Sudan’s Transition Agreement Praised by UN Leaves Accountability in Doubt

A statement attributable to the spokesperson for United Nations Secretary General António Guterres "warmly congratulates the Sudanese people on the occasion of the important signing ceremony of the documents on transitional civilian authority in Sudan." The statement lauds the power-sharing agreement entered into between the military authorities running Sudan since dictator Omar al-Bashir was overthrown amidst mass protests against his rule and civilian coalition leaders. The deal was signed on August 17th by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, deputy chief of the Transitional Military Council (TMC) and the ruthless military officer responsible for the killing of numerous civilians, and Ahmed al-Rabie, who represented the Alliance for Freedom and Change umbrella group. The Secretary General’s statement says that he “reiterates the commitment of the United Nations to assist the transition process as it seeks to achieve the long-standing aspiration of the people of Sudan for democracy and peace.” But it says nothing about holding those who committed horrendous crimes against their own people truly accountable for their actions, such as the signatory to the power-sharing agreement, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, and the deposed dictator Omar al-Bashir.

Al-Bashir has eluded an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for years following his indictment on charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

Under the terms of the power-sharing deal, there will be a joint military and civilian sovereign council ruling the country for a little more than three years until elections will supposedly be held. But here's the catch. The 11-member council will be headed by a military leader for the first 21 months. Hamdan Dagalo will be one of the military's representatives. A civilian leader is then supposed to take over for the next 18 months, assuming the military will be willing to turn over the reins at that time. In any case, the military will continue to reserve the real centers of power for itself. As the New York Times has reported, "the military will control the defense and interior ministries, which account for a large part of national spending and were responsible for some of the worst abuses under Mr. al-Bashir." Al-Bashir has eluded an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for years following his indictment on charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. That will not change with the signing of the transition power-sharing agreement. General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, the signatory to the agreement who is said to be the military's de facto leader despite his deputy chief title, was one of al-Bashir's protégés. He was reportedly involved in the Darfur atrocities, which began more than 15 years ago, as a commander of the government-backed Janjaweed militias. Hamdan Dagalo also led the crackdown this past June against civilian protesters during which protesters were shot dead, women were raped, and bodies were thrown into the Nile. While al-Bashir is standing trial in Sudan's national court on corruption charges, Sudan's military insists that the brutal dictator will not be turned over to the ICC. When I asked Secretary General Guterres’ spokesperson why there was no call for accountability in the Secretary General’s statement on the power-sharing agreement, I got a vague response that did not address the troubling role that Hamdan Dagalo will be playing in the transition. A piece of paper signed by a brutal killer and protégé of al-Bashir will not achieve “the long-standing aspiration of the people of Sudan for democracy and peace” that the Secretary General says he hopes for.