AU High-Level Panel on Sudan met dissolved NCP

"In a rare move, the African Union High-Level Panel on Sudan met with representatives of the dissolved National Congress Party (NCP) of the former Islamist regime in Cairo on Wednesday.

Over the past two days, the panel also held meetings in Port Sudan with figures including Sudanese Army Commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the Popular Congress Party (Shura Council’s wing), and others. 

Meanwhile, the Civil Democratic Forces Coordination Mechanism (“Tagadum”) is expected to meet with the panel in Addis Ababa on Thursday." Read more.

From Sudan Tribune

Dated Wednesday, 6 March 2024 - here is a copy in full:

African Union mechanism meets dissolved Sudanese Islamist party in Cairo

AU HLP- Sudan poses with the NCP delegation on March 6, 2024

March 6, 2024 (CAIRO) – In a rare move, the African Union High-Level Panel on Sudan met with representatives of the dissolved National Congress Party (NCP) of the former Islamist regime in Cairo on Wednesday.

This meeting was part of the panel’s ongoing efforts to hold talks with various Sudanese political groups aimed at ending the ongoing conflict.

Sources confirmed to Sudan Tribune that the meeting, held at the Sheraton Hotel, followed similar talks with representatives of the Forces of Freedom and Change – Democratic Bloc.

Over the past two days, the panel also held meetings in Port Sudan with figures including Sudanese Army Commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the Popular Congress Party (Shura Council’s wing), and others. 

Meanwhile, the Civil Democratic Forces Coordination Mechanism (“Tagadum”) is expected to meet with the panel in Addis Ababa on Thursday.

The meeting with the NCP delegation, which included party leading members Amira Al-Fadil and Osama Faisal, focused on the Sudanese crisis and potential solutions to the conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, which began in April 2023.

However, sources stated that NCP representatives claimed they lacked the mandate to discuss the proposed agenda and advised the panel to meet with the party’s leadership within Sudan.

In August 2023, Yasir Arman, a spokesperson for the Forces for Freedom and Change, criticized potential involvement of the NCP in peace talks, viewing it as rewarding them for past actions.

Tagadum and other pro-democracy forces in Sudan agreed to exclude the National Congress Party (NCP) from the transitional government, as provided in the 2019 Constitutional Declaration. They argue that the NCP, an Islamist group banned after the 2019 revolution, would impede the establishment of a secular state.

The African Union (AU), however, advocates for the NCP’s inclusion, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity in the political process. The AU sees the NCP’s support for the military in its conflict with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as a potential entry point for their involvement.

Led by former Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok, the Tagadum delegation is expected to reiterate its firm opposition to the NCP’s participation in the transitional period.

View original: https://sudantribune.com/article282990/

END 

Civilian coalition focused on Sudan’s democratic transition in connection with an end to the fighting

HERE is a copy of a tweet by US Ambassador to Sudan John Godfrey @USAMBSudan posted 1 Aug 2023 2:28 pm. It says: "Useful meetings yesterday in Cairo with representatives from Sudanese civil society, political coalitions and parties to discuss their efforts to form a broadly representative, inclusive and robust civilian coalition focused on restoring Sudan’s democratic transition in connection with an end to the fighting."

Useful meetings yesterday in Cairo with representatives from Sudanese civil society, political coalitions and parties to discuss their efforts to form a broadly representative, inclusive and robust civilian coalition focused on restoring Sudan’s democratic transition in…

— John Godfrey (@USAMBSudan) August 1, 2023

HERE is a copy of Mr Godfrey's previous tweet posted 31 Jul 2023 9:31 pm. It says: "Welcomed the opportunity to visit Egypt to consult with partners on efforts to stop the fighting in Sudan, and to meet in Cairo with a group of Embassy Khartoum locally-engaged staff. Thank you to Egypt for its efforts, including on behalf of Sudanese fleeing the fighting in their country."

Welcomed the opportunity to visit Egypt to consult with partners on efforts to stop the fighting in Sudan, and to meet in Cairo with a group of Embassy Khartoum locally-engaged staff. Thank you to Egypt for its efforts, including on behalf of Sudanese fleeing the fighting in…

— John Godfrey (@USAMBSudan) July 31, 2023

[Ends] 

_________________________

HERE is a full copy of a report by Sudan Tribune - sudantribune.com

Published Saturday 05 August 2023

Sudan’s FFC hold consultations with various forces for broad civilian front

August 5, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – The Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) have postponed the announcement of their new roadmap to resolve the Sudanese crisis as they consult with additional political parties and armed groups to establish a broad civil front, except the dissolved National Congress Party (NCP).

A member of the FFC Executive Council reiterated that the coalition adopted a new plan to end the ongoing armed conflict and restore a civilian government in Sudan. The move confirms implicitly the abandonment of the Political Framework Agreement of December 5, 2022.

Speaking on a Twitter platform on Saturday, Hassan disclosed that meetings on building an expanded civil front have already commenced with several organizations and national parties.

He emphasized that anyone opposing the war in Sudan is a crucial part of this civil front, but the dissolved party of the former regime cannot be part of the future solution.

The coalition believes that delaying the release of the FFC’s vision will enable further consultation with other civil and political national forces, contributing to the establishment of the civil front.

Last week, Yasir Arman, a prominent member of the pro-democracy alliance, criticized the African Union’s plans to include the banned NCP of Omer al-Bashir in an intra-Sudanese meeting they plan to hold in Addis Ababa on August 25.

Various regional and international plans to resolve the political crisis in Sudan propose halting the fighting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), as well as facilitating a national conference to discuss the democratic transition and the formation of a civilian government.

The FFC spokesperson stated that contacts with the Arab Socialist Baath Party had not ceased even before the outbreak of the war. Additionally, they reached out to the Communist Party and several civil and political forces, along with armed groups, in order to unite the civil front and halt the war.

The FFC official expressed hope that these efforts would yield tangible results soon.

Emphasizing the urgency, Hassan stressed that a permanent ceasefire is a top priority, as it would allow citizens to return to their homes and facilitate humanitarian aid and reconstruction.

Some armed groups including the SLM of Minni Minnawi and the JEM of Girbil Ibrahim refused to join the framework agreement saying they cannot accept to be under a new coalition controlled by the FFC groups.

Image: FFC Spokesman Gaffar Hassan (L) speaks to Sudanese lawyers in Khartoum on January 25, 2023

View original: https://sudantribune.com/article275811/ 

Related report

Sudan Tribune - Mon 7 Aug 2023

Neighbouring countries craft plan for ending Sudan’s ongoing conflict

In a meeting held in N’Djamena, the foreign ministers of Sudan’s neighbouring countries on Monday gave their endorsement to a comprehensive plan aimed at bringing an end to the four-month-long conflict within the country. 

The two-day gathering of foreign ministers had been convened following a summit of Sudan’s neighbouring leaders last month in Cairo.

Full story: https://sudantribune.com/article275890/

[Ends]

Sudan's fugitive NCP veteran Karti ready to pounce

Report at Africa Intelligence - www.africaintelligence.com
By Antoine Galindo, Augustine Passilly
Published on 10 July 2023 at 04:40 GMT - excerpt:

Fugitive NCP veteran Ali Karti ready to pounce from the shadows

Ali Ahmed Karti, once a devotee of the late Hassan Turabi and the unchallenged leader of Sudan's Islamic political movement, is one of the richest men in Sudan. After four years on the run, he has reappeared in the thick of the war between the regular army and a paramilitary force - and he intends to make the most of the opportunities this presents. [...]

From left: Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Omar al-Bashir, Ali Karti and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. © Alexander Nemenov/Ashraf Shazly/Rabih Moghrabi/Khaled Desouki/AFP / El Tayeb Siddig/Reuters / Jurgita Vaicikeviciene/Alamy / Omar Marques/Getty via AFP / Studio Pachamama

View original: https://www.africaintelligence.com/eastern-africa-and-the-horn/2023/07/10/fugitive-ncp-veteran-ali-karti-ready-to-pounce-from-the-shadows,110001688-ge0

[Ends]

Sudan Journalists Syndicate demands RSF leaves broadcasting HQ. RSF shot photojournalist in back

NOTE that this photo was taken on April 14. It shows a Sudan Journalists Syndicate meeting held to discuss the security situation in Sudan. The meeting was held one day before 'surprise' fighting erupted in Khartoum.

Earlier this month a group of RSF rebels raided the office of El Hirak El Siyasi newspaper in Khartoum and award-winning Sudanese photojournalist Faiz Abubakr Mohamed was shot in the back. Read more.

Report at Radio Dabanga - dabangasudan.org

Dated Sunday 21 May 2023

Sudan Journalists Syndicate demand RSF leaves broadcasting HQ

Sudan Journalists Syndicate meet to discuss the security situation in the country on April 14, one day before the outbreak of war (Source: SJS)

(KHARTOUM / OMDURMAN - May 21, 2023) - As Sudan entered its 34th day of war on Friday, the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate (SJS) released a statement condemning the Rapid Support Forces’ (RSF) use of “media and press institutions as a field of military battles.”

“The Radio and Television Corporation has been suspended from working and broadcasting since April 15,” when clashes between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF, a powerful paramilitary group, spiralled into war.

On April 17, the organisation reported that 17 employees of the Sudan News Agency (SUNA) were “stranded” inside buildings on Republic Street in Omdurman, Khartoum state. A number of them were reported to have been evacuated on April 19.

In its latest statement, the SJS called on the RSF to immediately leave radio and television headquarters so that journalists can continue to do their work. “Their adoption of military bases puts the historical national legacy inside the two organs at risk of destruction and sabotage.”

The SJS also appealed to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) “to intervene with the warring parties in Sudan” in order to save radio and television libraries. 

“We call on the organisation, out of its responsibility to preserve human heritage… to save this legacy from being lost.”

Since fighting erupted in Sudan last month, supporters from both sides have threatened journalists for criticising human rights violations by both sides, according to the SJS.

On May 16, Al Jazeera reported that six people have been told that they will be hurt or killed if they continue reporting abuses in Sudan.

The SJS expressed its concerns about “new threats against men and women journalists” in a statement on May 11, after lists began circulating on social media calling out journalists for betraying the SAF and inciting violence against them. According to journalists who spoke to Al Jazeera, members of the National Congress Party claim “anyone who appears neutral is against the army and with the RSF.”

Earlier this month, a group of paramilitaries of the RSF raided the office of El Hirak El Siyasi newspaper in Khartoum and a Sudanese photojournalist was shot in the back.

Following its reformation last year, the SJS said that the press and media in Sudan have faced unprecedented targeting since the October 2021 coup.

Before April 15, Sudan was already ranked 151 out of 180 in the World Press Freedom Index, and 29 out of 100 (i.e. ‘Not Free’) in Freedom House’s Internet Freedom Index. “Anti-journalist predators enjoy total impunity and are protected by the authorities” in Sudan, states Reporters Without Borders on its website.

Further reading

El Burhan sacks Hemedti as Sudan TSC V-P, appoints Malik Agar

https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/el-burhan-sacks-hemedti-as-sudan-tsc-v-p-appoints-malik-agar.

View original: https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/sudan-journalists-demand-rsf-leaves-broadcasting-hq

____________________________________

Winner in the 'singles' category for Africa at regional stage of the prestigious 2022 World Press Photo Contest: 

A woman protestor hurls a teargas cannister back at riot police during pro-democracy protests in Sudan in 2021 

(Picture: Faiz Abubakr Mohamed / World Press Photo)

World Press Photo of the Year 2020: 

Straight Voice – A young man, illuminated by mobile phones, 

recites protest poetry 

while demonstrators chant slogans calling for civilian rule, 

during a blackout in Khartoum, Sudan, on 19 June 2019

(Yasuyoshi Chiba, Japan, AFP)

SW Ed Updated 23 May 2023 11:03 BST: Add Faiz to photojournalist's name; highlight Faiz in photo caption; hyphenate award-winning.

Sudan former president Bashir accused of genocide and wanted by the ICC may be free after prison attack

Report from The Guardian

By Guardian staff and agencies

Wednesday 26 April 2023 00.01 BST

Last modified on Wed 26 Apr 2023 00.17 BST - full copy:

Sudan former president Bashir accused of genocide may be free after prison attack

Rival forces say Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the international criminal court, has either been released or taken to a different location after attack

An attack on the prison holding deposed Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir has raised questions about his whereabouts, with one of the warring sides saying he is being held in a secure location and the other alleging he has been released.

Al-Bashir, who ruled Sudan for three decades was overthrown during a popular uprising in 2019. He is wanted by the international criminal court (ICC) for genocide and other crimes committed during the conflict in Sudan’s western Darfur region in the 2000s.

The Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which together had removed al-Bashir from power during mass protests, are now battling one another across the capital. The fighting reached the prison over the weekend, with conflicting reports about what transpired.

Military officials told The Associated Press that Bashir, as well as Abdel-Rahim Muhammad Hussein and Ahmed Haroun – who both held senior security positions during the Darfur crisis – had been moved to a military-run medical facility in Khartoum under tight security for their own safety.

The army later accused the RSF of donning military uniforms and attacking the prison, saying they released inmates and looted the facility. The RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, denied the allegations and claimed that the military “forcibly evacuated” the facility as part of a plan to restore al-Bashir to power.

Former official Haroun, who is also wanted by the (ICC), said that he and other former officials of Bashir’s government had been allowed to walk free, in a statement aired on Sudan television. 

He said they left the prison for their own safety because of the fighting and a lack of food or water.

Haroun also said he was ready to appear in front of the judiciary whenever it was functioning and would take responsibility for his own protection. It was not immediately clear if Bashir, who has spent extended periods in a military hospital, with him.

Both the military and the RSF have sought to portray themselves as allies of the country’s pro-democracy movement who are trying to restore its transition to civilian rule. But both joined forces to remove civilian leaders from power in a coup less than two years ago.

Kober prison held a number of activists detained after the coup. One of them who walked free, Ahmed al-Fatih, said he was willing to surrender at a police station but could not find any that were functioning amid the unrest, according to a statement released by his defence lawyers. Both activists said their lives were in danger at the prison as food and water ran low.

Videos circulating online appear to show a long line of prisoners leaving the facility with bags of belongings slung over their shoulders.

The ICC indicted Bashir, Hussein and Haroun on charges of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Darfur.

The Darfur conflict erupted when rebels from an ethnic African community launched an insurgency in 2003, complaining of oppression by the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum. Al-Bashir launched a scorched-earth campaign that included air raids and attacks by notorious Janjaweed militias – tribal fighters who stormed into villages on horses and camels.

Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report

View original: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/26/sudan-former-president-accused-of-genocide-may-be-free-after-prison-attack?ref=upstract.com

[Ends]

Sudan army launches manhunt for escaped prisoners

Report from BBC News LIVE Reporting

By Wycliffe Muia, BBC News

Wednesday 26 April 2023 12:27 BST UK - full copy:

Sudan army launches manhunt for escaped prisoners

Sudan's army and the police say they have launched an operation to bring back prisoners who have escaped during the fighting between rival military factions, including war crimes suspect Ahmed Haroun.

The interior ministry said in a statement that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which is battling the army, broke into five prisons and released an unknown number of inmates.

The ministry said the raid on Kober Prison in the capital Khartoum led to the killing of two prison warders, and that the RSF released all inmates.

The jailbreaks took place between 21-24 April, according to the ministry.

A Sudanese army spokesman told Sky News Arabia this was a "major security threat".

The spokesman said the army was coordinating with the police to return inmates to prisons. He denied army involvement in the jailbreaks, saying the military "does not have any supervision over prisons".

View original here.

[Ends]

Sudan: What is the significance of Haroun's prison escape?

Report from BBC News LIVE Reporting

By JAMES COPNALL

BBC World Service

Wednesday 26 April 2023 10:45 BST UK - full copy:

What is the significance of Haroun's prison escape?

As we’ve reported Ahmed Haroun has escaped from prison.

He played a key part in the Sudanese government’s brutal response to two long-running and still unresolved civil wars, in Darfur and South Kordofan.

He was indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for his alleged role in the atrocities in Darfur, which has been described as the first genocide of the 21st century.

Haroun was a member of former President Omar al Bashir’s inner circle for much of his 30 years in power - and was locked up once Bashir was overthrown in 2019.

Now Haroun says he and other Bashir loyalists are out of Kober prison.

Plenty of Sudanese people will believe this is just the latest example of Gen Burhan trying to restore Bashir’s Islamist lieutenants to the forefront of Sudanese politics.

View original here,

[Ends]

Former president al-Bashir moved to hospital before fighting began, says Sudanese army

Report from BBC News LIVE Reporting

Wednesday 26 April 2023 10:19 BST UK - full copy:

Former president al-Bashir moved to hospital before fighting began, says military

Former Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir was moved from prison to a military hospital before the outbreak of fighting earlier this month, according to the Sudanese army.

Bashir came to power in a military coup in 1989 and ruled Sudan until 2019, when he was toppled by another coup after large-scale protests.

Following his ousting, he was convicted of corruption and sentenced to two years in prison.

The army said in a statement that Bashir and a number of others had been moved from the Kober prison, near capital Khartoum, to a military hospital under police custody on the recommendation of medical staff.

Questions were raised about Bashir's whereabouts after a former minister in his government, Ali Haroun, announced on Tuesday that the former president had left the prison with other former officials.

Some reports had suggested that Bashir may have been released during an attack on the prison.

Both Bashir and Haroun are wanted by the International Criminal Court over alleged atrocities in the western Sudanese region of Darfur.

Read the BBC's profile of Bashir here.

View original here,

[Ends]

Whereabouts of former Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir unclear amid mass prison breaks

Report from BBC News LIVE Reporting

By BBC Monitoring

Dated Wednesday 26 April 2023 8:37 BST UK - full copy:

Whereabouts of former President Bashir unclear amid mass prison breaks

Detained ex-officials from the regime of ousted President Omar al-Bashir have reportedly fled from Kober Prison in Khartoum, which has been the epicentre of Sudan's power struggle.

It is unclear if Bashir - who was jailed for corruption during his 30-year tenure - is among the escapees.

However, Al Jazeera on Tuesday cited family members saying he was still receiving treatment at a military hospital in the Sudanese capital.

And an official from the former governing National Congress Party (NCP) who fled from the prison told the Al-Sudani newspaper that they will "surrender to the judicial authorities when the situation allows".

"We made a decision to protect ourselves due to lack of security, water, food and treatment, as well as the death of many prisoners in Kober [prison]," Ahmed Haroun said.

Haroun is wanted for alleged war crimes, which he has previously denied. They relate to the alleged incitement of violence against civilians in Darfur. He was arrested in 2019 following the coup against Bashir.

Prisons have reportedly been targeted as fighting between the rival military factions rage for a second week.

In South Darfur's capital of Nyala, at least 750 prisoners reportedly escaped following protests and riots by inmates, while hundreds of others have escaped from other prisons in Khartoum and Omdurman.

View original here.

[Ends]

TEXT: Terms of agreement between Sudan's Burhan and Hamdok (framework)

NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor: I cannot vouch for the accuracy of the following report and a tweet outlining 14 articles in the political agreement between Gen. Burhan and PM Hamdok signed on Sunday 21 Nov 2021.

Here is a full copy of a report at The Eastern Herald www.easternherald.com

By Arab Desk - Dated Sunday 21 November 2021

Sudan… The terms of the political agreement between Al-Burhan and Hamdok (framework)

On Sunday [21 Nov 2021], the Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Army, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, signed a political agreement with Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok; With the aim of ending the crisis that the country has been going through for about a month, in the wake of intense international pressure and continuous demonstrations calling for civilian rule.

The agreement, whose signing ceremony was attended by a number of military and political leaders, included 14 articles, as follows:

1- Emphasis on the constitutional document of 2019 and amended in 2020, and that it is the main reference for completing the transitional period.

2- The necessity of amending the constitutional document by consensus to ensure broad political participation, except for the dissolved National Congress Party (the party of former President Omar al-Bashir).

3- The partnership between civilians and the military is the guarantor of the stability and security of Sudan, based on an agreement to implement the partnership in a spirit and confidence, and a commitment to form a civilian government of independent competencies (technocrats).

4 – That the Sovereignty Council be the supervisor of the implementation of the tasks of the transitional period, without direct interference in the executive work.

5- Ensuring the transition of the transitional authority on time to an elected civilian government.

6- Managing the transitional period according to a declaration and a political framework in partnership between the military and civilians, the native administration, the resistance committees, the forces of the living revolution, the youth and women sectors, and the Sufi orders.

7- Conduct an investigation into the events that occurred during the demonstrations, including deaths and injuries of civilians and military personnel.

8- Implementation of the Juba Peace Agreement and its entitlements, and the annexation of non-signatories.

9- Completing all the institutions of the transitional authority by forming the Legislative Council and the judicial organs from a constitutional court, appointing the chief justice and the attorney general, and completing the establishment of the rest of the negotiations and other transitional institutions.

10- Starting a broad dialogue with all political and societal forces and the forces of the live revolution establishes the establishment of a constitutional conference.

11- Re-work of the committee to remove the dismantling of the 1989 system and review its performance in the previous period.

12- The release of all political detainees.

13- Work to build a unified national army.

14- Annulment of the decision of the Sudanese army chief, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, to relieve Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.

Photo: Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and Sudanese Army Chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (File Photo/AP) © The Eastern Herald

View original: https://www.easternherald.com/2021/11/21/al-burhan-hamdok-political-agreement/

Sudan: Quick summary of 14-point Political Declaration circulating as a photo on WhatsApp

Here is a copy of a tweet by Eddie Thomas @eddiethomas88 dated 4:14 pm · 21 Nov 2021:

Quick summary of 14-point #PoliticalDeclaration circulating as a photo on WhatsApp. Declaration brings PM #Hamdok back into #Sudan govt. 

1. Constitutional Declaration of 2019, as amended in 2020, is ‘fundamental reference’ for completing transition, with  special attention to East

2. Constitutional Declaration needs amendment in order to ensure participation of all political forces apart from the dissolved National Congress Party. 

3. Civilian-military partnership necessary for stability, commitment to form civilian technocratic govt.

4. Oversight role for civil-military Sovereignty Council transition in line with Art.8 of Constitutional Declaration, no implementation role. 

5. Guarantee of transition to civilian rule ‘on time’ (the photo has actual date, July 2023, printed and then crossed out in pen)

6. Transition will be administered in line with a political declaration setting out partnership between civil forces, military structure, Native Administration chiefs, resistance committees, revolutionary forces, youth and women sectors, Sufi tariqas

7. All political prisoners to be released. 

8. Implementation of Juba Peace Agreement. 

9. Speed up completion of transitional institutions including legislature, constitutional court, Chief Justice and prosecutor, formation of other transitional commissions etc

10. Initiation of dialogue political, social and revolutionary forces to set up constitutional convention. 

11. Reestablish committee to dismantle Bashir regime, review its performance to date, support it with qualified staff, committee to hear appeals against its decisions

12. Investigation of civilians and military deaths and injuries during protests. 

13. Build unified national army. 

14. Repeal of decree of commander in chief dismissing PM Hamdok.

View original: 

https://twitter.com/eddiethomas88/status/1462454414699118594