UNITAMS Mission.. Survival and Departure Controversy

Abdulrahman Al-Ajib
Controversy over the fate of UNMIS continues after the Sudanese Government, on 16 November last, formally requested the termination of UNMIS mandate, some (8) weeks after Volker Perts announced his resignation from the Missions leadership, and the mandate for UNMIS is due to expire on 3 December.

The former Prime Minister, Dr. Abdalla Hamdok, has requested the United Nations to establish a political mission under Chapter VI to assist the Transitional Government in the process of democratization and support for the peace process with armed groups and the resettlement of displaced persons, and in short time the Security Council approved the request to appoint an integrated mission to support the Sudan during the transitional period.

After the 25 October coup d état, the pace of rejection increased and the Missions counter-campaign expanded and it was accused of contravening the mandate and attention to political issues. The president of the Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has repeatedly waved off the head of mission (Volker Berts) unless he adheres to the mandate, while Sudanese foreign affairs said last June that the envoy had become an undesirable person and demanded Khartoum appoint a replacement.

The Ambassador of the Sudan to the United Nations, Tareth Idris al-Harith, said that UNMIS was no longer meeting his countrys needs and priorities. In a letter sent by the Foreign Minister to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, he said that the Government of the Sudan was committed to engaging constructively with the Security Council and the United Nations Secretariat on an appropriate and agreed new formula.

On Friday, the United Nations Security Council is expected to resolve the fate of the UNTMIS mission in the Sudan. UNMIS said that the Security Council would hold a meeting today to discuss the Governments letter on ending the mission.

The Director of the UNITAMS Office for the Protection of Civilians in the Sudan (Innocent Palimba Zahanda) considered the Governments request of 16 November last an attempt to stop documenting violations that would be evidence to prosecute him. Addressing a training workshop in Entebbe, Uganda, at the end of November, he said that the Council would decide on the subject at the end of this month, and Zahanda stressed that UNMEE would continue its efforts in support of documenting abuses regardless of the outcome of the meeting.

At the end of November, former Sudanese Prime Minister Dr. Abdalla Hamdok sent letters to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the President of the Security Council urging them to extend UNITAs mandate. The letter from Hamdok to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the President of the United Nations Security Council contained assurances that there was no legitimate Government in the Sudan entitled to request the termination of the Missions mandate, in reference to Khartoums announcement to terminate the mandate of the United Nations mission.

In his message, Hamdok stated that he had sent letters on behalf of the Coordinating Civil Democratic Forces (CDF) to the Secretary-General of the United Nations (Antonio Guterres) and the President of the Security Council demanding that they maintain and renew the Untamis mandate. The devastated Sudanese people need the United Nations more than ever).

According to Hamdoks message, since its establishment, UNMIS has been mandated to support peace and democratic transition in the Sudan at the request of the Transitional Civilian Government in 2020‪ and has played important roles in its mandate. After the outbreak of the war 15 April, its presence became more urgent, with international efforts focused on ending the war and restoring peace.

In a statement to the press, the CDF Coordinator said that in the letter sent to the international organization, the Chairman of the leadership body Abdallah Hamdok demanded an extension of the mandate of the UNTAMIS mission and the strengthening and strengthening of its mandate, thereby contributing to ending the war and mitigating the humanitarian disaster in the Sudan.