As parties we agreed to amend the Political Framework Agreement; stated Togud (2-2)

The Citizen: By Omer Ahmed Elhaj and Alaa Babiker

In the First Part HERE Ahmed Togud explained how Juba Peace Agreement succeeded to stop the war, and how they are trying very hard to make peace in Darfur. This is Part2 of the interview.

Q10: What is your vision on the one unified national professional army?

A10: The country is in need of a unified military institution, and the idea of having one army that represents all the Sudanese is very important for us. If you looked at the JPA in addition to the issues relating to the cessation of hostilities, DDR, and so on, we give considerable attention to Re-modernization of our military institution through creating a new one that is capable of unifying all the military factions of the country and join them in a solid national representative one. We work hard to achieve the following:-

1. To amend the rules and the bylaws that organize the military institution (Military colleges, Highest Ranks, etc.).
2. To have a representative institution reflecting the diversity of Sudanese community.

Q11: What is your view regarding the integration of the Rapid Forces?

A11: It is very important that the fighters of the armed movements who signed the PA to integrate their forces into the national ‘military’ institution. The achieve this, we need to follow important steps;

1. Demilitarization, DDR process, and gradual reintegration into the national army.
2. Know who is eligible to be a soldier.
3. Who meets the criteria of being a soldier inside the armed movement forces?
4. Verify and define those who are eligible and want to work in the military institution, and those who want to be part of the civilian institutions.
5. Provide proper training, knowledge, capacity building, and logistics to those who will join the military institution.

Q12: What is your opinion about the Framework Agreement?

A12: In general, the current situation in the country – being without a proper government, without agreements between the political actors, the country is deteriorating on daily basis economically, socially, and security wise – is not acceptable. Therefore; we need to have a government that is acceptable to the whole people of the country.

The current political process is facing some challenges, and if we failed to overcome those challenges the country will reach to an unacceptable phase. As politicians we need to work hard to avoid dragging the country to chaos.

Regarding the current Political Framework Agreement – we had discussions about – and as parties we agreed to amend this Political Framework Agreement. We already incorporated the amendments in a more acceptable agreement to all parties. We conducted discussions on all the details, and we managed to minimized the differences, especially regarding which parties are to participate in this PFA.

From where I see it, it is not a matter of parties or contents, it is about a political will, whether the political parties have the will and intention to reach an acceptable agreement.

Q13: What is your evaluation of the recent Cairo Declaration?

A13: What happened in Cairo was aimed at sending political messages, rather than defining issues that need to be addressed. It was about giving the recognition for a Block that has been calling for a comprehensive participation of the Sudanese Political Actors in the political agreement.

The people who decided to go to Cairo are saying “let’s open this agreement, make it more comprehensive, and bring more parties” because the transitional period needs more parties to be part of the transitional institutions.

Irrespective of the contents of the documents they came up with from Cairo, what is more important is the message that has been sent from Cairo to the other Blocks here in Khartoum.

Q14: There is another opinion  saying that the final document that will be signed later is to be named a “Political Declaration” instead of a “Political Framework Agreement”?

A14: That is correct. In our discussion with the people who signed the Political Framework Agreement, we agreed to change the name of the “Political Framework Agreement” to “Political Agreement”. Technically it is not correct to have “Political and Framework” agreement, so we defined the current agreement as a “Political Agreement” that at the end will be developed to a detailed agreement that addresses all the issues in detail, resulting in either a New Institution or an Amended Institution in which the amendments will be based on the agreement we are going to reach.

Q15: What are your expectations and recommendations of the upcoming transitional civilian government?

A15: based on our failed experiences, we need to:

1. Have an acceptable and effective government that is capable of leading Sudan through the transitional period before elections.
2. We need to agree on specific programs for this government to achieve during the transitional period.
3. Selecting a civilian government that can take the country to a sustainable democratic system.

Q16: To some extent Dr. Gibril Ibrahim’s messages are not well received by the public, what should he be doing, and what you as JEM member should be doing to positively reflect his messages?

A16: In terms of his performance in the Ministry of Finance during this very difficult time (the status of no government, no stability, absolute boycott from the international community, no financial support) Dr. Gibril is doing very well. He is trying to navigate the challenges, and he is entirely depending on our own national resources. Despite all of those challenges, he is gradually trying to push Sudan economy, and he had achieved good results in this regard, but most of the people are trying to judge Dr. Gibril from the political perspective not by the work he is doing in this ministry.

The public is getting conflicting information about his work and activities, and they receive negative messages. Regarding how to send positive messages to them about what he is doing, entirely depends on the mechanisms that he has in the ministry, which he is now lacking.

How we are going to change this negative message into a positive one depends on all the media to positively contribute to enlightening and the public about the positive work and achievements Dr. Gibril has been doing during the past two years.