The Sudanese Transitional Military Council (TMC), the country's current governing force, warned on Tuesday protesters, who have been barricading roads and bridges, that the law would counteract chaos and called on them to unblock roadways
CAIRO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th April, 2019) The Sudanese Transitional Military Council (TMC), the country's current governing force, warned on Tuesday protesters, who have been barricading roads and bridges, that the law would counteract chaos and called on them to unblock roadways.Thousands of protesters are staging a sit-in outside the army headquarters in Khartoum, blocking roads that lead up to the presidential palace. On Monday, the main protest group, the Sudanese Professionals Association, called for civil disobedience after the TMC and opposition, represented by the Forces of the Declaration of Freedom and Change, failed to reach an agreement to form a new military-civilian body to rule the country.
"Chaos will be countered with the law," Yasser al-Ata, vice president of the TMC, said at a news conference in Khartoum broadcast over Sky News Arabia media outlet.
Al-Ata added that the increased attacks against Sudanese security forces needed to stop and gave the opposition 24 hours to normalize vehicle traffic over the barricaded bridges.
"We have asked the citizens to unblock major roadways and gave the opposition 24 hours to normalize car movement over bridges," al-Ata said.
During the news conference, the TMC also accused the opposition group of being inconsistent with regard to the road map for the period of Sudan's transition to an elected government.
'They are making demands that they had previously not mentioned ... We have asked them to choose permanent representatives for the talks," he said.
Al-Ata added that the opposition needed to present the TMC with a detailed plan for the transition period so that it could be presented to and discussed with all of the political powers involved in the process.
The TMC and the opposition, after deciding to united forces on Saturday, failed to create the joint military-civilian body and agree on how many people it should include. This came after protesters demanded that civilians be included in the transitional governing authority. While the opposition wants to see more civilian representatives than military one on the council, the TMC does not want to give up its ruling majority.
Following four months of anti-government protests, Sudan experienced a military coup on April 11. President Omar Bashir, who had been in power for 30 years, was overthrown and then imprisoned.
The TMC came to power and pledged to hold a new election within two years. However, the opposition did not approve this plan and called on the TMC to immediately hand over power to civilian structures.
