Sudan protest group rejects U.N.-led talks
A leading Sudanese protest bloc on Sunday rejected a United Nations initiative to hold talks with the military aimed at restoring the country’s democratic transition following an October coup. At least one demonstrator, meanwhile, was killed when security forces violently broke up anti-coup protests in the capital of Khartoum, activists said.
The move suggests Sudan’s political deadlock and relentless street protests are likely to continue, with at least 62 people killed since the military takeover.
The U.N. offer Saturday came a week after embattled Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok resigned, citing a failure to reach compromise between the generals and the pro-democracy movement.
The Oct. 25 coup scuttled hopes of a peaceful transition, over two years after an uprising forced the military overthrow of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir and his Islamist government.
The Sudanese Professionals’ Association, which led the upraising against al-Bashir, said the “only way” out of the ongoing crisis is through the removal of the generals from power. It seeks a fully civilian government to lead the transition.
Protesters continued their marches in Khartoum on Sunday, with security forces firing tear gas to disperse demonstrators, according to activist Nazim Sirag. They also opened fire on protesters, killing one and injuring another, Sirag said.
Volker Perthes, the U.N. envoy for Sudan, said the talks would be inclusive to try to reach a “sustainable path forward towards democracy and peace” in the country.
World and regional powers welcomed the U.N. initiative. The United States, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates urged all Sudanese players to “seize this opportunity to restore the country’s transition to civilian democracy.”