Khartoum demo for appointment of civilian governors

Thousands of protestors staged a demonstration in Khartoum on Tuesday. They demanded that “the transitional structures of government be completed” by appointing civilian governors and forming a Legislative Council.

The massive demo in Khartoum yesterday, calling for a speedy appointment of civilian governors and the formation of a Legislative Council (RD)

Thousands of protestors staged a demonstration in Khartoum on Tuesday. They demanded that “the transitional structures of government be completed” by appointing civilian governors and forming a Legislative Council.

The rally moved from Jackson Square towards the government offices in the early afternoon. The demonstrators held banners and chanted slogans calling for a speedy appointment of the governors and the Legislative Council. The rally was called for by the resistance committees.

The participants delivered a detailed memorandum to Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok. It contains 19 demands.

The memorandum points out the absence of a Legislative Council led to much violence and many abuses in recent months.

Last week, Sovereign Council member Siddig Tawir stated that the Legislative Council has not been formed yet “because of the complications and diverging views in the current peace negotiation processes”.

It has been agreed in the Constitutional Declaration, signed by the then ruling Transitional Military Council and the opposition Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) in August 2019, that the FFC will nominate 67 per cent of the members of the Legislative Council. The other 33 per cent will be nominated by  other forces who did not sign the Freedom and Change Declaration and who are not associated with the Al Bashir regime.

The Declaration stipulates that the Legislative Council has the right to enact laws, oversee the performance of the cabinet, withdraw confidence from the cabinet or any of its members, approve the general budget, and ratify treaties.

The memorandum of the Khartoum demonstrators also demands that more attention be paid to the 240 demonstrators killed during the uprising and the demonstrators still missing.

It calls upon the government “to play a fundamental role” in the peace negotiations with the armed rebel movements, that take place in the South Sudanese capital Juba.

The resistance committees gave the Sudanese government a week to respond to the memorandum, threatening with escalation in case the demands are not met.

Hamdok greeted the demonstrators while accepting the memorandum.

On Monday, demonstrations were held in Port Sudan, Kosti, Kassala and El Damazin to demand the appointment of civilian governors.

 


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