ICC Prosecutor briefs UNSC on Darfur, Sudan

NOTE from Sudan Watch editor: I have typed this near verbatim transcript of a briefing on Darfur given by ICC Prosecutor Khan at a meeting of the UN Security Council held in New York 17 Jan 2022. The meeting was live streamed by UN Web TV. The briefing can be viewed via a link at the end of this post. 

Photo: ICC Prosecutor Karim Asad Ahmad Khan QC briefing UNSC 17 Jan 2022 (Photo credit: UN)

17 January 2022

Madam President,

Firstly may I congratulate Norway for its presidency of the Council this month. It is a real honour to have the opportunity in this new year to present the 34th report of the Prosecutor of the ICC in relation to the Darfur Situation in Sudan pursuant to Resolution 1593 that the Council passed of course in 2005.

Despite the strictures of Covid and the wearing of masks, it is wonderful even with these constraints, to be here in person. 

I would like to begin Madam President if I may by recalling what I said when I was meeting with Darfur survivors and victims when I was in Khartoum on the 17th of August last year. 

I convened a meeting with Darfur civil society. Many individuals have been struggling for almost two decades for something that should be simple but seems extremely complex, namely justice, a modicum of accountability that underlines the fact that every life matters. 

They have struggled and they have shown perseverance in relation to crimes that have unfortunately characterised a generation, at least of men, women and children. It was that suffering that led this council to use its Chapter 7 powers in 2005 and refer the Situation to the ICC. 

I share the frustrations, the impatience and the hopes of those survivors but that singular moment the first referred by the Council to the International Criminal Court would reap dividends. Expectations are not unreasonable, it is simply that there should be some justice.

The victims, the survivors, the people of Darfur, have shown that persistence but it is important as I said in my interactions with Sudanese government members that this referral cannot be a never-ending story. It can’t be, we are approaching middle age, 34 reports. We need collectively to do better, my Office of course but also this Council to make sure the promise and the purpose of the referral is wedded with concrete action. There is signs for hope and there has been progress notwithstanding difficulties that remain. 

In July of this year all 31 charges relating to a notorious Janjaweed leader Ali Kushayb were confirmed and a trial has been set down to start on the 5th of April of this year. The charges include war crimes, crimes against humanity, murder, rape, torture, attacks against the civilian population in Wadi Salih and Mukjar. That’s an important moment. 

This year, in just three months time, the promise of the Council will start being demonstrated in action by the allegations of the Office of the preferred being placed before independent and impartial judges. 

At the same time outreach is important and also I am hoping to work with the Registry of the Court to make sure there is an organised and effective outreach programme so that Sudanese people in Sudan, in Darfur, outside, can follow the proceedings because they have a right to know what happened and they have a right to see the truth.

But Ali Kushayb case is one case. There are of course four warrants outstanding: the case against former president Omar Al Bashir, the case against the former Minister of Interior Abdel Raheem Muhammad Hussein, the former Governor of South Kordofan Ahmad Harun and the case against the former jan..rebel commander Abdallah Banda. In relation to Abdallah Banda I recuse myself from that case and that case is being supervised directly by the Deputy Prosecutor.

It’s important as I said in relation to my Libya briefing in December that during my term I wish to prioritise cases that have been referred by the Council and I started that in the Sudan Situation by conducting a review of the evidence to look at the strength of those cases and I also ensured additional resources are brought into that case so that we can hopefully be more effective.

But the reality of this is, that for a variety of reasons over the last seventeen years, including the non cooperation of the Government of Sudan by the previous administrations, there were not field investigations in the country and my predecessor hibernated for a long period this Situation so that investigations did not mature. As a result I realise that the evidence particularly against Omar al-Bashir and Mr Hussein need strengthening. 

I am satisfied with the strength of the evidence regarding Ali Kushayb but in relation to two cases I’ve mentioned we need to make sure we do better and that requires cooperation from Sudan. It requires Assistance from Sudan and it also requires cooperation, collaboration from members of this Council and member States of the United Nations.

I have realising the evidential landscape, I have given more resources to the team, put more investigators on the case, also people with Arabic language skills as well, and immediately in August, two months after my term commenced, I went to Sudan to speak to the Government realising the importance of cooperation. That brought tangible results because for the first time we concluded a Memorandum of Understanding not only in relation to Ali Kushayb but in relation to all four of the cases for whom Judges of the ICC have issued have Warrants.

I also appointed a pro bono Special Adviser to focus exclusively on the Darfur Situation so we can move together, get cooperation to a greater extent and that is Ms Amal Clooney. And again this is evidence of my intent not just to [...?] prioritising Security Council referrals but to make sure the resources that are needed are put into that case.

In my trip to Khartoum we had some, in August, we had some constructive meetings. I met with General al-Burhan of the Sovereignty Council and Prime Minister Hamdok and Foreign Minister and Minister of Justice. We also met UNITAMS [...?] Volker Perthes and members of the international community. 

And in this I also underlined a new approach, it’s not, and this is the beautiful thing about the law, there is many different solutions to one fundamental problem. It’s not the location of trial or even the forum of adjudication that is critical, what is critical are independent and impartial investigations, independent and impartial adjudications, and then the rule of law that should triumph so victims can move forward realising that everything has been done to try to ensure justice.

And I emphasised to the Government members that I would be willing to use the full panoply of options that are enshrined in the Rome Statute to ensure that we can work together and forge better bonds so this chapter could be closed.

The simple issue is this. If we don’t accelerate cooperation between the Government of Sudan and my Office, investigations will keep continuing.

If we are to carve out a Road Map for the completion of this Situation in the way that I believe the Council wants, that the victims want, the way to do it is to accelerate to inject more cooperation and Assistance within the Office and if that is done I think we can move forward in an effective way.

On the 25th of October of course the landscape changed and that has not been particularly helpful. In my meetings in August not only was the MoU signed, there had been commitments by the Government to sign the Rome Statute, there had been commitments to work more closely with my Office and there had been the agreement to help ensure a permanent field presence of the Office of the Prosecutor in Khartoum.

But the hiatus from 25th October has meant we have lost focal points, we’re trying to catch up. We had to for a couple of months, in fact until now, we had to suspend active investigations and so this was a very troublesome, concerning turn of events.

The upside is that just before Christmas my team went to Khartoum again, they spoke to General Burhan, and General Burhan reassured members of my Office that the MoU was still valid, that he was looking at cooperating and he said on more than one occasion to me directly and to the team in December that it was essential to have justice for the victims in Darfur. 

The challenge now collectively for all of us is to make sure those assurances are translated into concrete tangible partnerships and accountabilities. This is a delicate stage of course in the transition in Sudan but I would underline again the only option for us to move forward and close this Situation or find a pathway towards closure is accelerating cooperation.

I mentioned this on Friday with the distinguished Representative of Sudan, Ambassador Al-Bahi [Ed: fact-check name/spelling] and I also emphasised that these cases are not against Sudan, Sudan is a partner not an adversary, they are against individuals for whom the evidence discloses their responsibility in relation to crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court. 

We do need safe and secure access to Sudan, we need safe and secure access to the archives, we need to be able to look at where the mass graves are, and we need to be able to go to all parts of Sudan and work independently. This is required not just by the Memorandum of Understanding that was signed in August of last year, it is not only required by Resolution 1593, it is also required by the Juba Peace Agreement. So there is this tripartite tiers of responsibilities of commitments that I hope very much Sudan will honour and work with us more closely.

Cooperation from outside of Sudan is also critically important and we’ve had fantastic support from the European Union, from countries, the African States, from Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the People’s Republic of China.

Really, this is an area to close this chapter and allow Sudan to move forward there can be no passive spectators, we have to help the Sudanese people get what they deserve which is justice and closure.

I hope to go again to Sudan in the next period, in the next few months, I hope around April time, hopefully, I have been promised that will be facilitated including going to Darfur, speaking to some of the survivors and victims and displaced people there and really try to build an acceleration in the work across the cases that are before the Court.

I do want, Madam President with your leave, to speak directly to those victims to underline during my term that we have an unwavering commitment to ensure that the intention of this Council and the landmark decision of 2005 is honoured and respected and so that we can have proper rigorous investigations so we are able to put before Judges what the truth of the matter is.

And in my view, I’ll be quite candid about the state of evidence, I’ll also be quite candid about one simple truth: Sudan runs the risk of always being defined by the past conduct by the events that compelled this Security Council to act in 2005 until and unless we get justice.

If we work together, if we work in partnerships, the Office of the Prosecutor, the Government of Sudan, this Council’s member States, we can close this chapter. And if we close that chapter I believe, unencumbered and relieved by some of the burdens of the past by ensuring justice, Sudan will have every possibility to do something which every Council member wants which is to write a new chapter so it can march forward to a better and more prosperous and safer future.

Thank you so much for your time, and this is my report.

View original video at the website of the United Nations Web TV here: https://media.un.org/en/asset/k1j/k1jms0qgvt

Sudan: ICC Prosecutor briefs UNSC on Darfur 17 Jan

HERE is a full copy of What's in Blue report dated Tue 11 Jan 2022. Note that Sudan's Prime Minister Hamdok resigned on 2 Jan. The UN Security Council will receive the semi-annual briefing of the ICC Prosecutor on Darfur on 17 Jan. The following meeting was requested by the UK, the penholder on Sudan. 

Sudan: Meeting under “Any Other Business”

Tomorrow (12 January), following the open briefing and closed consultations on Yemen, Security Council members will discuss the situation in Sudan under “any other business”. The meeting was requested by the UK (the penholder on Sudan), together with Albania, France, Ireland, Mexico, Norway, and the US. Special Representative for Sudan and head of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) Volker Perthes is expected to brief.

Perthes is expected to update members on the latest developments in the ongoing political crisis in Sudan following the military coup d’état of 25 October 2021, particularly in light of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok’s resignation on 2 January. Perthes last briefed the Council on 10 December 2021 (S/PV.8925) on the Secretary-General’s most recent 90-day report on UNITAMS (S/2021/1008). (For background, see our What’s in Blue story from 9 December 2021.)

Hamdok announced that he is stepping down in a televised address, during which he referred to failed mediation attempts between civilian and military leaders and said that the country is at a “dangerous turning point that threatens its whole survival”. His resignation came against the backdrop of ongoing widespread protests in the country against the 25 October 2021 coup and the subsequent power-sharing agreement between the civilian and military entities announced on 21 November 2021, which included Hamdok’s reinstatement as prime minister. Several parties have rejected the agreement, including the main opposition alliance, the Forces for Freedom and Change Coalition (FFC).

The crackdown on protestors since 25 October 2021 is another area of immediate concern for Council members. As at 9 January, according to the medical group Central Committee of Sudan Doctors, 62 people have been killed and hundreds have been injured during protests involving the excessive use of force by security forces since 25 October 2021. Some Council members may emphasise the need to conduct timely investigations into casualties during the demonstrations and the importance of accountability for this violence.

Secretary-General António Guterres took note of Hamdok’s resignation in a 3 January statement and expressed regret that “a political understanding on the way forward is not in place despite the gravity of the situation in Sudan”. He also condemned the “continued violence targeting protestors”. In a 4 January statement, the Troika on Sudan (Norway, the UK and the US) and the EU emphasised that “Sudanese stakeholders will need to work on the basis of the 2019 Constitutional Declaration on how to overcome the nation’s current political crisis, select new civilian leadership, and identify clear timelines and processes for the remaining transitional tasks – including establishing the legislative and judicial branches of government, creating accountability mechanisms, and laying the groundwork for elections”. The statement urged “stakeholders to commit to an immediate, Sudanese-led and internationally facilitated dialogue” and said that the killing and injuring of protestors “is unacceptable”, while calling for independent investigations and accountability for perpetrators. The statement was reportedly rejected by the military.

At tomorrow’s meeting, Council members will be interested in hearing more from Perthes on the role of UNITAMS, particularly regarding the “UN-facilitated intra-Sudanese political process” announced by Perthes in an 8 January statement. The political process is “aimed at supporting Sudanese stakeholders in agreeing on a way out of the current political crisis and agree[ing] on a sustainable path forward towards democracy and peace”, according to the statement. Noting that “measures taken to date have not succeeded in restoring the course of this transformation”, the statement says that “all key civilian and military stakeholders, including armed movements, political parties, civil society, women’s groups, and resistance committees will be invited to participate”.

The 8 January announcement about the UN-facilitated process followed international pressure to find a way forward in resolving the political crisis. The announcement was welcomed in a statement by the Quad on Sudan (Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the UK and the US), which expressed “strong support for the “UN-facilitated, Sudanese-led dialogue initiative”.

In a 10 January press briefing, Perthes announced the commencement of consultations on the way forward and provided further details, emphasising that the UN would play a facilitation role in the process, which will be Sudanese-led. Council members will likely seek further details on the next steps in this process, including an assessment of the various stakeholders’ willingness to participate. According to media reports, the Sudanese Professionals Association—an umbrella association of several trade unions—rejected participation in the initiative, while the FFC said that they would announce a position when further details are available. The military-led Transitional Sovereign Council reportedly welcomed the announcement of the UN-facilitated process, while also calling for AU involvement. (On 26 October 2021, the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) adopted a communiqué suspending Sudan from the AU “until the effective restoration of the civilian-led Transitional Authority”. The AU PSC decided, according to a 24 November 2021 communiqué, to “promptly dispatch a mission to Sudan”, which has yet to take place.)

In addition to political developments, members may want to hear more about the situation in Darfur, including after looting and attacks against UN facilities, equipment and supplies which took place during December 2021. On 24 December 2021, there was looting and violence at the former UN/AU Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) base in El Fasher, North Darfur, which was handed over to local Sudanese authorities three days earlier. On 28 December 2021, a World Food Programme warehouse in El Fasher was attacked by unknown armed groups. Over 1,900 metric tons of food commodities meant to feed 730,000 vulnerable people were stolen, according to the Secretary-General’s spokesperson.

Looking ahead, the Council will receive the semi-annual briefing of the ICC Prosecutor on Darfur on 17 January.

View original: https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/whatsinblue/2022/01/sudan-meeting-under-any-other-business.php

UN envoy: Sudan's new deal saved the country from civil war

Here is a full copy of a news report published at abcnews.go.com

Written by NOHA ELHENNAWY Associated Press (AP)

Dated and published at abcnews.com on Friday 26 November 2021, 20:53

UN envoy: Sudan's new deal saved the country from civil war

The U.N. envoy to Sudan says a deal struck to reinstate the country's civilian prime minister after a military coup is imperfect but has saved the country from falling into civil strife

The Associated Press

Thousands of protesters take to the streets to renew their demand for a civilian government in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, Thursday, Nov. 25, 2021. The rallies came just days after the military signed a power-sharing deal with the prime minister, after releasing him from house arrest and reinstating him as head of government. The deal came almost a month after the generals orchestrated a coup. Sudan’s key pro-democracy groups and political parties have dismissed the deal as falling short of their demands for a fully civilian rule. (AP Photo/Marwan Ali)

CAIRO -- The deal struck in Sudan to reinstate the prime minister following a military coup is imperfect but has saved the country from sliding into civil strife, the U.N. envoy to Sudan said on Friday.

Special Envoy Volker Perthes was speaking of the agreement between Sudan's military leaders and Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok, who was deposed and put under house arrest following the coup last month that stirred an international outcry.

The military takeover threatened to thwart the process of democratic transition that the country had embarked on since the ouster of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir.

The deal, signed on Sunday, was seen as the biggest concession made by the country's top military leader, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, since the coup. However, the country's pro-democracy groups have dismissed it as illegitimate and accused Hamdok of allowing himself to serve as a fig leaf for continued military rule.

“The agreement of course is not perfect,” Perthes told The Associated Press. “But it is better than not having an agreement and continuing on a path where the military in the end will be the sole ruler."

Both signatories felt compelled to make “bitter concessions” in order to spare the country the risk of more violence, chaos and international isolation, he added.

“It would not have been possible to exclude a scenario which would have brought Sudan to something close to what we have seen in Yemen, Libya or Syria,” Perthes said. He spoke to the AP via videoconference from Khartoum.

Sudan has been struggling with its transition to a democratic government since the military overthrow of al-Bashir in 2019, following a mass uprising against three decades of his rule.

The deal that Hamdok signed with the military envisions an independent Cabinet of technocrats led by the prime minister until new elections are held. The government will still remain under military oversight, although Hamdok claims he will have the power to appoint ministers.

The deal also stipulates that all political detainees arrested following the Oct. 25 coup be released. So far, several ministers and politicians have been freed. The number of those still in detention remains unknown.

“We have a situation now where we at least have an important step towards the restoration of the constitutional order,” said Perthes.

Since the takeover, protesters have repeatedly taken to the streets in some of the largest demonstrations in recent years. Sudanese security forces have cracked down on the rallies and have killed more than 40 protesters so far, according to activist groups.

Further measures need to taken to prove the viability of the deal, said Perthes, including the release of all detainees, the cessation of the use of violence against protesters and Hamdok's full freedom to choose his Cabinet members.

On Friday hundreds rallied in Khartoum and other Sudanese provinces to demand a fully civilian government and protest the deal for the second straight day. It came after thousands protested on Thursday.

One of the marches was led Siddiq Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi, a leader of Sudan's prominent Umma Party, which has split with other pro-democratic groups over the deal to reinstate Hamdok. He told journalists that protesters must remain steadfast in their calls for the generals to surrender power . Al-Mahdi was among those who were arrested during the coup and was let go in recent days.

He refused the idea of further negotiations.

“As things currently stand, there is no opportunity for things to move forward,” he said.

View original: https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/envoy-sudans-deal-saved-country-civil-war-81404904

Sudan’s Burhan names post-coup transitional council

HERE is a copy of report published at France24.com

Dated Thursday 11 November 2021 - 21:47

Written by Agence France-Presse (AFP) 

Sudan’s Burhan names post-coup transitional council without main bloc demanding civilian rule

Burhan on October 25 dissolved the government led by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, detained the civilian leadership, and declared a nationwide state of emergency, sparking a wave of international condemnation.

His latest announcement comes just two days ahead of planned mass protests against the coup.

In New York, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the latest developments were "very concerning."

"We want to see a return to the transition as quickly as possible," he told reporters.

"We want to see the release of the prime minister as well as all other politicians and leaders that have been detained."

At a closed-door Security Council meeting, UN special envoy Volker Perthes warned that "the window now is closing for dialogue and for a peaceful resolution", according to Britain's ambassador Barbara Woodward

Sudan's information ministry, which has remained loyal to the deposed government, quoted ousted minister Hamza Baloul as saying the council's formation was "an extension of the coup measures".

Under the decree, Burhan, who chaired Sudan's ruling council formed in August 2019 following president Omar al-Bashir's ouster, keeps the post.

Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, leader of the feared paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, remains his deputy in the 14-member council.

The mixed military-civilian body also retains Shamsaldine al-Kabashi, Yasser al-Atta, and Ibrahim Gaber, all senior army figures.

But the civilian representatives of the Forces for Freedom and Change, the umbrella alliance which spearheaded the anti-Bashir protests, were dropped from the council.

Among the civilian members is former parliamentarian Abou al-Qassem Bortoum, a businessman supporter of Sudan's normalisation with Israel.

Salma Abdelgaber from Al-Gazira state in central Sudan, Youssef Gad Karim from North Kordofan state, Abdelbaqi al-Zubair representing Khartoum state and Rajaa Nicola, a Copt, are also on the list.

Ex-rebel leaders Malik Agar, Alhady Idris and Altaher Hagar, who signed a 2020 peace deal with the government, also kept their seats.

One member from east Sudan has yet to be named pending consultations, according to state television.

International pressure

Last month's military takeover sparked nationwide anti-coup protests which were met by a bloody crackdown that left at least 14 people killed, according to medics.

Scores of pro-democracy activists have since been arrested as Sudan has largely remained under a rigorous internet outage.

On Thursday, the telecommunication authority said the internet cut was ordered to "safeguard national security" and would to remain in force until further notice.

A court ruling had ordered an end to the outage.

On Thursday, security forces arrested activist Mohamed Nagi al-Assam, according to an independent medics union.

Assam was a leading activist during the 2019 protests which led to Bashir's ouster.

The military power grab has triggered international condemnation, punitive aid cuts and demands for a swift return to civilian rule.

Burhan insists it was "not a coup" but a move to "rectify the course of the transition".

Sudan's army has said that the formation of a new civilian government is "imminent".

On Tuesday, Burhan met with diplomats from the US, UK and Norway who called for Hamdok's "restoration" to office and the release of all detainees.

"We discussed our strong desire to see Sudan's democratic transition put back on track. We warned against unilateral action," the diplomatic troika said.

Hamdok was briefly detained immediately after the coup but later placed under effective house arrest.

Last week, the military released four civilian members of the ex-government but key officials are still detained.

On Thursday, several EU ambassadors called for "a return to constitutional order".  (AFP)

VIDEO: In this May 17, 2021 file photo, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan attends a news conference during the International Conference on Sudan at the temporary Grand Palais in Paris, France. © Sarah Meyssonnier, Pool/Reuters/File

View video and two tweets at the original copy here: https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20211111-sudan-s-burhan-names-post-coup-transitional-council-without-main-bloc-demanding-civilian-rule

Sudan coup leader Burhan names council for post-coup transition - Hemeti remains his deputy

HERE is a copy of an AFP news report published at MSN News.com

Dated Thursday 11 November 2021 

Written by Agence France-Presse (AFP) 

Sudan general names council for post-coup transition

Burhan on October 25 dissolved the government led by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, detained the civilian leadership, and declared a nationwide state of emergency, sparking a wave of international condemnation.

His latest announcement comes just two days ahead of planned mass protests against the coup.

In New York, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the latest developments were "very concerning." 

"We want to see a return to the transition as quickly as possible," he told reporters.

"We want to see the release of the prime minister as well as all other politicians and leaders that have been detained."

At a closed-door Security Council meeting, UN special envoy Volker Perthes warned that "the window now is closing for dialogue and for a peaceful resolution", according to Britain's ambassador Barbara Woodward.

Sudan's information ministry, which has remained loyal to the deposed government, quoted ousted minister Hamza Baloul as saying the council's formation was "an extension of the coup measures".

Under the decree, Burhan, who chaired Sudan's ruling council formed in August 2019 following president Omar al-Bashir's ouster, keeps the post.

Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, leader of the feared paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, remains his deputy in the 14-member council.

The mixed military-civilian body also retains Shamsaldine al-Kabashi, Yasser al-Atta, and Ibrahim Gaber, all senior army figures.

But the civilian representatives of the Forces for Freedom and Change, the umbrella alliance which spearheaded the anti-Bashir protests, were dropped from the council.

Among the civilian members is former parliamentarian Abou al-Qassem Bortoum, a businessman supporter of Sudan's normalisation with Israel. 

Salma Abdelgaber from Al-Gazira state in central Sudan, Youssef Gad Karim from North Kordofan state, Abdelbaqi al-Zubair representing Khartoum state and Rajaa Nicola, a Copt, are also on the list.

Ex-rebel leaders Malik Agar, Alhady Idris and Altaher Hagar, who signed a 2020 peace deal with the government, also kept their seats.

One member from east Sudan has yet to be named pending consultations, according to state television.

- International pressure -

Last month's military takeover sparked nationwide anti-coup protests which were met by a bloody crackdown that left at least 14 people killed, according to medics. 

Scores of pro-democracy activists have since been arrested as Sudan has largely remained under a rigorous internet outage.  

On Thursday, the telecommunication authority said the internet cut was ordered to "safeguard national security" and would to remain in force until further notice.

A court ruling had ordered an end to the outage. 

On Thursday, security forces arrested activist Mohamed Nagi al-Assam, according to an independent medics union. 

Assam was a leading activist during the 2019 protests which led to Bashir's ouster. 

The military power grab has triggered international condemnation, punitive aid cuts and demands for a swift return to civilian rule.

Burhan insists it was "not a coup" but a move to "rectify the course of the transition".

Sudan's army has said that the formation of a new civilian government is "imminent".

On Tuesday, Burhan met with diplomats from the US, UK and Norway who called for Hamdok's "restoration" to office and the release of all detainees. 

"We discussed our strong desire to see Sudan's democratic transition put back on track. We warned against unilateral action," the diplomatic troika said.

Hamdok was briefly detained immediately after the coup but later placed under effective house arrest. 

Last week, the military released four civilian members of the ex-government but key officials are still detained.

On Thursday, several EU ambassadors called for "a return to constitutional order". (bur/hc)

Photo AFP © - A young Sudanese man rolls a tyre before setting it on fire in front of a street barricades built by anti-coup demonstrators in the capital Khartoum

Photo © AFP Ashraf SHAZLY Sudan's top army general Abdel Fattah al-Burhan

View original:  https://www.msn.com/en-ph/news/world/sudan-general-names-council-for-post-coup-transition/ar-AAQB42U

Sudan mediators hit 'hurdles' after coup

Here is a copy of a news report in full by Agence France-Presse (AFP) News 

Dated Tuesday, 2 November 2021 at 1:36 PM - reprinted by International Business Times.com

Sudan Mediators Hit 'Hurdles' After Coup

Just over a week after Sudan's top general locked up political leaders and seized power sparking mass protests and a deadly crackdown, mediators are seeking to restore the transition to civilian rule.

But experts warn that Sudan's military and civilian leadership are deeply divided, senior figures remain under military guard, and rebuilding trust between rival factions is a mammoth task.

"We sat with all actors from the military and civilian sides," one mediator said on condition of anonymity.

That intermediary is among a stream of leading Sudanese figures -- including businessmen, academics and journalists -- who have been trying to break the stalemate.

"We secured initial consent for talks, but hurdles remain in the way," the mediator added.

Sudan has enjoyed only rare democratic interludes since independence in 1956 and spent decades riven by civil war.

Since August 2019, the northeast African country had been ruled by a joint civilian-military council as part of the now derailed transition to full civilian rule.

But in a move widely condemned internationally, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan -- Sudan's de facto leader since the 2019 ouster of autocratic president Omar al-Bashir -- last week dissolved the government, detained the civilian leadership, and declared a state of emergency.

It triggered nationwide mass protests against the military -- demonstrations met by a deadly crackdown by security forces, resulting in at least a dozen people killed and scores wounded.

After armed troops were sent to crush protesters, street demonstrations have faded, although the situation remains volatile.

World powers demanded a swift return to civilian rule, and made punitive aid cuts that will hit hard in a country already mired in a dire economic crisis.

Last week, Burhan, a veteran general who served under Bashir's three-decades long iron fisted rule, vowed to form another civilian government.

Yet the two sides remain far apart.

"The civilians feel burnt by what their military partners did on October 25th," and will have "a high expectation" of guarantees to trust the military again, said Jeffrey Feltman, the US special envoy for the Horn of Africa.

Both sides, however, are going to need to work together, Feltman added.

"One's not going to be able to sideline the military, just as the military should not be trying to sideline civilians as they are now."

He told reporters the US has been in touch with Egypt and the United Arab Emirates to discuss Sudan's crisis.

The main civilian bloc, the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) which led anti-Bashir protests, had just before the coup divided into two opposing factions, with a splinter group supporting the military.

The mainstream FFC remains committed to civilian rule. It says civilian leaders -- including Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who is effectively under house arrest -- must be freed before negotiations can progress.

"We insisted on the release of civilian detainees and resumption of the power-sharing deal as a prerequisite for talks," said Kamal Ismail, an FFC leader, after meetings with African Union officials.

"We believe these are not conditions. They are simply our rights."

The AU last week suspended Sudan's membership "until the effective restoration of the civilian-led transitional authority", and a team from the bloc's Peace and Security Council is expected in Khartoum on Wednesday.

United Nations officials and Western diplomats have called for the return of the government.

"We're engaging with all Sudanese across a very broad political spectrum," said Volker Perthes, UN special representative to Sudan, said Monday.

Neighbouring South Sudan, which contributes significantly to Khartoum through fees for sending its oil to export through a pipeline in Sudan, sent presidential adviser Tut Gatluak to try to help broker talks.

"We seek to bring all sides to hold a comprehensive dialogue on all issues," Gatluak said.

Other senior Sudanese mediators have held two meetings with Burhan on behalf of the FFC.

"He listened to the demands, and said he would take them into consideration," one mediator said on condition of anonymity.

However, the mediator warned they did not expect a resolution any time soon.

"We don't expect the military to heed these demands on the first attempt," he added, citing "ongoing tensions and the lack of trust."

PHOTO: A man walks past gas cylinders in Sudan's capital Khartoum on November 2, 2021 as talks to broker peace between rival factions continue Photo: AFP / Ashraf SHAZLY

IMAGE: Key economic indicators for Sudan. AFP / Jonathan WALTER

PHOTO: AFP / - Sudanese anti-coup protesters gathered in their thousands on October 30, 2021 to express their support for the country's democratic transition 

PHOTO: AFP / ASHRAF SHAZLY: Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, seen here in August 2020, has been pressing for the United States to delist his nation as a state sponsor of terrorism 

Copyright AFP. All rights reserved.

View original:  https://www.ibtimes.com/sudan-mediators-hit-hurdles-after-coup-3329722

Sudan: Hamdok says solution hinges on return of govt

NOTE from Sudan Watch editor:  Although there is a lack of news about Sudan’s cabinet ministers, their current whereabouts and how well they are being treated, it is clear that the UN Security Council and many ambassadors and diplomats round the world are following events closely and doing everything possible to ensure Mr Hamdok and his detained ministers and politicians are being kept safe and well.

Shortly after the military coup, a news report stated that a cabinet minister had been arrested at home during the night and taken to an unnamed location still wearing his night clothes. 

The following copy of a news report by AFP says PM Hamdok is quoted as saying "the release of the cabinet ministers and the full reinstatement of the government could pave the way to a solution”. The source of the quote is the Facebook page of Sudan’s information ministry.

The report reveals that the coup leader Gen Burhan said the detainees were being kept in "a decent place" and that those facing charges "will be moved to where the accused are usually taken while the rest will be released."

I have no verifiable news about current internet access in Sudan, cut off by the junta during the coup.

Here is a full copy of a news report written by Agence France-Presse (AFP)

Published at France24 dot com

Dated Monday, 1 November 2021, 9:23 pm

Sudan's ousted PM says solution hinges on return of govt: ministry

Sudan's ousted Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said Monday [Nov 1] the reinstatement of his government, dissolved in a military coup, could pave the way to a solution in the country, the information ministry said.

Hamdok spoke during a meeting at his home, where he is under effective house arrest, with the ambassadors of the United States, Britain and Norway, the ministry which remains loyal to the prime minister said.

On October 25, Sudan's top general Abdel Fattah al-Burhan dissolved the cabinet as well as the ruling joint military-civilian Sovereign Council which had been heading Sudan's transition towards full civilian rule following the 2019 overthrow of autocrat Omar al-Bashir.

In a move widely condemned internationally, Burhan declared a state of emergency and detained Sudan's civilian leadership, including Hamdok and members of his government.

Hamdok, an international economist, was later released and placed effectively under house arrest.

The ousted prime minister "insisted on the legitimacy of his government and transitional institutions", the information ministry said on its Facebook page.

He added that "the release of the cabinet ministers and the full reinstatement of the government could pave the way to a solution," the ministry said.

Hamdok, according to the statement, demanded that the situation in Sudan return to what it was before the coup, refusing to negotiate with the military rulers.

The statement added that the three ambassadors also informed Hamdok that the US special envoy for the Horn of Africa, Jeffrey Feltman, would arrive at dawn Tuesday in Khartoum "to pursue efforts to ease the crisis".

'Dangerous legal situation'

Earlier Monday [Nov 1] a Sudanese lawyer representing the detained civilian leaders said their whereabouts is unknown and that they are in a "dangerous legal situation".

Kamal al-Gizouli is the lead defence lawyer on a team of attorneys which has come forward to represent them with the backing of their families.

Gizouli said his team went to an agency "where they were believed to have been held but we found that they were not there."

Gizouli expressed concern about the well-being of the detainees and called on those holding them to reveal their location.

"These detainees are in the most dangerous legal situation" since nothing was known about their case nor who was heading the investigation, he added.

Little is known about the whereabout of his cabinet and the members of the council that had been tasked with paving the way to full civilian rule.

Burhan had since August 2019 chaired the council, working alongside Hamdok's government under a power-sharing deal that outlined the post-Bashir transition.

The arrangement came under strain, however, as splits deepened between the civilians and the military.

Jonas Horner, senior analyst for Sudan at International Crisis Group think tank, speaking to AFP earlier Monday, said Hamdok will "find that his political cache has been boosted" by recent events, "and that he is in fact strengthened from what was a relatively weak position previously."

Horner cited, for example, Hamdok's "principled stance" prior to the putsch in refusing to dissolve his government.

In a news conference last week, Burhan defended the military's takeover, saying it was "not a coup" but a move to "rectify the course of the transition".

The general also said the detainees were being kept in "a decent place" and that those facing charges "will be moved to where the accused are usually taken while the rest will be released."

Sudanese and international efforts have been made to mediate a way out of the crisis since the coup.

"We call on all sides mediating to resolve the crisis to demand that the whereabouts of these ministers and politicians be known," said Gizouli.

On Sunday, the UN special representative to Sudan, Volker Perthes, said options for mediation have been discussed with Hamdok and other Sudanese stakeholders.

Photo and caption: Sudan's ousted Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, pictured in September 2021, has been effectively under house arrest since the military coup (AFP/-)

bur-mon/hkb/it

View original: https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20211101-sudan-s-ousted-pm-says-solution-hinges-on-return-of-govt-ministry

Sudan’s PM Hamdok well but under house arrest

NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor: The following news report confirms that Mr Volker Perthes, the UN special representative to Sudan, said yesterday (Oct 31) that he had met Sudan’s prime minister, Mr Abdalla Hamdok, who is being held under armed guard by the ruling military junta. “He remains well but under house arrest,” Perthes said.

I say, looking at this report's photograph taken yesterday one can’t help wondering how many people it took to fetch and carry all the bricks that were needed to keep on creating barricades. This report tells us that as soon as the bricks were removed by the security forces, many of the barricades were put back when the security forces left :)  Good Sudanese people are so great, they make me laugh. I’m sure some Britishness and British sense of humour have seeped into their DNA somewhere along the line of history.

Here is a full report by The Guardian UK

Reporting by Guardian Correspondent and Agencies

Dated Sunday 31 October 2021 18.33 GMT UK

Sudan coup protesters return to barricades on seventh day of unrest

Militia and police personnel target protesters in south Khartoum a day after deadly crackdown

Photo: A brick barricade on a street in east Khartoum on Sunday [Oct 31]. Credit AFP/Getty Images

Sudanese anti-coup protesters gathered behind barricades in Khartoum on Sunday, a day after a deadly crackdown on mass rallies.

Tens of thousands of people turned out across the country for Saturday’s demonstrations, and at least three people were shot dead and more than 100 people wounded, according to medics. Police denied the killings or using live bullets.

On Sunday the feared Rapid Support Forces militia and police special forces ejected some protesters from barricades in al-Daim neighbourhood, in the south of Khartoum, as a defiant civil disobedience campaign against the military takeover extended into a seventh day.

Mustafa Hassan told the Guardian he had been sitting outside having coffee under a tree near where he lives in south Khartoum when the forces came in carrying guns and sticks.

“They beat me and everybody on the street including an elderly man, shouting at us to remove all the barricades. They do not have mercy, they do not respect old people. I felt sorry for the old man,” he said.

Another protester said many of the barricades were put back up when the security forces left.

“They ran away when the security forces came in here, but when they removed the barriers and left, they came back to build new barricades,” said the man, who did not want to give his name.

“The opposition to this coup is huge, it is on the social level. I was sitting here upstairs and seeing even children and women and young girls are all part of the resistance. That’s what the opposition lacked for years during [the former dictator Omar al-] Bashir’s time.”

The protests are in response to Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan dissolving the government on 25 October, declaring a state of emergency and detaining Sudan’s civilian leadership.

Sudan had been ruled since August 2019 by a joint civilian-military council as part of a now derailed transition to full civilian rule.

Volker Perthes, the UN special representative to Sudan, said on Sunday he had met the detained prime minister, Abdalla Hamdok, who is being held under armed guard by the ruling military junta.

“He remains well but under house arrest,” Perthes said.

“We discussed options for mediation and the way forward for Sudan. I will continue these efforts with other Sudanese stakeholders.”

The independent Central Committee of Sudan’s Doctors said on Sunday that militias had shot dead a protester on the day of the coup, pushing its overall tally to 12 dead. A senior US official had estimated that at least 20 to 30 people were killed before Saturday’s protests.

The coup has sparked a chorus of international condemnation and punitive aid cuts, and world powers have demanded a swift return to civilian rule and called for the military to show restraint against protesters.

View original: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/31/sudan-coup-protesters-man-barricades-on-seventh-day-of-unrest