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Month after Bashir ouster, Sudan far from civilian rule

Protesters holding up flags
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Sudan‘s army rulers and protesters are to resume talks over handing power to a civilian administration, protest leaders said Saturday, a month after veteran president Omar al-Bashir was deposed.

The Alliance for Freedom and Change an umbrella for the protest movement said the generals had invited it for a new round of talks after several days of deadlock.

The apparent invitation to fresh talks came as thousands of protesters remain camped outside army headquarters in central Khartoum, vowing to force the ruling military council to cede power, just as they forced Bashir from office exactly a month ago.

“We received a call from the military council to resume negotiations,” the Alliance for Freedom and Change said in a statement.

Late in April, the alliance, which brings together protest organisers, opposition parties and rebel groups, handed the generals its proposals for a civilian-led transitional government.

But the generals have pointed to what they call “many reservations” over the alliance’s road map.

They have singled out its silence on the constitutional position of Islamic sharia law, which was the guiding principle of all legislation under Bashir’s rule but is anathema to secular groups like the Sudanese Communist Party and some rebel factions in the alliance.

“We want to hold the talks quickly and sort out all these points in 72 hours,” the alliance said without specifying when the negotiations would resume.

Protesters remain determined to achieve their goal.

“We want civilian rule or we will stay here forever,” said Iman Hussein, a regular at the sit-in outside the army complex which protesters have kept up since April 6.

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