Talks between Sudanese protest leaders and the ruling military council will resume on Tuesday in Khartoum over pending issues facing the Constitutional Declaration, a mediator said on Sunday, as scuffles broke out between police and protesters angry at the findings of an investigation into a deadly June raid on a sit-in in the capital.
African Union mediator Mohamed El Hacen Lebatt said the Transitional Military Council (TMC) and opposition Freedom and Change Alliance had been invited for "final talks on the Constitutional Declaration."
Earlier this month, the two sides reached a power-sharing agreement, which would eventually put in place a civilian administration as protesters have been demanding since the ouster of longtime President Omar al-Bashir.
The "Political Declaration" inked on July 17 is a blueprint for the forthcoming transitional period. It allows the establishment of a joint civilian-military ruling body consisting of six civilians, including five from the protest movement, and five generals, which would install civilian rule. The council is tasked with overseeing the formation of a transitional civilian government and parliament to govern for 39 months, after which elections will be held.
AFP quoted protest leader Babiker Faisal as saying that the discussions will focus on the powers of the joint transitional governing body, deployment of security forces and immunity for generals over protest-related violence.
"I expect that we will reach an agreement on the Constitutional Declaration on Tuesday because the pending differences are not big," Faisal told AFP.
Political turmoil has engulfed Sudan since the army deposed Bashir on April 11 after months-long protests against his rule. But the military resisted demands for civilian rule, and demonstrations continued. Tensions rocketed on June 3 after a raid on a protest camp in front of the army's general headquarters turned bloody.
Findings of a joint probe into the incident by prosecutors and ruling generals were revealed on Saturday, but failed to alleviate protesters' concerns.
The head of the investigation committee Fath Al-Rahman Saeed said charges of crimes against humanity were brought against eight officers who acted without orders on that day. Saeed noted that 17 people were killed in the square, but that number was disputed by protesters who said the dispersal left 127 dead.
Protesters on Sunday took to the streets of Khartoum to reject the results of the investigation. Police used tear gas to disperse the crowd while demonstrators hurled stones at security officers, according to media reports.
(With input from Xinhua, AFP)
(Cover image: Sudanese deputy chief of the ruling military council Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (R) and protest movement Alliance for Freedom and Changes leader Ahmad al-Rabiah stand after inking an agreement before African Union and Ethiopian mediators in Khartoum, July 17, 2019. /VCG Photo)