Politics

Sudanese coup general threatens to expel UN envoy over interference

Published

2 years ago

April 3, 2022

The leader of the October 25, 2021, coup in Sudan, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has threatened to expel the United Nations envoy in the country, Volker Perthes, after accusing him of “unwarranted and flagrant interference” in the country’s internal affairs.

Gen. Burhan who is the head of Sudan’s ruling Sovereign Council (SC), said on Saturday that Perthes had no right to make certain comments on Sudanese affairs after the envoy warned that the country was heading for “an economic and security collapse” unless it addresses the political paralysis.

At a UN Security Council meeting on Monday, Perthes who is leading international efforts on resolving the crisis in the country, had said the “absence of a political agreement on returning to a transitional path has already led to a deteriorating economic, humanitarian and security situation in the country.”

But Gen. Burhan who spoke in the capital Khartoum, at a ceremony for new graduates of Sudan’s Military Academy, called on Perthes to “stop exceeding the U.N. mission’s mandate and blatant interference in Sudanese affairs.”

“To the U.N. envoy, Volker, if you exceeded the mandate, we would kick you out of Sudan,” Gen. Burhan said while addressing the military graduates.

Gen. Burhan also called on the U.N. and the African Union to facilitate a dialogue among Sudanese and avoid exceeding their mandate and interfere in the country’s affairs.

The North-Eastern African country has been the center of turmoil with almost daily protests following the military coup led by Burhan which removed a Western-backed transitional government.

The military takeover had effectively put paid to Sudan’s attempt at a democratic transition after a popular uprising forced the military to remove autocratic President Omar al-Bashir in April 2019.

The street protests in Sudan demanding a return to civilian rule have been met by a crackdown on protesters with more than 93 people, mostly young men, killed and thousands injured, as the protesters have been demanding the removal of the military from power and a return to civilian rule.

But the military junta have said they will only hand over power to an elected administration, with elections tentatively fixed for July 2023 as contained in a constitutional document governing the transitional period.

Related Topics:#COUP Featured Sudan United Nations

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Politics

Digital Rights: Policy enthusiast, Jere, advocates self-regulation as alternative to govt regulations

Published

1 day ago

April 24, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Copperbelt businessman and mining policy advocate, George Jere, has highlighted the importance of self-regulation in the expanding digital media landscape, countering arguments against freedom of speech.

In an exclusive discussion with Zambia Monitor, Jere challenged notions surrounding media freedom and digital rights, emphasizing the indispensable role of effective media instruments in national progress.

“Digital media’s unrestricted nature facilitates publishing, although tracking those behind it poses challenges for government intervention,” Jere remarked, advocating for self-regulation as a preferable alternative to government restrictions.

He stressed the need for a balanced approach between private and public media operations, criticizing the high level of censorship in public media channels.

“While cyber security laws fall short, self-regulation offers a more effective solution for managing digital platforms,” Jere asserted, expressing disappointment in the government’s failure to enact comprehensive media reforms.

Jere cautioned against subjective regulations aimed at suppressing dissenting voices, urging authorities to reconsider laws through inclusive consultations.

“Media freedom should extend to all, including rural communities, chiefs, and church leaders, across traditional, social, and digital platforms,” he emphasized.

Reflecting on public media governance, Jere noted its tendency to align with ruling interests, calling for fairer recruitment processes for media executives to ensure unbiased coverage.

Regarding proposed taxes on online livestream programmes, Jere questioned the necessity of double taxation, suggesting negotiation of percentage-based levies to support domestic resource mobilization without unfairly targeting individuals.

As debates on freedom of speech and media regulation continue, Jere remained steadfast in advocating for inclusive, balanced media practices to foster national development.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.

Politics

African leaders seek change in fight against terrorism at Nigerian summit

Published

3 days ago

April 22, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

At a security summit in Nigeria, African leaders have called for a revamp of institutions that fight violent extremism on the continent.

The leaders also began to push to set up a standing military force and give the government more power over efforts to keep the peace.

Attacks on citizens and the military have been happening all the time in Africa, including in the Sahel, Somalia, and Mozambique, by groups with ties to Islamic State and al-Qaeda.

President Faure Gnassingbe of Togo said that coastal states like Togo were facing more threats, even though people were being attacked the most in the Sahel.

“I say this with prudence and regret, but I think the institutions that have been in place for several decades are no longer able to respond to the security situation that we face,” said Gnassingbe.

Moussa Faki, chairman of the African Union Commission, reported that between 2017 and 2021, there were four attacks and 18 deaths a day in Africa. Last year, there were eight attacks and 44 deaths a day.

The AU chief added that last year 7,000 citizens and 4,000 military members were killed stressing that the situation was being used in some countries as a reason for military coups. The Deputy Secretary-General of the UN, Amina Mohammed, said that half of all terrorist deaths happened in the Sahel.

Until a military coup in July that called for France to leave, Niger was the West’s last major ally in the central Sahel area south of the Sahara Desert. In July, France pulled out 1,500 troops from Niger.

Faki said that Africa needed more money to help stop the spread of terrorism. Bola Tinubu, the president of Nigeria, said that more needed to be done to stop the spread of small guns and weapons. He also called for the creation of a regional standby force whose job it would be to fight terrorism.

“I am mindful of the funding, legal and logistical complexities that face the proper establishment of such a force. Such a force can stand as a strong deterrent to large scale and protracted terrorist operations and the capture, occupation or disruption of strategic land and resources,” Tinubu said.