Port Sudan, August 12(Darfur 24)On Monday, the commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo “Hemeti”, called on the army to participate in the Geneva negotiations to end the suffering of millions of Sudanese people.
The United States has called the army and the Rapid Support Forces to begin negotiations on August 14 in Geneva, under the auspices of the United Nations, the African Union, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.
The Sudanese army commander, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, had requested consultations with the United States to address what he called “government concerns”, as he sent a delegation led by the Minister of Minerals, Mohamed Bashir Abu Namu, to Jeddah to consult with American officials, where Abu Namu recommended after his consultations with the American authorities that the army or the government not participate in the negotiations.
Later, the government said in a statement that America did not provide justifications for establishing a new platform, while insisting on the participation of the UAE as an observer, while rejecting the presence of any new observers or facilitators.
Hemeti said , “We will never close the door to peace, and I renew once again our commitment to the American call to hold talks to stop hostilities in Geneva on August 14, with an insistence to go to the upcoming negotiations with a real will to stop the war immediately and without delay in the hope of ending the suffering of millions of Sudanese.”
He added, “We call on the other party to respond to the call for peace to alleviate the suffering of our people, and we are submitting this call with all courage despite our victory on the battlefield.”
Hemeti called for the necessity of forming an international investigation committee to find out who ignited this war and hold them accountable for all agony .
Hemeti stressed that there is no legitimate government in Sudan after the October 25, 2021 coup and the April 15 war, which led to a complete constitutional collapse in the country.
Hemeti stated that he had continued to offer the option of peace over continuing the war, as he agreed to all initiatives “starting with the Saudi-American initiative a few weeks after the outbreak of fighting, and we signed the Jeddah Declaration, and we were about to sign a ceasefire agreement, but the delegation of the armed forces withdrew from the Jeddah platform and escalated the fighting instead of heading for peace.”
He continued: “In the second Jeddah talks, we came close to signing a ceasefire agreement, but for the second time, the “hands” of the Islamic movement intervened to obstruct the agreement because it would not return them to power.”
He added: “The Islamic movement and its elements are controlling the army, which ignited the war, will not allow the leadership of the armed forces to choose to stop the fighting.”
Hemeti warned that Sudan is going through “a state of collapse due to the war, and the great security vacuum and chaos it has caused, which is a state that always accompanies wars.”
He pointed out that the Rapid Support Forces decided to form a special force to protect civilians that will begin its work immediately and then gradually expand, working to protect civilians and their property, secure civilian facilities, facilitate humanitarian operations, and secure relief workers, international organizations, and workers in the humanitarian field.
Hemeti renewed his commitment to civilian rule, democratic transition, and the final exit of the military from power and their distancing from politics and economic activities, leading to the building of a new Sudan, in which the control of the old regime over state institutions ends and freedom, social justice, and equality prevail among all citizens.