Foreign
THE United Nations condemned a video circulating on the internet in which an unknown person calls for the fatwa and murder of the UN Special Envoy to Sudan, Volker Perthes.
“We are deeply concerned by a video circulating featuring a man requesting a fatwa at a public event last night in Khartoum.
“The man requested that he should be allowed to assassinate the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Sudan, Volker Perthes,” said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary General, in a statement.
“The language of incitement and violence will only deepen divisions on the ground. It will not deter the UN mission from carrying out its duties,” Dujarric said.
The UN Mission, led by Perthes, remains committed to supporting the people of Sudan in achieving the political transition to democratic rule, pursuant to its mandate, the statement said.
In Islam, a fatwa settles disputed questions on interpretations of Islamic law.
According to Sudanese media reports, the call was made during a political meeting on Monday evening.
Sudan, riven by crisis, is also undergoing a period of political upheaval.
The East African country had been ruled with a heavy hand for nearly 30 years by strongman President Omar al-Bashir until he was forced from office in April 2019 following mass protests and a military coup.
The military, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the civilian opposition agreed to a joint transitional government in a constitutional agreement to pave the way for democratic elections in 2022.
According to the agreement, al-Burhan would have had to withdraw from the transitional government by 2021 at the latest and leave the leadership of the country to civilians.
However, on Monday, the interim military government missed a new deadline to appoint a prime minister, again delaying the promised democratic elections.
The delay came amid a dispute between the military and civilian leadership.
Some negotiating partners criticised what they saw as political influence of the UN mission in Sudan, which aims to support the political transition.
Perthes, who is German, has been UN Special Representative in Sudan since 2021.
It was not clear what specifically had led to the fatwa, though Perthes is often slammed by Islamists and supporters of al-Bashir.
He had campaigned for more democracy and rights for women in the country. (dpa/NAN)
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Tags: Abdel Fattah al-Burhan Stephane Dujarric Volker Perthes
