Sudan’s Sovereign Council chief and army commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has pledged temporary immunity and legal, political and security guarantees for people taking part in a national dialogue managed by an independent national mechanism.
He said criminal proceedings against participants facing charges would be temporarily suspended during the dialogue, but the measure would not be a pardon and would not remove the rights of people who filed complaints against them.
How the proposed protection would work
Al-Burhan said statements and positions expressed during dialogue sessions would not be used as grounds for legal prosecution. He described the process as open-ended and said it should take place in a public space where people could express opinions and criticism without fear or restrictions.
A group of Sudanese figures independently proposed the initiative and would oversee it, according to al-Burhan. He said the state would not organise the dialogue or set its agenda or outcomes. The national mechanism was expected to present its vision and plans at a news conference in the coming days.
Related coverage: Al-Burhan’s consultations set out possible path to Sudan dialogue.
Al-Burhan’s conditions for a peace process
Al-Burhan said the army was ready to engage with any serious peace initiative but would reject an arrangement that returned the Rapid Support Forces, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, and its supporters to power.
He said a peace path should begin with RSF forces withdrawing from cities and assembling in designated areas. Displaced people and refugees would then return home, followed by discussions on the status of RSF fighters and the possible integration into regular forces of those who had not committed crimes.
African Union delegation due in Khartoum
An African Union Peace and Security Council delegation was expected to arrive in Khartoum on Saturday for a three-day visit, its second since the war began. It includes representatives of the council’s 15 member states and is headed by Algeria’s representative, as Algeria holds the council’s rotating presidency for August.
More context: Sudan army withdraws as RSF-led forces enter Kurmuk.
The delegation was expected to meet al-Burhan, Prime Minister Kamil Idris, political groups and civil society organisations. Sudan has also formally asked the council to lift its suspension from African Union activities, imposed after al-Burhan dissolved the Sovereign Council and cabinet and declared a state of emergency in October 2021.
Also read: Court temporarily stops impeachment process against South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
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