Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia, led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, has announced plans to establish a parallel government in Nairobi. The announcement comes as a local rights group accuses the RSF of killing more than 200 unarmed civilians in a recent massacre.
The preparatory committee for so-called parallel government claimed the signing ceremony of what it described as the “Sudan Founding Charter for establishing a peace and unity government” is backed by political, civil, and social forces.
“This charter aims to restore the legitimate government that was overthrown by remnants and militias of the Islamic movement,” the committee said. It also seeks to “reinstate the democratic path through a national consensus that includes all political, civil, and social forces, laying the foundation for a new phase of stability and sustainable peace.”
The committee stated that the charter had been prepared with the “agreement of various active parties, reaffirming a collective commitment to joint action for a more prosperous and just future.”
However, the move has drawn criticism from various Sudanese figures. Mubarak Ardol, former Director General of the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company, stated, “”The events at today’s Nairobi conference come as no surprise. In fact,the open alignment of Abdelaziz al-Hilu with the Janjaweed—a group intent on establishing its own state, a goal previously pursued covertly amidst denials and skepticism—has only strengthened my resolve.”
He added that they refuse to be a party to this charade, nor will the people of the Nuba Mountains find honor in a state that would rob us of our very existence, supplanting the political and civil rights we strive for. Those who have displaced and committed atrocities against our Masalit people, burying them alive, are incapable of grasping the values of a new Sudan: equal citizenship and a state founded on justice.
“We recognise the urgent need for reform and social justice in our country, and we are united in the belief that the Salvation regime is irrevocably fallen; no one can claim this cause more strongly than we. We are capable of achieving these goals within a homeland that reflects our values,” Ardol stressed.
“Therefore, I urge all who reject Abdelaziz al-Hilu’s course to unite in the broadest possible political and civil front against the Janjaweed and their oppressive policies, which have besieged our people for over a year, denying them food and education, and raining bombs upon innocent civilians in Kadugli. We will stand at the vanguard of all those who seek to build a new Sudan, one free from the Janjaweed and their allies.”
The Emergency Lawyers network, a local rights group, said the attacks occurred in al-Kadaris and al-Khelwat, north of White Nile state – areas where the military had no presence. The network added that RSF fighters were guilty of “executions, kidnappings, enforced disappearances and property looting”. The group reported that more than 200 unarmed civilians have been killed in a cluster of villages in Sudan over three days by the paramilitary RSF, which is engaged in a conflict with the military.
The move to establish a parallel government is likely to anger Washington, which has imposed sanctions on Dagalo. On 8 January, the United States sanctioned the RSF leader for his role in an unfolding genocide against non-Arabs.
Earlier, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) accused Hemedti, of contributing to a conflict that has killed tens of thousands and displaced 12 million Sudanese. OFAC further sanctioned seven companies and one individual it said facilitated the RSF’s ability to acquire military equipment and finances.
Sudan army gains against RSF, as latter launch rival government
The RSF recently suffered a setback when the army regained control of parts of the capital, Khartoum, including its military headquarters. Beyond the capital, the army has also won near total control of the crucial state of Gezira.
Following these setbacks, the RSF has rebounded with plans to launch a rival government in areas still under its control, mainly in Darfur and parts of Kordofan state. The RSF is meeting allied groups in Nairobi to finalise the adoption of what it calls a “political charter for the Government of Peace and Unity”.
General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, head of Sudan’s Sovereign Council, has rejected the move and vowed to reclaim the whole of Khartoum.
Abdul Rahim Hamdan Dagalo, the deputy commander of the RSF and brother of Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, arrived in Nairobi on Tuesday for the two-day conference. A political charter “for the government of peace and unity”, as it is being called, is set to be signed on Wednesday.
Al-Hadi Idris, a nominee for the parallel government and former member of Sudan’s transitional Sovereign Council, told Al Jazeera that several countries had pledged to recognise the new government, though he declined to name them. Last week, at the sidelines of the African Union summit, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) pledged $200 million in aid to Sudan, while Ethiopia pledged $15 million and Kenya $1 million.
Idris said that these funds “will only go to the peace government”.
Many accuse the UAE is financially and militarily aiding the RSF via allied groups and governments in Libya, Chad, Uganda and the Central African Republic (CAR). The UAE denies providing such support.
“The new government will purchase weapons to defend citizens, acquire warplanes and train personnel. This is part of the defence ministry’s tasks,” Idris said. He added that the new government planned to create a unified army made up of various militias, including the RSF, and would look to open border crossings and airspace.
Following the signing of the charter in Nairobi, the so-called peace and unity government will officially launch in Sudan.
“After signing the political charter, we will discuss the issue of authority and who will assume positions, and we will announce the government in two or three weeks,” Idris said.
