A leading Sudanese protest group has rejected a United Nations initiative to hold talks with the military aimed at restoring the country’s democratic transition following an October coup.
The move suggests Sudan’s political deadlock and relentless street protests are likely to continue, with at least 60 people killed since the military takeover.
The U.N. offer Saturday came a week after embattled Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok resigned, citing a failure to reach compromise between the generals and the pro-democracy movement.
The 25th October coup scuttled hopes of a peaceful transition, over two years after a popular uprising forced the military overthrow of long-time autocrat Omar al-Bashir and his Islamist government.
In a statement, the Sudanese Professionals’ Association, which led the uprising against al-Bashir, said the “only way” out of the ongoing crisis is through the removal of the generals from power.
It seeks a fully civilian government to lead the transition, underlined by the motto “No negotiations, no compromise, no power-sharing” with the military.
Protesters continued their marches in Khartoum on Sunday, with security forces firing tear gas in at least one location to disperse demonstrators, according to activist Nazim Sirag. There were no immediate reports of causalities.
Though the envoy has yet to offer details of the U.N.-facilitated political process, the SPA’s rejection deals a blow to his efforts to bring the generals and the pro-democracy movement to the negotiating table.
Perthes is planning to offer more details in a news conference in Khartoum on Monday.
The United States, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates urged all Sudanese players to “seize this opportunity to restore the country’s transition to civilian democracy” in accordance with the 2019 constructional document at establishing the transitional government.
At the United Nations, five countries – the U.S., U.K., Albania, France and Norway – requested a U.N. Security Council meeting on the situation in Sudan. Diplomats said it will likely take place Tuesday or Wednesday.
