Sudan protesters celebrate power-sharing agreement with military

Sudan protesters celebrate power-sharing agreement with military
Hundreds gathered in Burri Al-Daraysa on Friday to celebrate a new agreement between the transitional military council and Sudan's pro-democracy movement.
2 min read
06 July, 2019
The emerging deal could break the political impasse that has gripped the country [Getty]

Sudanese people from all over Khartoum gathered in one of the main opposition neighbourhoods to celebrate the agreement reached by the transitional military council and Sudan's pro-democracy movement.

Hundreds gathered in Burri Al-Daraysa on Friday to celebrate the new agreement - the area was one of the main meet-up points for protestors during the start of the movement in December.

But as music blasted and famous protest chants rang through the crowds, some people still had reservations about the deal.

Asad Osman Mohammed Ahmed is a 25-year-old protestor from Burri Al-Darasya area said many of his friends have died during the protests.

"We have no objection for people in Sudan to celebrate. For us though, the revolution hasn't finished. I want to say that our revolution is only 50 percent. The revolution hasn't finished because we still have demands and these demands have not been met yet."

The 50-year old businessman Omer Mustafa agreed that the euphoria was only temporary: "We are just temporarily happy. We still want to see what will happen tomorrow and what will happen the day after tomorrow."

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The emerging deal could break the political impasse that has gripped the country since the military ousted the longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir in April, amid an uprising against his rule.

Talks on a power-sharing agreement had collapsed when security forces razed a protest camp outside the military headquarters in Khartoum on June 3.

More than a hundred people were killed since then, according to the protesters.

But early on Friday, the two parties agreed to form a joint sovereign council previously a sticking point in the talks to lead the country during a transition period of three years and three months.

The council will include five civilians representing the protest movement and five military members. An eleventh seat will go to a civilian chosen by both parties.

A military member will preside over the council during the first 21 months, followed by a civilian member after, according to the statement by the Sudanese Professional Association.

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