SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: BBC News - Omar al-Bashir: How Sudan’s military strongmen stayed in power

12/4/19: BBC News – Omar al-Bashir: How Sudan’s military strongmen stayed in power

Alex de Waal, the executive director of the World Peace Foundation at Tufts University, disputes that the April 11 military coup is a step towards democracy, outlining four aspects of a pact by the security cabal which ousted Omar Al Bashir.

 Firstly, the army, NISS and the paramilitary leaders are keen to share power among themselves, in attempts to avoid a repeat of this week’s clashes.

 Secondly, De Waal argues that the cabal - which is allied to Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE - is telling the West that their coup pre-empted a Muslim Brotherhood takeover.

 Thirdly, despite publicly blaming Al Bashir for Sudan’s ills, the group will protect him from facing the ICC, partly because the coup leaders are also responsible for the atrocities committed in Darfur.

Finally, the coup leaders are buying time so that they can decide on whether to repress or co-opt Sudan’s protesters.