An audience increasing in number and enthusiasm is waiting for the resumption of negotiations on the future governance of Sudan.

The most involved and therefore the most passionate are the Sudanese themselves.

They are divided between civilians seeking complete change from the 30-year regime of ousted President Omar Al Bashir and the military desperately trying to maintain the status quo by clinging to power at any cost.

The African continent is deeply immersed in the future of its second largest member.

The African Union has taken the unprecedented step of suspending Sudan under its current military junta because of the June 3 slaying of at least 118 unarmed pro-democracy activists.

The AU red card will be enforced until the Transitional Military Council hands power to a civilian led administration.

There is skepticism about  exactly what muscle the continental body can bring to bear on the generals.

However, there is no gainsaying that the AU has at last taken up the role it was designed to in 2002 when it replaced the cosy coterie of Organisation of African Unity  leaders who refused to criticize each other let alone interfere in their affairs.

The AU, following the genocide in Rwanda, determined that it would intervene to stop crimes against humanity, war crimes, genocide and gross human rights violations.

The reluctance all too often to take decisive actions has undermined the credibility of the body.

Those concerned with human rights are hoping the AU has turned a corner by acting against the Khartoum junta.

When it seemed that the prospect for negotiations had died along with the demonstrators outside military headquarters in the Sudanese capital, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed flew in to offer his services as mediator.

Both military and civilian leaders accepted Ahmed who has built a considerable reputation by making peace with Eritrea and Somalia.

He left behind in Khartoum an official  Mahmoud Dirir who is the source of optimism about negotiations resuming.

Details are lacking, but Dirir does have undertakings from the Alliance for Freedom and Change and the Sudan Professionals Association to call off the general strike which has brought the economy of the country to a standstill this week.

He also has a promise from the generals to release political prisoners taken since the June 3 massacre.

These groups have a mountain to climb.

They have made virtually no progress in talks designed to agree on the composition of a transitional administration leading to elections.

Ahmed is expected back in Sudan this week to continue his face-to-face efforts.

He is understood to have proposed  15-person body consisting of eight civilians and seven soldiers.

The civilian groups have six pre-conditions for a resumption of talks:

The removal of soldiers from the streets of Khartoum and other Sudanese cities;

An international investigation into the June 3 killings;

The release of political detainees;

Restoration of the internet;

Press freedom; and 

The Transitional Military Council accepting responsibility for the attacks on protestors.

Also headed for Khartoum is the United States Assistant Secretary of State For Africa Tibor Nagy.

The U.S. holds a big stick over Sudan because if only recently removed it from the list of terror-sponsoring countries which attract American sanctions.

Nagy’s brief is to get an assurance from the military that it will not again attack demonstrators and to secure an atmosphere conducive for negotiations.

Activist film star George Clooney, who co-founded the watchdog called The Sentinel with former African Affairs Director at the U.S. National Security Council John  Prendergast, says Washington must use political and diplomatic weapons to give substance to Nagy’s mission.

Having been involved Darfur in the early 2000s, when it was the worst humanitarian crisis on the planet, Clooney is well versed in the iniquities of the Sudanese military and particularly its paramilitary terror group known as the janjaweed who now go by the more anodyne name of the Rapid Support Force.

The Sentinel is in the business of cutting off the financial stream to groups violating human rights and promoting violence in conflict zones like Darfur

Clooney says the U.S. Treasury must  issue an anti-money-laundering advisory to banks around the world to stop the illicit financial flows to human rights offenders and corrupt officials in  Sudan.

He points out that Washington has done this in Venezuela and Ukraine.

Using the 2016 Global Magnitsky Act, and eliciting the help of allies in Europe and Africa,  Clooney says the Trump Administration can ensure there are consequences for the military regime in Sudan and particularly the janjaweed.

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The civilian groups have rejected fresh calls from the Transitional Military Council for talks, saying the army cannot be trusted.

The Sudanese Professionals Association, which has been leading demonstrations for the military to hand power to civilian administration, demands that an international committee be set up to investigate what it is calling a massacre.

The generals say they will look into what the Rapid Support Force – formerly known as the Janjaweed – did to disperse demonstrators on Monday and punish anyone who’s crossed the line.

There’s growing international condemnation of the killing of unarmed protestors.

Saudi Arabia, that supported the military after the April coup that ousted President Omar Al Bashir, now says it is watching developments with concern.

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United Nations Secretary General Atonio Guterres has expressed his alarm at developments.

The Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors says troops have surrounded the hospitals to which the hundreds of people wounded by gunfire from the crack rapid support troops have been taken

The UN has called for an independent investigation into events.

Attorney General Maulana Al Walid Sayed has set up a committee comprising military prosecutors and judiciary that resembles bodies set up by deposed President Omar Al Bashir.

The African Union urges Sudanese to return urgently to the negotiating table.

The Sudan Professionals Association, however has called on supporters to engage in total civil disobedience. 

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At least one person has been killed and several wounded.Smoke rises above the site where police and soldiers are burning protestors’ tents and shelters.

This morning’s  move by security forces comes days after the transitional military council called the weeks-long protests a threat to national security.

The demonstrators are demanding the military, which ousted President Omar Al Bashir in a coup two months ago, hand over power to a civilian government.

The Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors reports at least one death today and another yesterday when troops fired on a rally.

The committee’s  aligned to the Sudan Professionals Association which has warned of massacre by security forces using sharp point ammunition but nevertheless called for demonstrators to stand firm.

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Shops, the bus station and the airport are closed for a second day.

The protestors, who’s action led to the military coup that ousted Omar Al Bashir last month, have threatened further strikes if the generals don’t yield to civilian rule.

They argue that the military brass is  not negotiating in good faith and is trying to shore up is  position by seeking support from neighbours and leaders in the Gulf.

For their part, the transitional council says the protestors are not interested in sharing power with the military that remains the most popular institution with Sudanese. 

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They accuse the transitional military councilor being remnants of the 30-year Bashir regime.

The disparate pro-democracy groups spearheaded by the Sudan Professionals Association had gathered outside military headquarters in Khartoum to hear a suggested list of people for a  transitional government.

Instead they got the defiant statement from the groups urging them to escalate their protests.

It’s an indication that the demonstrators could not agree on personalities able to replace the military and a sign that there are tense and confusing times ahead for Sudan.

The generals, meanwhile have enjoyed financial support from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

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Sudan’s pro-democracy movement is presenting the ruling military council with a list of people to form a transitional government leading to elections.

Omar Al Bashir, ousted as president in military coup ten days ago faces money laundering charges after vast sums of cash were found at his home.

The list from the Sudan Professionals and other protesting groups contains the names of technocrats capable of running the country.

It also names some military figures, despite the protestors’ demands for an all-civilian government.

The list will be presented during the sit-in today outside the military headquarters.

At the maximum security Kobar prison, where he’s being held in solitary confinement, deposed president Omar Al Bashir is being questioned about sacks of money – dollars, euros and Sudanese pounds – found at his home.

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The country’s braced for another day of mass demonstrations following Friday prayers.

Organizations claiming to have forced the fall of President Omar Al Bashir in a military coup a week ago, are seeking guarantees that  what they have achieved so far will not be reversed.

They fear this will happen if the military, which has a parlous record of government since Sudan’s 1956 independence from Britain, says in power.

The Sudan Professionals Association claims leadership of the protests.

There is, in fact, a plethora of pro-democracy groups and a realization that if they are to attain their goal they need great cohesion.

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Several members of his 30-year regime are also being in the prison on the banks of the Blue Nile where they jailed thousands of political prisoners.

Sudan’s transitional military council says moving Omar Al Bashir from the presidential palace to Kobar prison is part of its crackdown on corruption.

This is part of the demands by the pro-democracy activists led by the Sudan Professionals Association.

The military rulers have agreed to this,  but still refuse the call by the protestors  to hand over power to a civilian administration of 13 ministers and a 120-member parliament.

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They’r determined to maintain their sit-in outside military headquarters in Khartoum until the military council established after last Thursday’s coup steps

 down to allow a civilian administration.

The demonstrators are saying leaders of Omar Al Bashir’s 30-year regime should be put on trial for corruption and human rights violations.

The Sudan Professionals Association, which is leading the protests, warned supporters against efforts by the security forces to break up their sit-in that has lasted since December.

They’ve urged sympathizers to join them and keep the pressure on the military brass to make way for civilians.

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