedom and Change attempts “to bring about a civilian-led transitional government and create a better future for Sudan”.

He also welcomed the efforts of Ethiopia’s prime minister Abiy Ahmed to find a political solution that reflects the will of the Sudanese people.

Booth and Nagy left Khartoum for Addis Ababa “to express our support for the African Union’s June 6 communique, its suspension of Sudan’s membership from the AU, and its strong message on the need for a civilian-led government”.

AFC

The Alliance for Freedom and Change (AFC) met the US Assistant Secretary of State Tibor Nagy and US Special Envoy for Sudan Donald Booth in Khartoum on Thursday. After the meeting the AFC stressed that the US delegation agreed with the AFC demands and preconditions to resume negotiations with the ruling Transitional Military Council TMC).

During this meeting, the AFC stated that the junta must assume responsibility for the massacre at the Khartoum sit-in last week and for subsequent violent events. It also stressed the need to establish an international fact-finding commission to investigate the breakup of the sit-in and to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Withdrawal

The AFC also demanded the immediate withdrawal of the military forces and militiamen from the residential areas in the country, having them replaced by police forces that will maintain order and provide security for the people. Four other demands from the AFC consisted of the immediate release of all political prisoners, an end to the internet blackout, lifting of the state of emergency and ensuring freedom of press.

The AFC confirmed that the agreements previously reached with the TMC are still standing.

Khalid Omar, secretary-general of the Sudanese Congress Party, leading member of the AFC, and member of the AFC negotiating delegation told Radio Dabanga that these six AFC demands were agreed upon by the American delegation as being the minimum to restart negotiations with the TMC. He pointed out that the TMC is delaying implementation of all six AFC demands. He also stated that the internet blackout and the military presence in the streets, made talking about reopening the negotiations premature.

Omar said that talks within the framework of the Ethiopian mediation are still ongoing, but nothing new did come up so far.

El Burhan

TMC chairman Abdelfattah El Burhan held talks with the US delegation in the Republican Palace. He stated that TMC was willing to reach a political settlement, just as the United States and the international community expected of the TMC.

Ambassador Siddig Mohamed Abdallah, acting director-general of the Department of European and American Affairs of Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press statement on Thursday that the meeting marked a frank exchange of views between the two sides.