(Tagadom)... Are civilians united stop the war?

Thana Abedin
Stopping the war since last April and restoring the Sudans democratic civilian path is the primary goal that has brought together vast civilian forces, including resistance committees, civil society organizations, political parties, armed struggle movements, elected unions and demand bodies, to unite under the Broad Civil Front coalition for which preparatory meetings took place in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa over four days last month.

The meeting agreed to convene a founding conference to coordinate the civilian democratic forces (Tagadom) to stop the war and restore democracy in the country, through an organizational structure chaired by former Prime Minister D. Abdullah Hamdok.

Participants left the door to the participation of all those who desired from the triumphant forces of the December Revolution and those who advocate for peace against the April 15 War in the preparation and success of the planned conference.

The provisional organizational structure of the (progress) was agreed to include the preparatory leadership body, headed by Dr. Abdullah Hamdok, to carry out supervisory and supervisory functions and follow-up preparations for the founding conference.

In his speech at the meeting, Hamdok appealed to the civilian democratic forces seeking to stop the war on the need to unite efforts to reach a broad civilian unit to stop the war and address its urgent humanitarian consequences and achieve comprehensive peace. He reiterated his support for the preparatory meetings recommendations and final statement as a first step.

The meeting discussed the main themes of the political, economic, humanitarian and public information pillar and succeeded in drafting the working papers to be presented at the 8-week founding conference, as well as making recommendations on issues of developing the civil forces negotiating position, security and military reform, transitional justice and other issues.

The objectives underlying this bloc may be fulfilling the aspirations of the vast majority of the Sudanese people, but the question arises: to what extent can this alliance succeed in broad civil unity and achieving the goals in the current situation?

Mohammed Abdelaziz, General Secretary of the Sudanese Journalists Association participating in the Front, says that the founding meetings have seen participation that has been considered the widest since the formation of the 2018 Revolution Alliance. Together with FFC and the parties to the framework agreement signed on December 5, 2022 and former Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok; Representatives of resistance committees, political and civil figures, public opinion leaders, professional gatherings and movements signing the Sudan Peace Agreement took part in the meetings in Juba, South Sudan, in October 2020.

In Abdelazizs view, the most important point for stopping the war and restoring the democratic path must be preceded by a broad unity of political and civil forces that reject war and support civilian transformation. This is the basis of the Addis Ababa meetings to reach a broad civilian front, and have succeeded in overcoming many differences that have arisen over the past period. "

While leading the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC), Saleh Amar, believes that civilian forces express millions of Sudanese who made the December Revolution and their task of representing them is not an easy task, and the complexity of post-war matters and the fragmentation of civilian leaders between displaced and refugee. Nevertheless, contacts between them began in the early hours of the war, the first initiative being the Haj Yusuf Resistance Committees, which finally culminated in Addis Ababas preparatory meeting, a practical demonstration that we have come a long way.

Many groups have not participated but will participate in the General Conference, and we expect the participation of a thousand people representing Sudans civil power spectrum.

In Amar they will isolate the warring parties, provide legitimacy for negotiation and governance, and unite civilians is a prerequisite for the sustainability of peace.

On the expansion of the civil front, Ammar confirms the existence of a liaison committee to communicate with other forces and points out that past gaps are overcome through the civic spirit of the meeting and dialogue that will continue and accept all views.