Sudanese Communist Party criticises Addis Ababa agreement on national dialogue
September 14, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The opposition Sudanese Communist Party (SCP) criticised Addis Ababa agreement on national dialogue saying the government did not provide any guarantee to implement its dispositions.
In a communiqué released three days after the visit of the head of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) to Khartoum, the left party once again distanced itself from the agreement signed by the dialogue committee, rebel Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) groups and National Umma Party (NUP) on 4 September.
The release of NUP vice-president Mariam al-Mahdi, and the announcement of an impending release of the head of the Sudanese Congress Party, Ibrahim Sheikh, is not enough,” said the SCP political bureau, adding “(Addis Ababa) agreement does not rise to the level of an agreement between the National Consensus Forces (NCF) and the SRF in April 2014.
Also it is not enough what was reported by the African mediator Thabo Mbeki after his meeting with president Omer al-Bashir that the latter is not opposed to Addis Ababa agreement or the government support to the agreement announced by presidential assistant Ibrahim Ghandour.
“We should not forget the fate of the Nafei/Agar agreement which had been effectively signed by the government and then cancelled it to pursue its policy of war with all its disasters,” the statement added, alluding to the framework agreement inked on 28 June 2011 providing to end war in the South Kordofan and to hold a comprehensive constitutional conference.
The alliance of the left parties , NCF already on Wednesday issued September Declaration where they reject to be part of any process that does not lead to dismantle “the one-party state” and to hold accountable those who committed crimes against the Sudanese people.
On Sunday, the political secretary of the ruling National Congress Party, Mustafa Osman Ismail, minimised the position of the NCF parties saying the signing of Addis Ababa agreement on national dialogue with the rebel groups and the NUP party weakened their negative stance towards the government-led national dialogue.
The political bureau of the Communist party however admitted that Addis Ababa represents a breakthrough in the relation with the efforts to include rebel SRF alliance in the national dialogue.
But, it added the ruling party aims through this accord to extend the life of the collapsing regime of Omer al-Bashir and prevent any new uprising as result to the growing economic crisis in the country.
Since Mbeki meeting with president Bashir, Sudanese defence minister said clearly they will not accept a humanitarian cessation of hostilities with the rebels provided in Addis Ababa agreement. Also the second vice-president rejected the opposition and rebel demand for a transitional government.
The rejection of the government-led process by the opposition parties may disturb government plans to include all the political forces in the dialogue .
However, observers in Khartoum say the ruling party is only interested in an agreement with rebel groups but some others remind that the reproduction of a coalition government between NCP and rebel groups as it was the case in the period of 2005-2010 may ends war but would not bring democratic changes in the country.
(ST)