Minawi: No Weapons Outside State Institutions, Rejects “Founding Government”

Khartoum – Sudan Horizon

The Governor of the Darfur Region and leader of the Sudan Liberation Army Movement, Commander Minni Arko Minawi, affirmed that Sudan’s stability depends on ending the presence of militias and placing all weapons under the authority of official institutions and an inclusive national dialogue.

He noted that resolving the Sudanese crisis requires an inclusive national dialogue to determine the structure of the armed forces and regulate weapons, away from illusions of imposing authority through parallel claims to legitimacy or de facto administrations.

Speaking today to a number of journalists and media professionals at his residence in Khartoum, Minawi said the presence of militias had been and remained the main cause of the country’s deterioration and the outbreak of wars. He reiterated his categorical rejection of what he called a “militia state.”

Minawi explained that he had addressed the families of martyrs, widows, and victims, firmly reaffirming this position. He stressed that any use of weapons must fall under the framework of “restoring order and control” to protect the state and restore its authority, rather than imposing a political reality through force of arms.

Minawi warned against attempts to force national parties to sit down or sign agreements with the so-called “Founding Government” or “Founding State.”

He considered recognition of these labels tantamount to legitimizing the partition of the country and an explicit act of betrayal that could not be accepted under any circumstances.

The Governor of Darfur pointed out that politicians’ exploitation of the army, and the army’s exploitation by politicians, over past decades had distorted both the political and military processes. He emphasized that the armed forces and security agencies, including the army, police, and security services, must operate as institutions subject to political decision-making and national consensus through dialogue. They must not be used as tools to advance the political interests of any particular party.

Minawi reiterated that the participation of armed struggle movements in the “Joint Force” was a temporary arrangement governed by the provisions of the Juba Peace Agreement for Sudan, which stipulate a 39-month period for implementing security arrangements.

He explained that the relevant provision had been constitutionally renewed and reaffirmed following the latest constitutional amendments to ensure there was no legal vacuum. He stressed that the ultimate objective was to fully integrate these forces into the state’s official security and military institutions.

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