Respect the Will of the People for a Civilian Government!

n 3rd June 2019, the Sudanese paramilitary “Rapid Support Forces” (RSF) attacked the sit-in outside the Army Headquarter in Khartoum, where thousands of protesters have gathered peacefully since 6th April to demand a transition to civilian rule. According to international media, at least 35 were killed and many more injured on 3rd June alone. The Central Committee of Sudan Doctors furthermore reports on 5th June of 40 bodies in addition being taken out of the Nile by the RSF and brought to an unknown location, after dumping them in the Nile during the massacre. In parallel, paramilitary attacked similar protest sights in Atbara, Damazin and ElNahud.

Since 4th June, the RSF is raging through Khartoum and other cities, doing what they did before as Janjaweed in Darfur: killing, raping, stealing, abducting and spreading terror among the civilian population. Their leader, General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo (called “Hemeti”), is the vice leader of a so-called “Transitional Military Council” – by Sudanese activists being dubbed “Coup Council” – which took over after 30 year military dictator Omar Al-Bashir, was forced out of office by massive nonviolent protest since December 2018, and so was his predecessor General Ibn Auf less than 24 h later.

With unique courage and resilience, protests and strikes still continue in many places, with the “Sudanese Professional Association” calling the population for all out strike and the blocking of all roads, and people including the hope for a civilian government, freedom and peace in their Eid prayers. The protests had started in December 2018 in Atbara and Port Sudan, spread quickly all over the country, and culminated in Sit-Ins in front of Military Headquarters in many cities from 6th April onwards, as well as a general strike on 29th-30th May 2019, after a massacre in Khartoum on 13th May and a breakdown of transition negotiations.

While internet is being cut off in Sudan to stop the world from knowing what is going on, the international community is hardly responding: China and Russia are blocking even a statement of the UN Security Council, and Saudi-Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates are actively supporting the “Coup Council” and/or the RSF militia, while Russia signed a military deal with the Sudanese military for a 10 year cooperation.

The international community needs to act swiftly and sensitively, to help avoid a further spiral into violence and ensure that the rightful will of the Sudanese people for a civilian government is respected.

• Email, fax or call the Sudanese Embassy today, condemning the attacks on nonviolent protesters and demanding that the “Transitional Military Council” withdraws all troops and militia forces from the Khartoum sit-in and other protest sites, as well as hospitals, residential areas and civilian spaces.
• Contact the foreign ministry of your government and your local member of parliament. Urge them to issue a statement condemning attacks on protesters and stating that they will hold Generals Burhan and Daglo of the “Transitional Military Council” (TMC) responsible for deaths and injuries to civilians. Call on your government to stop all forms of cooperation with the “TMC” until those responsible for killing and injuring protesters are brought to justice. Call them to use all diplomatic means, to urge Saudi-Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Russia and China to stop supporting the “TMC” and respect the will of the Sudanese people.
• Circulate this appeal to your friends, trade union branch or campaign group
  Read and share background information about the situation in Sudan and post messages of solidarity with the Sudanese protesters in social media.

PLEASE FIND BELOW SAMPLE LETTERS TO SEND TO THE SUDANESE GOVERNMENTS AND EMBASSY, TO THE EMBASSIES OF EGYPT, SAUDI –ARABIA, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES AND RUSSIA, AND TO THE FOREIGN MINISTRIES OF THE EU:

In the early hours of today, Rapid Support Forces backed by security forces and Police stormed the sit-in area in front of the headquarters of the Sudanese army in the capital Khartoum. Fire bullets were used excessively and injured several unarmed citizens; uncounted numbers of them are dead. The raiding forces burned the tents in the sit-in area and used excessive physical force against the protestors. The raid and attacks against civilians are still ongoing in an attempt to break and disperse the peaceful sit-in

We consider this violation a criminal offence against the Sudanese people, and a total reversion to the old regime’s tactics and policies.

The Sudanese revolution will continue and shall prevail.

The Foreign Relations Committee, Sudanese Professionals Association
foreignrelations@sudaneseprofessionals.org

For further information visit:
https://www.facebook.com/Sudanese-Translators-for-Change-STC-410547673013811/ for up to date

information and witness reports from the ground
www.menasolidaritynetwork.com

General Burhan and General Daglo,
Military Headquarter
Khartoum
SUDAN

Via:

Embassy of the Republic of Sudan
Interim Office Holder Al Walead Hassan Abdo Hassan
Kurfürstendamm 151
10709 Berlin
Fax: 030-890 69 823
E-Mail: sudani-embassy@hotmail.com

Respected Generals Burhan and Daglo,
respected Ambassador Al Walead Hassan Abdo Hassan,

with dread and horror I heard about the current eruption of violence in Sudan, in which the Rapid Support Forces and other armed representatives of the previous government of Omar Al-Bashir killed at least 35 unarmed civilians on 3rd of June alone, injured hundreds, and leaving a trail of devastation, rape and theft through Khartoum and other places in Sudan.

This violence against unarmed civilians is under no means justifiable, and proofs that the Military Transition Council is unfit to govern a people who with great courage, determination and resilience are making it clear to the world that they want – and have the right to – chose their own government: a civilian and not a military one. The massive nonviolent protests since December 2018, the sit-ins in Khartoum and many other places since 6th April, and the general strike on 29./30. May 2019, should have made that sufficiently clear.

General Burhan, General Daglo, remember your humanity and do the only and most important and strong thing you can do for the people in Sudan: Stop the spiral of escalation which will lead to countless suffering, and will put you ultimately on trial for crimes against humanity. Call back your troops, and make way to a civilian government.

Regards,

To the Ambassador of Egypt, Russia, Saudi-Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Please fill in the address of the respective embassy in your country

Respected Ambassador,

with dread and horror I heard about the current eruption of violence in Sudan, in which the Rapid Support Forces and other armed representatives of the previous government of Omar Al-Bashir killed at least 35 unarmed civilians on 3rd of June alone, injured hundreds, and leaving a trail of devastation, rape and theft through Khartoum and other places in Sudan. .

This violence against unarmed civilians is under no means justifiable, and proofs that the Military Transition Council is unfit to govern a people who with great courage, determination and resilience are making it clear to the world that they want – and have the right to – chose their own government: a civilian and not a military one. The massive nonviolent protests since December 2018, the sit-ins in Khartoum and many other places since 6th April, and the general strike on 29./30. May 2019, has made that sufficiently clear.

In the past weeks, your country has actively shown support to the military and paramilitary power holders in Sudan. We call upon your humanity to avoid a blood bath in Sudan, to respect the will of the Sudanese people, and refrain from all support to the illegitimate “Transitional Military Council”. Rather we urge you to make way – in bilateral, regional and multilateral efforts – for a civilian led transitional government which can include the rights of all people of Sudan and lead to sustainable peace in Sudan. The world is watching whether you take the path of supporting bloodshed and oppression or a humane approach.

Regards,

Signature & Date:
Address:

To: Please add the name and address of an/your EU country`s foreign minister

Respected Minister,

with dread and horror I heard about the current eruption of violence in Sudan, in which the Rapid Support Forces and other armed representatives of the previous government of Omar Al-Bashir killed at least 35 unarmed civilians on 3rd of June alone, injured hundreds, and leaving a trail of devastation, rape and theft through Khartoum and other places in Sudan.

This violence against unarmed civilians is under no means justifiable, and proofs that the Military Transition Council is unfit to govern a people who with great courage, determination and resilience are making it clear to the world that they want – and have the right to – chose their own government: a civilian and not a military one. The massive nonviolent protests since December 2018, the sit-ins in Khartoum and many other places since 6th April, and the general strike on 29./30. May 2019, have made that sufficiently clear.

Through the cooperation in the framework of the Khartoum Agreement, the EU has participated in stabilising the military dictatorship in Sudan, while Omar Al-Bashir integrated the notorious Janjaweed militia of Mohamed Hamdan Daglo as „Rapid Support Forces“ into the Army.

It is high time that the EU is cancelling this agreement, and is using all its diplomatic means to urge all countries who are accepting and actively supporting the „Transitional Military Council“ to make way for peaceful transition to a civilian rule – namely Saudia-Arabia, United Arab Emirates, China, Russia and Egypt. I furthermore urge you to insist on a full examination and prosecution of the violence against nonviolent protesters in Sudan on 3rd June and since the start of the protests in December 2018.

With their many months of nonviolent creative and courageous protest and their determination even despite grave violence, the Sudanese people are a hope for millions and maybe billions around the globe! We call upon you to use your voice and weight, to stand behind the Sudanese people, today and in the transition process to come.

With kind regards,

Signature and Date:
Address:

An
Außenminister Heiko Maas
Auswärtiges Amt,
11013 Berlin

Sehr geehrter Außenminister Maas,

mit Entsetzen verfolge ich die Geschehnisse im Sudan, wo in diesen Tagen ein militärischer Übergangsrat aktuell eine gewaltfreie Revolution mit einer Welle massiver Gewalt konfrontiert und das Land in einen Bürgerkrieg zu schlittern droht. Dabei wüten die paramilitärischen „Rapid Support Forces“ von General Daglo u.a. durch die Hauptstadt Khartoum.

Ich begrüße, dass das Auswärtige Amt die vom sogenannten „militärischen Übergangsrat“ zu verantwortende Gewalt der Rapid Support Forces und anderer Akteure deutlich verurteilt, sich auf UN-Ebene für eine internationale Reaktion engagiert und eine Machtübergabe zu einer zivilen Regierung fordert.

Die Bundesrepublik Deutschland und die EU haben durch die Kooperation mit der Militärregierung im Sudan u.a. im Rahmen des Khartoum-Prozess und der Unterstützung eines „nationalen Dialogs“, der die kritische Zivilgesellschaft ausschloss, zu einer Stabilisierung der Militärdiktatur beigetragen, die u.a. die „Rapid Support Forces“ als Grenzschutzpolizei „geadelt“ und weiter aufgebaut hat.

Es ist höchste Zeit, dass die Bundesrepublik und die EU das Khartoum-Abkommen aufkündigt, und sich auch gegenüber Drittstaaten, die den „militärischen Übergangsrat“ anerkennen und unterstützen, mit allen diplomatischen Mitteln für ein Ende jeglicher solcher Unterstützung einsetzt. Besonders wichtig sind hierbei Saudi-Arabien, die Vereinigten Arabischen Emirate, Russland, China und Ägypten.

Für nachhaltigen Frieden und Stabilität im Sudan, ist es längerfristig wichtig, dass Deutschland, die EU und andere internationale Akteure einen von sudanesischer Zivilgesellschaft geführten Übergangsprozess unterstützen und dabei insbesondere die marginalisierten Gruppen im Fokus halten, wie z.B. „afrikanische“ Ethnien, Frauen, Menschen außerhalb der städtischen Zentren und mit geringem Einkommen. Dieser Übergangsprozess beinhaltet neben dem Aufbau demokratischer Strukturen und Entwicklungs- und „DDR“-Maßnahmen (Disarmament, Demobilising, Reintegration), auch eine rechtliche und gesellschaftliche Aufarbeitung der Vergangenheit.

Tragen wir dazu bei, dass der unglaubliche Mut der Sudanes*innen und die Opfer die sie gebracht haben und bringen, dazu führen, dass der Sudan eine Hoffnung für den afrikanischen Kontinent und die Welt sind!

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

Datum und Unterschrift:
Adresse: