Fed govt, UN chief, AU, U.S, others condemn military coup in Sudan

The Federal Government, the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres, the African Union (AU), the United States (U.S.), the Arab League and others have condemned in strong terms the military takeover in Sudan.

The Nigeria government also called for the immediate release of the Prime Minister and other political prisoners.

The Federal Government, in a statement by the Ministry of foreign Affairs acting spokesperson, Mrs. Esther Sunsuwa, also called for the immediate restoration of the transitional government and also implementation of the agreed roadmap to return the country to constitutional democracy.

The statement reads: “Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria strongly condemns the coup d’état that has taken place today in Sudan, in which the military has dissolved the civilian component of the transitional government and arrested its leaders.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls for the immediate release of the Prime Minister and all political prisoners and an immediate restoration of the transitional government and implementation of the agreed roadmap to return the country to constitutional democracy.”

Also yesterday, the international community has reacted to the military coup.

The U.S. government said it was “deeply alarmed” by reports of the military takeover, which is contrary to the will of Sudan’s people, the White House said.

Reacting on Twitter, Guterres wrote: “I condemn the ongoing military coup in Sudan. Prime Minister Hamdok and all other officials must be released immediately.

“There must be full respect for the constitutional charter to protect the hard-won political transition.

“The UN will continue to stand with the people of Sudan”.

Also, the Arab League Secretary General, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, expressed concern about the developments in Sudan.

The African Union Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, said Sudan’s political leaders should be released and human rights respected.

“The Chairperson calls for the immediate resumption of consultations between civilians and military. … The Chairperson reaffirms that dialogue and consensus is the only relevant path to save the country and its democratic transition,” Mahamat said in a statement.

“We call on the security forces to immediately release those they have unlawfully detained,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement.

The Egyptian government said the actions of the military represented a betrayal of the revolution, the transition, and the legitimate requests of the Sudanese people for peace, justice, and economic development.

“Egypt calls on all parties in the brotherly nation of Sudan to exercise self-restraint and responsibility to prioritize the welfare of the country and national agreement,” the Egyptian foreign ministry said in a statement.

In a statement on the coup, the Government of Ethiopia … “calls on all parties for calm and de-escalation in the Sudan and to exert every effort towards a peaceful end to this crisis”.

Similarly, Saudi Arabia said: “The kingdom is following with extreme concern the current events in Sudan,” Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

“It calls for restraint, calm, de-escalation, and to preserve all the political and economic gains that have been achieved and all that aims to protect the unity of the ranks among all political components in brotherly Sudan.”

Sudan’s military seized power in a coup yesterday, while youths opposed to the takeover barricaded streets and gunfire was heard as demonstrators clashed with the security forces.

The military dissolved a transitional government that had been set up to guide the country to democracy following the overthrow of long-ruling autocrat Omar al-Bashir in a popular uprising two years ago.

General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the Sovereign Council under which the military had shared power with civilians, announced a state of emergency, saying the armed forces needed to protect safety and security.

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was detained and taken to an undisclosed location after refusing to issue a statement in support of the takeover, said the information ministry, which was still apparently under the control of Hamdok’s supporters. (The Nation)