US seeks to salvage Sudan vote as opposition moves toward full boycott
April 1, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — The United States special envoy to Sudan Scott Gration held marathonic meetings with officials from the ruling National Congress Party (NCP), Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) and other major political parties in a bid to prevent the collapse of the elections after several heavyweight parties announced their boycott of the race.
Following conflicting reports the major Northern opposition parties including the Umma Party, Umma Reform and Renewal Party (URRP), Democratic Unionist party (DUP) and Sudan Communist Party (SCP) announced their withdrawal from the presidential race.
The parliamentary, local and presidential elections are a crucial step in the 2005 north-south peace deal that ended a 21-year civil war and paves the way for a referendum when southerners would decide whether they will opt for secession from the Muslim-dominated north.
Yesterday the SPLM abruptly pulled its presidential candidate Yasir Arman which took the Northern opposition parties by surprise and led some to describe the decision as “betrayal” and “rushed” with some hinting that a secret deal with the NCP was behind the move in return for facilitating the 2011 referendum in South Sudan.
However, the URRP leader Mubarak Al-Fadil told reporters after meeting with Gration that the SPLM preempted the decision of other parties in line with its status as a partner in the government of national unity with the NCP and not part of the opposition.
The Vice President of the Government of Southern Sudan and Deputy Chairperson of the SPLM, Riek Machar, said on Wednesday that the party arrived at the decision to withdraw Arman because it did not want to give legitimacy to the incumbent President, Omer Hassan al-Bashir of the NCP who is running for re-election.
Machar also added that the SPLM will participate in the elections at all other levels of government with the exception of Darfur and Southern Kordofan, particularly in its parliamentary elections.
The US envoy has reportedly stressed to opposition leaders that Washington wants to hold elections per the timetable on April 11th and instead urged them to consolidate their demands and he will carry it to the NCP and press them in making concessions.
“His [Gration] opinion was that postponing won’t be beneficial because the time will not be enough to solve the problems and that some issues can be resolved by going ahead with the elections,” URRP leader Al-Fadil told reporters.
Sudan state media carried statement by presidential assistant Nafie Ali Nafie expressing his gratitude to Gration for his commitment to hold the elections on time and his understanding that the polls are crucial for the stability of the country and that the NCP will not allow for a national interim government to run the country until the elections are concluded.
The opposition parties reciprocated the NCP’s tough stance by announcing a comprehensive boycott of elections at all levels, one party leader told Sudan Tribune.
“The Umma, URRP, DUP and SCP will boycott all elections. The SPLM will do the same for North Sudan” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity because a final decision is pending internal parties’ consultation.
The Popular Congress Party (PCP) led by Hassan Al-Turabi stuck to insistence on running in the elections.
“Our party will engage in the presidential (election)… at all levels,” Turabi said after meeting Gration.
Along with Turabi are smaller opposition parties and independent candidates. However, a senior official at the PCP said it is likely that his party will join other parties in boycotting at a later stage.
The 19 opposition parties which met today issued a joint statement outlining their objections to the current election process including the “political and legal environment in the country”, “dispute over the population census”, ” the shaky state of security in Darfur and continued state of emergency together with renewed violence in the area”.
They further said that it is “is a matter of national interest that the elections be postponed from April 11, 2010 to the following November to allow for the fulfillment of the conditions necessary for its integrity, fairness and full country coverage”.
Among the demands by the opposition parties is to form a new elections commission to replace the current one comprised of people “who are known for their integrity, independence and competence”.
The opposition has accused the NCP of using state resources, limiting their access to the media and controlling the independent National election commission, undermining their chances and the fairness of the process.
International observers and rights groups have said all signs point to a flawed process where the National Election Commission is unlikely to deliver a free and fair process and on time.
On Thursday, Arman said the presidential election was aimed at deflecting the International Criminal Court (ICC), which a year ago issued an arrest warrant for Bashir for alleged war crimes in Darfur.
“The elections for president is made for one person, it is not made for a democratic process or for the Sudanese people, it was only made to save General Bashir from the ICC,” Arman said.
Bashir has threatened the SPLM that he will not allow for referendum without elections. The ex-Southern rebel group is very sensitive to any talk about delaying the self determination vote considered a major prize in the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
The US State department today expressed concern over the latest developments pertaining to elections.
“We have concerns about the credibility of the election. We want to see it as inclusive and competitive as possible. Scott is there trying to help work here in the home stretch as we get ready for elections coming up,” State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters in Washington.
In Paris, Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) leader Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur hailed the boycotts and called on opposition parties to join hands with him “to achieve peace and security for people in Darfur and work on building a new state based on equal citizenship rights”.
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Gai Kuol Deng
US seeks to salvage Sudan vote as opposition moves toward full boycott
It is a wise decision. when a person becomes too glutony to the degree that he threatens to kill people, the best option is to let him eat the food alone.
Shame to this gluton Bashir, eat it. You ‘re lept with it.
But you are not a man of the people; you are a disgrace to Sudan.
telfajbago
US seeks to salvage Sudan vote as opposition moves toward full boycott
President Obama must admit that he has chosen a wrong person for the job of special envoy to Sudan, Scott Gration, the non diplomat . Gration had been patting the NCP at the back, while the regime continued committing grave and flagrant irregularities and exercising electoral terror against political opponents and threatening to cut off the fingers of the observers, to all these Gration was silent. Bad enough, he is now speaking of convincing the NCP to make concessions. Where were you all this time making shuttle trips back and forth to Sudan, wasting American tax payers money in tickets and doing a lot of nothing, speaking of cookies and handshakes and smiles , blessing the killing of the innocent civilians in Darfur and further hypnotizing the policy-makers that there will not be war again in Sudan , shame on you.
DASODIKO
US seeks to salvage Sudan vote as opposition moves toward full boycott
Go home my friend Gration because you are part of this problem. Since your repeated coming to Sudan you were not able to listen to the concerns of the all parties, but lsitening to those on power. Unfortunately you failed in politics despite you are very good in military affairs as your conutry men and women hail it.
Game is over, all parties are preparing for fresh war on all sides, the winner will takeover and then you come to have relations with them if they would accept.
Kuany Dak
US seeks to salvage Sudan vote as opposition moves toward full boycott
April presidential election in sudan is useles since all major opposition parties boycott their participation in ever first multiparty election ending decades of civil war in the south sudan. It is not clear at this point whether, NCP as ruling party in the north will yield to demand of opposition in favor of november election and replacement of current election commission, which is accused of being loyolist to incumbent president, Omer Al Bashir.
Sudan is going through painful time at this moment while deciding on the fate of the national democratic election. Best thing is that make no legitimate to Omer Al Bashir for ICC to cancell its charges against him. Good idea do not participate in the election. April election be al bashir election. Nobody will recoginize hime internationally!
Time1
US seeks to salvage Sudan vote as opposition moves toward full boycott
Northern opposition should take Grations advise, they should participate in the parliamentary elections and the state governors,change and democratic transformation does not come only through the president or being a president, it comes from the grass roots. The parliament is more stronger and in the right position to serve the people than just the president alone, so the northern opposition should not miss the parliamentary elections and the governorship, it is very important for their interest to be involve int his elections especially on the legislative levels, they can challenge the government from within the legislative assembly and also have a big representatives in the parliament to debate several laws and issues affecting the country, that is why is is very critical they participate in this elections for their on good and interests, if they fail to participate then the NCP will win and take over all the seatd in the parliament, this is will the opposition locked outside of the government system completely, so this will make it even very hard for them to push for any change in the future, the northern oppositions should go for the parliamentary elections and the governorship elections, they should not allow NCP to take all the parliament seats and all govvernors, this will affect them in the future, the opposition have to think strategically and look into the future, they should not be emotional over withdraws or just fighting voer the presidency, this elections is not about power struggle, it is about being able to bring change and serve the people, therefore the parliament is the right place for opposition to be represented in full. Let them think twice, i heard Only the Umma party of Al fadil and Communist party had earlier said they would withdrawn, but the DUP of Marghani and the Umma party of Sadiq have not confirmed their withdrawal fully, alo PCP is involved, because it is very important this parties to be represented in the parliament, they can challenge the NCP from within the parliament system which is more effective tool.