Southern Social Movements Newswire

After 30 years in power, Omar al Bashir was overthrown on 11 April 2019, thanks to the popular mobilisations that have conquered every corner of the country since December 2018. This wave of protest and the subsequent fall of Bashir has opened a new horizon in the African nation. The future of this country now depends on the ability of the new transitional government to meet the complex challenges facing this state, in a context marked by the coronavirus pandemic, which has left more than 11,000 infections and 720 deaths in the country. In this spiral of instability, the transitional Government of the Sudan has held a meeting with a delegation from the African Union-United Nations hybrid operation in Darfur, known by the acronym UNAMID, to discuss progress in the peace process with the armed fighting movements in Juba, specifically in Darfur, where there has been an upsurge in fighting.

In an official communiqué issued by the Sudanese agency SUNA, UNAMID explained that the two leaders discussed at the meeting the agreement for the organisation’s exit from Darfur on 30 December. At the same time the Prime Minister of Sudan, Abdalla Hamdok stressed the need to maintain security and stability in order to « achieve a comprehensive peace in the country » and announced the creation of a joint security force that will be deployed in the coming weeks in Darfur to « protect the citizens and ensure the agricultural season ». In addition, Abdalla Hamdok - who received a delegation from the Darfur Women’s Forum in his office on Sunday - stressed "the Government’s commitment to increase the percentage of women’s participation at different levels of the Executive. Meanwhile, acting Foreign Minister Omer Gamar Eddin met with UNAMID Deputy Head of Mission and Joint Envoy Anita Gbeho to design the roadmap for joint coordination between the Government of Sudan and the mission during the coming period.

This meeting has taken place after the United Nations Security Council voted unanimously to terminate UNAMID. During this vote, another resolution was approved establishing a new political initiative, the United Nations Integrated Mission for Transitional Assistance in Sudan (UNITAMS), for an initial period of one year. The aim of this new initiative is to assist the African nation in its political transition to democracy, as well as to promote human rights and lasting peace.

In this context, the Transitional Government of Sudan has discussed with an international delegation aimed at supporting the peace negotiations in the country the possibility of the full deployment of this mission next January. This delegation will visit the areas of Darfur, South Kordofan, the Blue Nile and the east of the country in the coming weeks. According to the digital Al Ain, the delegation is made up of eight experts in the four areas defined by the Security Council resolution to help Sudan in the areas of political transition, democratic governance, human rights or technical assistance in drawing up a new constitution. The aim of this delegation is also to provide all the necessary assistance in terms of mediation in order to reach a lasting and stable peace agreement as soon as possible.

Abdalla Hamdok, Prime Minister of the transitional government of Sudan since August 2019

In February, the country’s government asked the United Nations to set up peace operations covering the entire territory « as soon as possible » during the transition process. Sudanese Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok insisted that these operations should take the form of a political mission, in accordance with Chapter VI of the Charter of the United Nations on the peaceful settlement of disputes.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned on Sunday that the number and frequency of certain security incidents have increased in recent weeks, especially around the capital El Geneina and the village of Masteri in the town of Beida. The agency has recorded at least seven violent events between 19 and 26 July, which left dozens of people dead or injured, several houses burned and an unconfirmed number of people displaced.

This Saturday, some 500 armed men attacked the town of Masteri, some 48 km from the town of El Geneina, leaving more than 60 people dead, most of them from the Masalit community, and another 60 injured. However, this was not the only violent event as during the same week violence has conquered at least 30 Masalit villages such as Andeita, Hashaba, Ardeiba, Sartia, Kokoldol and Awsarei, among others. « The attacks and clashes, at the height of the agricultural season, are causing loss of life and livelihoods and increasing humanitarian needs. It is estimated that almost 2.8 million people in all states of Darfur are severely food insecure, » they said in an official document.

They have also warned that the violence is hampering certain humanitarian actions in West Darfur. « With the closure announced as a 24-hour daily curfew, all movements of people are restricted, including humanitarian personnel. Access to nutrition, water and sanitation, education, health and other critical services has been compromised, » they said. One year after the 11 April 2019 coup d’état that removed then-President Omar al Bashir from power, Sudan is still in the midst of a democratic transition process, where violence is taking on some prominence, as evidenced by this weekend’s attack in Darfur that killed 60 people. Increased insecurity led to the postponement in mid-July of the signing of a peace agreement between the Government and a coalition of several rebel groups operating in the country.