Prominent Sudanese politicians attend meeting of Sovereign Council despite rejecting appointment

JUBA –The Transitional Sovereign Council in Sudan held its first meeting after the military takeover with the participation of the three peace signatory armed groups.

General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan dissolved the collegial presidency on 25th October together with the cabinet and arrested some members of the Sovereign Council, Prime Minister Hamdok and some of his advisers and ministers.

Also, he replaced the Council’s members representing the Forces for Freedom and Change with other civilians some of them were affiliated with the banned National Congress Party.

According to a short press release after the meeting, al-Burhan welcomed the new members and “promised a new future vision that would achieve the goals of the glorious December revolution”.

He further pledged to form a civilian government in the next few days.

Malik Agar of the SPLM-N, Hadi Idris of the SLM- Transitional Council and al-Tahir Hajar of the GSLF took part in the meeting but did not make any statement after the meeting.

The three did not take part in the swearing-in ceremony and previously said they were not concerned by al-Burhan’s decision to form a new council.

New coalition

Also, the three groups of the former rebel leaders signed a joint statement with their allies in the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) on Sunday denouncing the use of excessive violence against the peaceful protests on 13th November.

The joint statement further stressed that the coup leaders bear the responsibility for the killing of peaceful protesters and grave human rights violations.

“It was agreed to form a broad national front to restore full and undiminished civil authority and to reach out to the active revolutionary forces,” further announced the joint statement.

The Sudanese Communist Party and some other civilian and professional groups had quitted the FFC as they were opposed to the participation of the “al-Bashir security committee” in the transitional period.

The Sudanese communists, the Sudanese Professional Association recently proposed to form a large front to bring down the military junta and to form a civil transitional government.

Two non-signatory groups (SPLM-N Al-Hilu and SLM al-Nur) also say opposed to the military involvement in the transition and called on their supporters to take part in the anti-coup protests.