Member of the central council of Sudan’s Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) alliance and aide to Chairman of the National Umma Party Al-Siddiq Sadiq al-Mahdi accused the critics of those who advocate ending the war of continuously holding onto it “out of fear of jeopardizing their interests.”
He said these critics are also looking to absolve themselves of responsibility for the war by attributing it to “the civil forces working on instituting structural reforms in the state.”
In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, al-Mahdi revealed that the Sudanese civil forces are nearing the formation of a broad civil front working to end the war, composed of civil and political forces, resistance committees, professionals, and independent figures.
An agreement has been reached to establish a communication committee to carry out necessary talks for announcing the convening of a conference in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
Al-Mahdi explained that the ousted regime and its supporters “ignited the war and are working to perpetuate it, standing against any cessation of hostilities, all in an effort to return to power and open new avenues for corruption.”
“This is why they engineered and supported the October 25, 2021, coup and, subsequently, brought about the catastrophic event of the mid-April war, to obstruct any civil democratic transformation that goes against their interests,” added al-Mahdi.
He described the accusations leveled by the supporters of ousted former President Omar al-Bashir's regime against the civil forces as “treachery” and “illogical”.
He emphasized that those advocating for the continuation of the war are individuals whose interests have been harmed by its cessation, adding that “the supporters of the National Congress Party, and Islamists in general, along with the former figures in power are the ones who ignited the war and hope it continues.”
Al-Mahdi denied the existence of a major problem between the National Congress Party (the ruling party during Bashir’s era) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), saying instead that their real issue lies with the political forces advocating for reform.
They aim to preserve their questionable interests, maintain their empowerment, and continue the plundering of the country’s resources, he charged.
According to al-Mahdi, they intend to continue with their corrupt ways and that is why they ignited the war and insist on its continuation. This is why the remnants of the regime have attacked the civilian forces.
Moreover, he emphasized that the primary battle of the National Congress Party and its supporters “is not with the RSF.”
He accused the supporters of the ousted regime and their loyal military forces of “wasting vast sums of money, ranging from $6 billion - $9 billion annually.”
“Sudan produces between 120 and 200 tons of gold annually, but the state only receives about 20 to 30 tons from it, with the rest being lost through smuggling,” revealed al-Mahdi.
He explained that elements from the ousted regime want to preserve these interests. Their involvement in the October 25 coup aimed to obstruct the path to reforming the economic and military state institutions.
“They exacerbated the situation by igniting the senseless war and working to perpetuate it, all driven by their hostility toward the civil forces advocating for a civil democratic transition and institutional reform in the state,” he further explained.
Al-Mahdi firmly stated that “the possibility of establishing a new partnership between civilians and the military in the upcoming phase is unattainable.”
“They have acknowledged that they will not be a part of the political scene,” he commented.
He believed that the continuation of the war “threatens to push the country towards the abyss of a civil war, turning Sudan into a hotspot and a source of disasters in the world and the region.”
He emphasized that “the right path to end the war lies in amplifying the voice of Sudan's interests and isolating the claims of those who sparked the war and are benefiting from its continuation.”
He noted that the war “has caused immense suffering for civilians in Darfur, especially in its western regions, forcing many to seek refuge in neighboring countries under extremely tragic circumstances.”
“Those who remained in Khartoum also endure the harsh realities of life, with scarce means for survival,” he added.
Al-Mahdi further described the decision of the Human Rights Council to establish a fact-finding committee regarding violations in Sudan as “a commendable decision.”
At the same time, he emphasized that the consequences of the war are borne by civilians, and the military leaders continue their conflict without regard for the destruction of the country, the killing of civilians, and humanitarian workers.
This has resulted in Sudan being classified as the second most dangerous country for humanitarian workers, with 19 aid workers killed in a single year, according to a United Nations official.
