Sudan anti-war mechanism awaits RSF response

The National Mechanism to Support Civilian Democratic Transition and Stop the War said yesterday that it is still waiting for responses to its initiative from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), along with the Central Council of the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC-CC), the Radical Change Forces Alliance, and the National Bloc. 

They confirmed that the mechanism had signed a joint declaration of principles with the Civil Forces Alliance in which they agreed on key points within the framework to stop the war. These include establishing a civilian authority and initiating a national deliberation process, leading to constitutional arrangements to ensure that a path to transition is restored. 

Since June of this year, the mechanism has expressed several demands, including calling for a ceasefire and for the implementation of methods to resolve Sudan’s war. 

The mechanism, whose members include Aisha Mousa, a former member of the Sudan Sovereignty Council, said that they had already met with Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, head of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council and commander of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and Vice President Malik Agar after publishing the road map. 

The coordinator of the National Mechanism Ambassador Ahmed Hussein told Radio Dabanga that the mechanism had been in contact with the international community during its anti-war efforts, seeking to reach the broadest representation of the FFC and agree on a national project for civil democratic transition, including forming an interim government to restore the civil path. 

Members of the mechanism said that its representatives have also recently engaged in meetings with various civil society groups in Red Sea state, Kassala, and River Nile state. She explained that the meetings included political, civil, trade union, and civil bodies. 

The war that erupted between the Sudanese army and its paramilitary counterpart the Rapid Support Forces on April 15, has caused 5.4 million people to flee their homes. In its situation update on October 7, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that Sudan’s displaced peoples have sought refuge in 4,403 different locations across Sudan’s 18 states. 1.1 million have crossed to Sudan’s neighbouring countries.