Sudan protesters, military reach accord on ruling body

CAIRO — Sudan’s pro-democracy movement and the army announced a joint ruling body Tuesday, formally disbanding the military council that took power after the ouster of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir in April.

The new, 11-member body — called the Sovereign Council — is to rule Sudan for a little over three years until elections can be held. An announcement about the council was delayed by two days because of last-minute, internal disputes over the opposition appointees.

The military and protest leaders signed the final power-sharing deal Saturday, following pressure from the United States and its Arab allies, amid growing concerns the political crisis could ignite a civil war.

Mass demonstrations initially erupted in Sudan in December over dire economic conditions but quickly turned into calls for al-Bashir to step down after three decades in power.

The military later overthrew the leader, but protesters have continued to take to the streets and demand a swift transition to civilian government, fearing the military could cling to power. The tortuous negotiations over the joint military and civilian council went on over the last few months despite a deadly security crackdown. At least 250 people have been killed since protests began, according to organizers.

Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who chaired the military council, will lead the Sovereign Council for the first 21 months, council spokesman Lt. Gen. Shams el-Din Kabashi told a televised news conference in the capital, Khartoum.

A civilian leader appointed by the protest movement is to follow Burhan for the next 18 months, according to the deal.

Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, who served as deputy head of the military council, was also appointed to the new council along with Kabashi, Lt. Gen. Yasser Atta and Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Gaber, said the spokesman. All were members in the disbanded military council.

Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, has consolidated power since al-Bashir’s overthrow, and is the commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Protesters accuse the RSF of leading the crackdown against them since the brutal breakup of their sit-in camp in Khartoum earlier in June.

Among the five council members named by the pro-democracy movement are a woman and a journalist.

The deal also includes a protest movement-appointed Cabinet along with a legislative council with a majority from the Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change, the main protest coalition. The legislative body is to assemble within three months.

Protest leaders have nominated a well-known economist, Abdalla Hamdok, to serve as prime minister during the transition. He has been the deputy executive secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa since November 2011.

Kabashi said Hamdok would be sworn in Wednesday.

The military is to nominate the defense and interior ministers in the transitional government, according to the deal.

Sudan has also been convulsed by rebellions in its far-flung provinces for decades, and while a rebel alliance has joined the prodemocracy coalition, it said last week it should be represented in the transitional government.

The power-sharing deal calls for the government to reach a peace agreement with the rebels within six months.