On the occasion of the Eid al-Fitr festivities – the celebrations of the end of the holy month of Ramadan – the president of the Sovereign Transitional Council, General al-Burhan, and the vice president, General Dagalo, issued an invitation to the nation and Sudanese political parties for the promotion of the process of national reconciliation and restoration of stability.
As part of his address to the nation, General al-Burhan stated how the armed forces and other security apparatuses will play an active role in promoting any solution to identify and complete the country’s political transition strategies. These statements have been interpreted by the political forces of opposition as a further confirmation of a strong will of the military apparatus not to step aside, continuing to represent the top element of national politics and economy.
The appeal to the nation was launched in a particularly critical phase of Sudanese politics, characterized by the continuation of protests by political organizations in opposition to the military government, and by the resumption of clashes and violence in the region of Sudan, where the Rapid Support Forces under the command of General Dagalo are increasingly accused of instigating violence with the specific intent to promote their political and economic interests in the area.
In spite of the requests of the political opposition, however, the request for an integration of the Rapid Support Forces within the armed forces continues to be systematically ignored by the military authorities, paralyzing any position of dialogue. It is evident, in fact, that General Dagalo categorically refuses to accept this request, interpreting it as an existential threat to the enormous economic and political interests connected to the Janjaweed militia (the name by which the units of the Rapid Support Forces are known in Darfur).
This position has also determined a conflict in the relations between General Dagalo and General al-Burhan, forcing the latter to assume a difficult position of balance, built on the one hand on the desire not to jeopardize the interests of the armed forces, and on the other hand on the need to find a political solution that prevents the collapse of the country. The divergences between the president and the vice-president have sharpened in recent months, also with respect to the international alliances, and especially in the relationship with Russia and the United Arab Emirates.
