Director of the University of Khartoum resigns in protest of the Burhan-Hamdok agreement

Fadwa Abdel Rahman, Director of the University of Khartoum, Sudan’s oldest university, announced, on Sunday, her resignation, in rejection of a political agreement signed by the army chief, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, and the head of the transitional government, Abdullah Hamdok, in an attempt to end the crisis in the country.

Fadwa said, in a statement: “I, Fadwa Abdel-Rahman Ali Taha, announce a valid and reasoned resignation from the position of Director of the University of Khartoum, in refusal and protest against the political agreement signed today between Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan and Abdullah Hamdok.”

She added: “Loyalty to the lives of 40 martyrs who rose since the military coup on 25 October 2021 against the document and constitutional legitimacy and the accompanying arrest of the Prime Minister, Abdullah Hamdouk, and a number of members of his government and the dissolution of  the government delegated to run the country’s affairs.”

On 25 October, a severe crisis erupted in Sudan, where Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency, dissolved the Sovereignty Councils and the transitional ministers and dismissed the governors, after the arrest of party leaders, ministers and officials, in exchange for continuous protests rejecting these measures as a “military coup.”

READ: Sudan releases political detainees after deal

On Sunday, Al-Burhan and Hamdok signed a political agreement with the aim of ending the crisis, in light of intense international pressure and continuous internal demonstrations calling for the return of civilian rule.

The agreement includes 14 items, the most prominent of which is the cancellation of the decision to relieve Hamdok from prime minister, and the release of all political detainees, and the two parties pledged to work together to complete the democratic path.

The agreement affirms that the constitutional document of 2019 is the main reference during the next stage, with the need to amend it by consensus, in order to ensure and achieve comprehensive political participation for all components of society, except for the (disbanded) National Congress Party.

This document is for power structures during a transitional phase in Sudan since August 21, 2019, and will last for 53 months, ending with holding elections in early 2024, during which power is shared by the army, civilian forces and armed movements that signed the peace agreement with the government on October 3, 2020.

The agreement also stipulates that the Transitional Sovereignty Council shall supervise the implementation of the tasks of the transitional period without interference in the executive work.

On more than one occasion, Al-Burhan stressed that he had taken the 25 October measures to protect the country from a “real danger,” accusing political forces of “inciting chaos.”

Sudan’s military seized power and arrested Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/Middle East Monitor]