Observations regarding the UN Envoy Lamamra!

If Ramtane Lamamra, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Sudan, believed that he will contribute to resolving the Sudanese crisis by praising and applauding the Port Sudan coup authority, adopting its proposals that ignore the protection of civilians as well as the future of the settlement… if he truly believed the aforementioned will achieve results, then will simply -not- be an acceptable mediator, nor a benefactor. Rather, he will become a stumbling block and a barrier to resolving the Sudanese crisis. It would be better for him -and for Sudan- if he ceases his efforts, mediation, and travels to Sudan.. in conclusion, the Almighty loves Al-Muhsinun (those who do good deeds!).

A number of observers have unanimously criticized this man’s hasty welcome of a lame plan presented by Ibrahim Jaber, the coup leader and the National Congress Party’s (Al-Kizan) representative in the Sudanese Army. He went as far as to describe it as a “roadmap” for the Port Sudan coup authority!

This roadmap and Lamamra’s position regarding it were also criticized by many political and civil forces in Sudan. They considered Lamamra’s haphazard welcome of this “random, incomplete roadmap” to be an explicit bias toward the coup authority. Furthermore, regional and international parties criticized the above-mentioned roadmap as well as Lamamra’s subsequent welcome of it.

This “booby-trapped roadmap” presented by the illegitimate Port Sudan Authority is a deviant and failed roadmap (even from a purely technical standpoint), as it ignores the parties and components involved in the armed conflict. It also deliberately and (with vicious malice) ignores the existence of civilian forces in Sudan.

In doing so, Lamamra places himself in a “perforated boat,” standing in conflict with numerous Sudanese components and parties, demonstrating his bias toward one party to the conflict: The coup authorities and Al-Kizan (NCP). This isn’t the accepted tradition of international and UN mediators.

Hence, what are Lamamra’s motives for taking such a hasty, impartial stance, demonstrating a blatant bias toward one party over others and towards an authority that is illegitimate, even in the eyes of the African Union and numerous regional as well as international circles? Let alone the Sudanese people and their civilian forces!

This “lame roadmap” represents, in word and deed, the position of the coup authority’s alliance with a political entity known to all… As for the people, with their displaced and homeless populations, they are the last thing the leaders of this alliance should care about! Ibrahim Jaber’s “blind roadmap” ignored the conditions, lives, and fates of (14 million) refugees and internally displaced persons, as well as the famine that affects the lives of (24 million) Sudanese citizen, according to sources from specialized international and UN organizations. Therefore, where does this compare in the context of Lamamra’s welcoming and the smiling faces of the coup leaders?!

Has the United Nations come to sanction military coups against civilian governments? Or is this just one of Lamamra’s own opinions? Or has he forgotten that he has become embroiled in the Sudanese quagmire as a representative of the United Nations and its Secretary-General?

This man has previously based his optimism about resolving the Sudanese crisis on false premises and counterproductive outcomes. Such as the story of the woman who complained to her friend about her husband’s late return home, and her fear that he might have married another woman. Her friend replied, “Be optimistic. Maybe he was hit by a car.”

A previous statement by Mr. Lamamra revealed that he wasn’t being forthright, or at the very least, that he wasn’t sufficiently informed about the situation in Sudan. He stated that the humanitarian situation was improving relatively in some areas (thanks to cooperation between officials and humanitarian organizations)…! The truth of the matter is, the Port Sudan Authority officials are obstructing the efforts of humanitarian organizations and waging a relentless war against them. Moreover, they went as far as to even steal aid and offer it for sale in the markets.

Lamamra has also been criticized for his adoption of the idea of returning to pre-war conditions; the pre-war context is the acceptance of a military coup against civilian authority.

He was also criticized for failing to mention the civilian component once during the lengthy interview conducted with him by Asharq Al-Awsat. He limited his discussion to the coup authority, Al-Burhan’s Army, and the Rapid Support Forces.

We hope that Lamamra, as the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, will refrain from approaching the Sudanese crisis with the logic adopted by the countries that support Al-Burhan and his coup.

He ought not to keep the external and international parties in the dark about how Al-Burhan’s authority (an illegitimate coup authority) isn’t even recognized by the African Union..! Yet, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy refers to Al-Burhan and calls him “Chairman of the Sovereignty Council,” when he should be considered the Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Army “by virtue of the unfortunate reality.” This is even if we ignore the fact that the entire Army leadership is simply a “Kizani leadership.” These are rather clear matters that don’t require a telescope to verify. May Allah never grant victory to the Salvation (Inqaz) Government, to the coup plotters, and the supporters of war… wherever they are…!!