US, UK, Norway condemn dissolution of Sudan government by military

LONDON

The governments of the US, UK, and Norway condemned on Tuesday the dissolution of the transitional government in Sudan and the declaration of a national state of emergency, as well as the detention of the country’s prime minister.

The three governments, calling themselves the Troika, said they are “deeply concerned about the situation in Sudan," condemning "the suspension of the institutions of state, the declaration of state of emergency and the military forces detaining Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok as well as other members of the civilian leadership."

They also called on "the security forces to immediately release those they have unlawfully detained.”

The joint statement from the Troika said the actions of the military “represent a betrayal of the revolution, the transition, and the legitimate requests of the Sudanese people for peace, justice and economic development.”

“The right of peaceful protest must be respected; violence and bloodshed must be avoided; we also urge communication networks to be open,” it said.

The Troika will “continue to support those working for a democratic Sudan with a fully legitimate civilian government; this remains the best guarantee for the long-term stability of the country and the broader region,” according to the statement.

“We reject attempts to derail the transition toward democratic elections, call for the immediate restoration of the civilian-led government on the basis of the Constitutional Declaration and other foundational documents of the transition,” it also noted.

On Monday, Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of Sudan’s Sovereign Council, announced the dissolution of the transitional government and the council and declared a national state of emergency.

In a televised address, Al-Burhan said the 2019 agreement on the transitional government with power-sharing between the civilian and military leadership had turned into a struggle threatening peace and security.

He said the military needed to protect the country’s safety and security as stated in the constitutional declaration, announcing the dissolution of the power-sharing ruling council and the government.

He also announced the removal of state governors, saying elections would be held in July 2023.

The military also had placed Prime Minister Hamdok under house arrest before reportedly moving him to an unknown location.

Other senior government officials have also been reportedly detained.