The World Briefly

April 10, 2023

Waiting … and Waiting

Sudan

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Pro-democracy protesters took to the streets across Sudan this week to protest the postponement of the country’s transition to a civilian government, a delay that came as Sudan marked the anniversary of the 2019 demonstrations that ousted longtime autocrat Omar al Bashir, Reuters reported.

Demonstrators marched in the capital chanting “no militia can rule the country,” while large crowds blocked main roads in other cities. Observers described the protests as the largest this year.

The unrest took place as Sudanese pro-democracy groups marked the fourth anniversary of the April 6 sit-in that removed Bashir after nearly three decades in power.

The protests were sparked by Sudan’s military government and the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Force (RSF) moving to delay – for the second time – the signing of an agreement that would see the country transition to civilian rule and eventually usher in elections.

The deal would help restore Sudan’s movement toward democracy that began after the 2019 protests, when a transition government of civilian and military officials was formed.

But that process stalled in October 2021, when the army launched a coup that deposed civilian leaders, prompting ongoing street protests against the junta, the Middle East Eye wrote.

The current postponement came amid disagreements between the military and the RSF over a number of issues regarding the integration of the paramilitary group into the army. Even so, both army and RSF leaders said in a statement marking the anniversary that they are committed to a final deal.

While the agreement has received backing from the international community, it faces opposition from pro-democracy “resistance committees” which reject negotiations with the army and have led anti-military protests since the coup.

This story originally appeared in the April 10, 2023 newsletter, The Cheerleaders.