Credit: youtube / U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Tibor Nagy

By Gary Raynaldo       DIPLOMATIC TIMES

The U.S. top diplomat for Africa Tibor Nagy and newly appointed special envoy to Sudan Donald Booth met with the opposition Forces for Freedom and Change (FCC) Thursday in capital city Khartoum and expressed support for the need to accelerate a civilian-led transitional government amid deadly violence that has gripped the Horn of Africa nation. Nagy and Booth were visiting Khartoum to encourage a transition to democracy two months after the overthrow of former President Omar al-Bashir. The U.S. diplomats also met with The Military Council (TMC) headed by Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Sudan’s capital has been on lock down since last week as paramilitary groups dismantle the many sit-in protest sites that have sprouted as Sudanese people call for an end to the military-led government. Dozens of civilians have been killed, including 19 children. 

“Amb Booth and I pressed TMC Chairman Gen Burhan to take steps to allow successful talks to resume: Stop attacks on civilians; Withdraw military from Khartoum”.

–Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs  Tibor Nagy via twitter 

Credit: Wikipedia /  Sudan TMC  Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, military leader replaced al-Bashir. 

Nagy also urged the ruling government to allow for an independent investigation of “the horrible June 3 attack on the peaceful sit-in” in which more than 100 civilians were killed.    According to media reports, witnesses to the June 3 attack in Khartoum spoke of soldiers shooting indiscriminately, throwing bodies of slain protesters into the Nile, and raping two of the medics at the sit-in.  Nagy also called on the government to investigate other recent violence, and to stop repression of free speech and the internet.

Sudanese are skeptical that the new military coalition will protect the democratic aspirations of people.  The sentiment in post-al-Bashir Sudan is that the military coalition that overthrew the autocratic leader is not part of the original grass-root protest movement. Many are disappointed that a civilian leader did not replace al-Bashir instead of military leader. 

United Nations To Focus On working with African Union Amid Crisis in Sudan 

Photo By Gary Raynaldo  /  United Nations world headquarters in New York

“The Secretary‑General has asked Nicholas Haysom to represent him on the Sudan file.  Our focus is on working with the African Union, on supporting the African Union.  We, obviously, welcome the appointment of a Special Envoy by the State Department.  I think the United States has a very critical role to play in Sudan, and the international community as a whole needs to be united in pushing for a transition to civilian rule.  I would also add that we’re continuing to be concerned by the situation on the ground.”

Stéphane Dujarric,  Spokesman for the Secretary-General said at UN headquarters June 13, 2019. 

Photo Credit: UN Eskinder Debebe / Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia briefs the Security Council meeting on the situation in Somalia, on 3 January 2019. 

The U.N. secretary-general appointed special adviser Nicholas Haysom in April to support the African Union’s mediation efforts in Sudan.     “Our basic message is one of support for the African Union and one for a call to the international community to work together cohesively in trying to solve this current situation,”   Stéphane Dujarric. 

Haysom most recently served as  the U.N.’s top envoy in Somalia, but was expelled after four months by the Somali federal government, after he tried to intervene on behalf of a former al-Shabab leader who sought to take part in elections but was banned by Somalia’s electoral commission.