Sudan’s SCoP denies ties with new opposition alliance

October 3, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s opposition Sudanese Congress Party (SCoP) denied participation in the arrangements for establishing a new opposition alliance under the name of the National Forces for Change.

The SCoP , which a is member of the opposition National Consensus Forces (NCF), in a statement on Friday, said it did not attend any meeting relating to the new alliance and was not invited to take part in it, pointing they were contacted by several political leaders to meet to discuss ways for maintaining unity of the opposition.

On Wednesday, the chairman of the opposition alliance NCF, Farouq Abu-Issa, in a press conference held at the premises of the Sudanese Communist Party, harshly criticised moves by some opposition figures to form a new alliance under the name of the “National Front for Change”, describing it as an attempt to weaken the major opposition alliance, the NCF.

He also accused some members of the rebel alliance of the Sudan Revolutionary Forces (SRF) of standing behind these attempts, describing the step as “unacceptable”.

The ScoP said they made several contacts with opposition parties within the NCF and outside it besides some parties whose names appeared in the list of the new alliance, noting they received positive response from all these parties including the NUP.

“These contacts resulted in the delay of the press conference which was planned to be held to declare the new alliance,” the statement said.

The SCoP called upon all opposition forces to overcome the media repercussions which followed the NCF’s press conference on Wednesday, stressing its relentless pursuit to unify efforts to get rid of the regime.

In statements to radio Darfur Afia on Friday, Abu Issa said he didn’t attack the rebel movements but a member of the alliance which gather armed groups and splinter factions from traditional parties.

“I did not attack the SRF we are seeking to establish a strategic alliance with the SRF. I attacked a member of the SRF who is working publicly to destroy the alliance (NCF),” he pointed out.

He further said some people of the opposition National Umma Party were involved in this attempt against the NCF.

The Sudanese press Thursday focused on Abu Issa statements and portrayed it as a rift between the SRF and the left parties coalition which has used to defend the positions of the rebel groups.

(ST)