Sudanese activist says new deal gives too much power to forces behind deadly crackdown
Protester says she's 'cautiously optimistic' about the power-sharing deal, but she doesn't trust the RSF
A Sudanese pro-democracy protester says she's "cautiously optimistic" about her country's new power-sharing deal and she hopes all the violence and death on the streets will not be in vain.
Sudan's ruling military council and its pro-democracy movement both welcomed the new agreement reached Friday, raising hopes that the deal would end a three-month political crisis.
The two sides agreed to share power for just over three years until elections are held. It comes a month after more than 128 people were killed in a bloody crackdown by the country's Rapid Support Forces on peaceful protesters.
And while there was celebration in the streets of Sudan on Friday — not everyone is so enthusiastic.
Dallia, a pro-democracy protester, spoke to As It Happens guest host Susan Bonner from Khartoum. We are withholding her last name for her protection. Here is part of their conversation.
Dallia, how are you feeling today about this agreement that's been signed between the military and civilian leaders?
Cautiously optimistic, but still not completely trusting the military command. They have to prove themselves to us for us to completely trust them or to trust what they want.
What part of the agreement worries you?
No. 1, the fact that it's the military council that will take over the leadership of the presidential council at first ... when I think it should have been the opposite. It should have been the civilians who should be leading the country from the start.
And the second point ... the Janjaweed militia or the Rapid Support Forces, what's going to happen to them? Are they going to be incorporated into the army, or will they be sent back to the west? What's their role now? Are they still going to be on the streets of Khartoum?
Let's start with the fact that the military will still be in the lead control for [21 months] in this new agreement. What risk is there that this will consolidate military power, and that they will just become more powerful, more emboldened in the country?
What guarantee do they offer us ... that they will leave when they say they will?
And at the same time, they can use these [21] months, like you said, to consolidate themselves. They can, you know, buy more armoury, more weaponry. They can not get rid of all the entities of the former regime and actually they make them stronger.
You mentioned the Rapid Support Forces. And indications are that ... Gen. Mohamed Hamdan [Dagalo], also known as Hemedti, who leads those forces — the general who led the forces behind the bloody crackdown that killed more than 100 pro-democracy protesters — that he will play a role in this new government. What does that say to you?
Honestly, that's just a slap in the face. It's not just a slap in the face for what happened on June 30, it's a slap in the face for also the victims of what happened in Darfur several years ago. I mean, this guy is a militia man. He's a warlord. And the fact that he's moved up and is now part of a government? It's just unbelievable.
How concerned are you that the military could exploit the infighting ... and the inexperience of the civilian coalition?
Oh, they started already. I mean, even before this agreement was made.
You know, there were always these pieces of information coming out and causing a little bit of confusion. "Oh my God, the coalition doesn't know what it's doing."
But the good thing is the coalition has always been steadfast and it's always been open. The dialogue between them and the people has always been there. They've never gone silent on us, so to speak. They've always been available, whether it's via the press or via their statements or going out and holding public talks and town hall talks and discussions, they've always been there.
I think for many of us there is anger that this agreement was made, but at the same time we're realistic enough to realize that, you know what, let's wait and see.
And at the same time, it will give us a chance ... to catch our breath, to [get] a little bit of respite. And if need be, we'll gather up our strength again and then go out again and mass protest if the occasion arises or the situation calls for it.
What kind of a toll has this taken on you and on the people you know?
People are tired. Mental exhaustion is a big thing. And we've been protesting since December. So we're entering into our seventh month of protest now. So it's not an easy thing. And especially when you're facing the military, the might of the military, and we have nothing.
All we have is our belief in a non-violent resistance and our belief that, you know, we will have, we deserve a civilian government.
It hasn't been easy, but I have to say the resilience that I've seen from so many people, even if you have doubts, those doubts disappear and you gain strength from their resilience and you continue.
And then you remember all those who lost their lives fighting and defending what we've all been going protesting for, and you realize that we owe it to them. We can't just let their deaths be in vain.
So it hasn't been easy, but hopefully it will be worth it in the end.
Written by Sheena Goodyear with files from The Associated Press. Produced by Jeanne Armstrong. Q&A has been edited for length and clarity.