reportage
"It's a betrayal": in Sudan, protesters challenge the agreement signed between civilians and soldiers
Audio 01:29
A protester in the streets of Khartoum, December 5, 2022. REUTERS - MOHAMED NURELDIN ABDALLAH
Text by: RFI Follow
3 mins
The agreement signed in Sudan has aroused strong rejection in the streets of the country.
Monday, December 5, thousands of demonstrators felt they did not feel represented by this text.
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With our correspondent in Khartoum
,
Eliott Brachet
Amid tear gas and burning tires, thousands of protesters took to the streets, like Sana Omar.
"
What is happening today is a betrayal on the part of the political parties
", she is indignant, considering that they "
negotiated on behalf of the Sudanese people to sign with the soldiers who killed our brothers and stole our revolution
”.
“
I'm depressed.
We did not have our say, we were not consulted to find out who would represent us.
They arranged between themselves and signed an agreement under the table
, ”she adds.
For Nouraï, a student, there is no guarantee that this agreement will be respected by the signatory generals.
According to him, trust with the army is broken.
“
We have signed with them in the past and they overthrew the civilian government.
Today, this agreement allows the military to remain in power in one way or another,
” he says indignantly.
According to him, this agreement "
is a blank check for them to repress demonstrators
".
And to add: “
We started this revolution against military power.
Did we fight for nothing?
Did our brothers die for nothing?
Our first demand is justice for our martyrs who have fallen since 2019
”.
Demonstrators in Khartoum, December 5, 2022. REUTERS - MOHAMED NURELDIN ABDALLAH
► To read also: Sudan: agreement between the military and civilians to end the political crisis
A “
national, professional and independent
” force
But for their part, the putschists swear that they are in good faith.
General al-Burhan, head of the Sovereign Council, acknowledged that civilians were now "
responsible for the country's objectives and problems
".
As for the army, his deputy Hemetti indicated that its withdrawal from the spheres of power was “
necessary for a lasting democracy”.
He called for the construction of a "
national, professional and independent
" force.
Declarations of good intentions while the agreement still has many gray areas.
Will the soldiers agree to cede their power?
What about their grip on whole sections of the economy?
The agreement provides that they cease their control over companies in very lucrative sectors.
This preliminary agreement ensures that a transitional justice process will emerge.
According to the text, the immunity of armed forces responsible for crimes against demonstrators should be lifted.
The signatories give themselves a month to settle the details.
And a sign that the agreement is fragile, the processions were violently repressed until nightfall.
In one year,
nearly 120 people have died in protests.
The international community has welcomed the agreement, but recalls that we are still far from a comprehensive peace.
Justice, release of prisoners, reform of the security sector, tensions in the East, a failing economy… Foreign partners pointed out the long road that remained to be traveled.
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Sudan
Abdel Fattah al-Burhan