Sudan’s Military, Pro-Democracy Movement Agree to Share Power

Sudan’s Military, Pro-Democracy Movement Agree to Share Power

Sudan’s ruling military council and a coalition¹ of opposition² and protest groups have welcomed a new power-sharing agreement.

Both sides agreed Friday to share power for a period of three years or more until Sudan holds elections. News of the deal set off celebrations in the streets of Khartoum.

The two sides have been holding talks with African Union official Mohamed Hassan Lebatt. He said they agreed that the military and civilians⁴ would take turns choosing “a sovereign council” during the transition period.

The Sudanese Professionals’ Association (SPA) has led protests calling for civilian³ rule. The group said in a statement that the sovereign council would lead the country’s transition. It said the council will include five civilians representing the protest movement and five military members. The two sides will choose a civilian as the 11th member.

The group’s statement on the agreement said: “Today, our revolution has won and our victory shines.”

It said the new government will be “technocratic,” meaning the sides will appoint experts in different fields to serve until the country can hold elections. They also promised to launch an independent investigation⁵ into violent events in recent weeks.

For now, Sudan will not have a legislative⁶ council. The two sides had earlier agreed that the Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change (FFC) would take two-thirds of a legislative council’s seats. Then security forces attacked a sit-in protest on June 3, and talks stopped. Protest leaders said more than 100 people died in the military action.

Since then, demonstrators have remained in the streets. They demanded that the generals give power to a civilian leadership.

A new era

Omer El-Digair is a leader of the FFC, a coalition representing the protesters. He said they hoped that forming the new government bodies will lead to improvements.

“We hope that this is the beginning of a new era,” he added.

Tarek Abdel Meguid, another FFC leader, told The Associated Press that pro-democracy leaders had to give up some of their goals to avoid more violence.

“I am not fully⁷ satisfied but it is a step forward to bring peace to our people,” Meguid said. “We had a civilian revolution, and the very idea of power sharing with the military was already rejected by the Sudanese people, but this is what the balance of power dictated⁸.”

The African Union and Ethiopia made intensive efforts to bring the generals and the protesters back to the talks.

Congratulations on the revolution

Sudan’s generals also praised the agreement. The military-controlled television station Al-Sudan played national songs and showed parts of the press conference announcing the agreement, with these words below it: “Congratulations to the Sudanese people.”

General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo is the deputy chief of the military council. He told reporters that the agreement would address all the problems and include everyone.

“This deal … will meet the ambitions of the Sudanese people and their victorious⁹ revolution,” he said.

Dagalo heads the Rapid Support Forces, accused by the FFC of crushing the sit-in protest. He said, “We thank the African and Ethiopian mediators for their efforts and patience. We also thank our brothers in the Forces for Freedom and Change for the good spirit.”

Joy in the streets

Reuters reported there were celebrations across Omdurman, Khartoum’s sister city across the Nile River, when news of the agreement broke.

Thousands of people of all ages took to the streets. Some of them shouted “Civilian! Civilian! Civilian!” Young men played drums, people sounded horns, and women carrying Sudanese flags cried out in happiness.

I’m Caty Weaver¹⁰.

Words in This Story

sovereign – adj. having independent authority and the right to govern itself

council – n. a group of people who are chosen to make rules, laws, or decisions about something

transition – n. a movement, from one form to another

era – n. a period of time that is associated with a particular quality, event or person

mediate¹¹ – n. to work with opposing sides in an argument or dispute in order to get an agreement

ambition – n. the goal of one’s desires; a desire for power or fame

horn – n. a device that makes a loud noise

1 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

2 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

3 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

4 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

5 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

6 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

7 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

8 dictated   

v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布

参考例句：

• He dictated a letter to his secretary. 他向秘书口授信稿。
• No person of a strong character likes to be dictated to. 没有一个个性强的人愿受人使唤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 victorious   

adj.胜利的，得胜的

参考例句：

• We are certain to be victorious.我们定会胜利。
• The victorious army returned in triumph.获胜的部队凯旋而归。

10 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

11 mediate   

vi.调解，斡旋；vt.经调解解决；经斡旋促成

参考例句：

• The state must mediate the struggle for water resources.政府必须通过调解来解决对水资源的争夺。
• They may be able to mediate between parties with different interests.他们也许能在不同利益政党之间进行斡旋。