Sudan’s rebels and opposition group threaten to launch alternative dialogue process
August 26, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The rebel umbrella Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) and a group of opposition forces that pulled out of the dialogue have agreed to boycott the ongoing process and to launch an alternative dialogue if the government insists on going ahead with it.
The SRF and the Alliance of the National Forces (ANF) including the political forces which withdrew from the government-led dialogue have held a meeting in Addis Ababa on Tuesday evening.
In a joint statement extended to Sudan Tribune, the meeting underscored “unity of Sudan’s territory and people” and that dialogue is the best means for resolving the Sudanese crisis, saying it must be inclusive and balanced.
“The ongoing dialogue is not inclusive and wouldn’t resolve the country’s problems but will complicate matters further,” it added.
The statement pointed to the need for unifying views and coordinating political stances of the opposition on all issues pertaining to dialogue.
The two sides further agreed to embark on launching an alternative dialogue process with the participation of all Sudanese people if the government insisted to go ahead with the current process without meeting its requirements.
The Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir launched the national dialogue initiative more than a year and a half ago in which he urged opposition parties and rebels alike to join the dialogue table to discuss all the pressing issues.
But the initiative faced serious setbacks in wake of the government’s refusal to create suitable atmosphere in the country leading several major participants to pull out.
The meeting expressed support for the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) decision to extend Mbeki’s mandate and its call for an urgent pre-dialogue meeting of all relevant parties.
The statement added the meeting agreed to a comprehensive cessation of hostilities and to open corridors to allow passage of humanitarian assistance to the needy population as a prelude for holding a genuine national dialogue.
It should be mentioned that the AUPSC on Wednesday called for declaring a ceasefire in South Kordofan, Blue Nile and Darfur. Also president Bashir, last week said he is ready to declare a two-month ceasefire in all three conflict areas.
The SRF and the ANF called for the need to learn from the previous experiences to achieve a comprehensive solution for the Sudanese issues as well as expanding the join work within the framework of Addis Ababa agreement signed between the dialogue coordination body known as 7+7 and the opposition forces last year.
They also called for releasing political detainees and convicts as agreed upon in the roadmap approved by the 7+7 mechanism and the Addis Ababa agreement.
The meeting was attended by Malik Agar, Yasir Arman, Gibreel Ibrahim, Ahmed Tugod Lisan, Minni Arku Minnawi, Ali Trio, al-Toum Hago and al-Rayah Mahmoud from the SRF side and Hassan Osman Rizq, Ahmed Abu al-Gasim Hashim, Taha Abdallah Yasin and Hassan Ali Idris from the ANF side.
DOHA PEACE DOCUMENT IS DEAD
Meanwhile, the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM-MM) leader Minni Minnawi said the AUPSC 539th Communiqué is considered a victory for the diplomatic efforts made by the “Sudan Call” forces.
Minnawi told Sudan Tribune that the communiqué has “blown up” the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD), saying the document has been sent to its final resting place.
The communiqué if the regional security body commended the AU High Implementation Panel (AUHIP) efforts to facilitate negotiations between the government of Sudanese government and the Darfur armed movements, “within the context of the agreed one-process-two-track approach to end all violent conflicts in Sudan”.
The Sudanese government continued to reject any discussions with the rebel groups in Darfur region, saying the DDPD proposes a set of solution for the conflict.
Minnawi added that the AUPSC demanded the government to initiate a genuine dialogue to resolve the Sudanese crisis, saying it has also renewed the mandate of the AUHIP.
(ST)
