"Sudanese Legislative" .. Do you see the light on time?

Ahmed Fadl-Khartoum

The forces of freedom and change in Sudan announced this week the work to form the Legislative Council before November 17, in implementation of the agreement on the transfer of power, but the formation of the Legislative Council within ten days face "real obstacles", with the opposition of armed movements and opposition forces In addition, the ruling coalition has not decided its options yet.

On August 17, the Legislative Council and the forces of change signed the final document of the agreement on the transfer of power. The constitutional document was signed by Mohammed Hamdan Daglo (Humaidati), deputy speaker of the Legislative Council.

The leader of freedom and change Mohammed Ismat Yahya told Al Jazeera Net that the components of the coalition has not yet submitted candidates, ruling out the formation of the Legislative Council on time, "because so far there are no criteria for the formation of the Council; Will it be in accordance with the population density or according to quotas granted to each bloc in the coalition?

Even at the level of other powers that will be granted 33% of the seats, there is no precise classification of what it is.

Between two proposals
According to a reliable source in the Nominations Committee for Freedom Forces, the committee proposed the formation of the council according to the population density of the states, taking into account the proportion of women in the Council at least 40%, as stipulated in the Constitution document.

The source said in his talk to the island Net that there is another proposal, most likely, put forward by one of the blocks, and provides for the granting of each bloc coalition seats in the Council according to its weight, to take into account in its candidates representation of states and women.

The Coalition of Forces for Freedom and Change is made up of three main blocs: Sudan Call Forces, the National Consensus Forces and the Professional Gathering, as well as less representative blocs in the Central Alliance Council such as the Federal Assembly and civil society organizations.

Rebel movements
According to political analyst Abdullah Adam Khater, geographical representation in the Legislative Council has become inevitable, as was the selection of the Sovereign Council.

Khater warned in his interview with Al Jazeera Net to the importance of representing what he calls "advisory forces", which have legal expertise, economic, religious, cultural, social and sports.

However, JEM deputy head Sadiq Yusuf warned that the formation of the council now without taking into account the agreement with the rebel movements would undermine the government's seriousness of the peace convictions, which would return the country to the former regime's box.

Yusuf accused parties of mixing papers to undermine confidence between the government and the movements to form a legislative council before reaching an agreement with the rebels.

Opposition reservations
With regard to the reservations of opposition forces such as the "Reform Now" movement on the division of the constitution document to the seats of parliament;

Rizk believes that the army proposed to postpone the formation of the Council for its complexity, but now with the control of the forces of freedom and change, it will win by 67%, criticizing the overwhelming majority of the coalition; which will make others just "Compars" and media platform without influence in legislation and accountability. He adds that "the real opposition will not participate unless the formula changes the oath of parliament to protect the document document."

According to Article 22 of Chapter VII of the document, the President and members of the Council will be sworn to abide by, protect and preserve the Transitional Constitutional Document.

Historical comparison
Rizk is likely to emerge problems threatening peace if the Council is formed by these proportions, because it will make fateful decisions in the enactment of legislation and laws and the signing of controversial international agreements such as "CEDAW".

Khater, on the other hand, is betting that the Transitional Legislative Council will form the basis for a legislative base like the Northern Sudan Advisory Council in the 1940s. He explained that the council succeeded - despite the boycott of political forces - in the consolidation of the legislative base for post-independence Sudan, the same formula for the transitional parliament now.

According to the constitutional document, a joint chamber between the Councils of Sovereignty and Ministers will assume the functions of Parliament until its formation.

Quota or balances?
According to the source in the Committee on the Nominations of Change, the task of the Committee in the nomination of deputies will be difficult, because the formation of parliament is based on the quota to fill 201 seats in favor of the forces of freedom and change, and consult with the military to fill 99 seats for the other revolutionary forces.

Ismat advises the leader to postpone the formation of parliament, because the peace is the most important, and to avoid patchwork after reaching a peaceful settlement with the armed movements. But he did not rule out amendments to the proportions contained in the document, because there are armed movements outside the coalition of freedom and change, and must be represented in the Legislative Council, which will establish the future of the Sudanese state.