Sudan: Sudan's Civil Society Groups Reject El Burhan's Mooted Dialogue As 'Political Cover'

What the report says

Sudanese civil society coalitions and activists, including the Darfur Women Platform, Sudan Civic Convergence Tracks, Sudan Peace Call, Tadamon and the Union’s Front, have rejected a proposed Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue linked to Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the military leadership. In a joint statement reported by Dabanga and distributed by AllAfrica, they argued that a political process overseen by one side of the war cannot be neutral, credible or inclusive enough to support peace or legitimacy.

The groups said the proposed preparatory committee, announced in Khartoum under the invitation of the Sudanese Armed Forces leadership, risks serving as political cover for a de facto authority while fighting continues. They also said the process lacks the safety, freedom of expression and organizational space needed for broad participation, warning that displaced people, refugees, women, young people and grassroots groups could be left out.

The coalition further objected to the possible participation of figures and networks associated with the former National Congress Party and Islamic Movement, saying this could aid the political rehabilitation of forces they blame for helping drive Sudan’s current war. At the same time, the statement did not reject dialogue in principle. Instead, it called for a nationally owned peace process held in a neutral location, with equal footing for participants, humanitarian access, and talks that address both an immediate ceasefire and the deeper causes of Sudan’s repeated conflicts.

The appeal comes as Sudan’s war, now more than three years old, has caused mass displacement and major destruction. The groups urged regional and international actors not to legitimize any initiative they see as imposed under military authority, and to back civilian-led efforts toward a democratic transition.