Sudan opposition party vows to increase political pressure on Bashir gov’t
January 13, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s opposition National Umma Party (NUP) led by former Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi slammed the government for its inaction over the pre-dialogue meeting and warned they would launch a new campaign to isolate the government.
Instead of supporting the organisation of an inclusive meeting as it is provided in a road map endorsed by the African Union, the government says only the armed groups and the NUP can take part in this procedural encounter.
In a press conference on Wednesday, the NUP said the slogan of its next political campaign would be “Here are the people’’.
NUP deputy chairman Fadlallah Burma Nasir told reporters his party will organize a mass rally to commemorate the country’s 60th independence anniversary on January 26 where they indented to launch the new campaign.
The Sudanese are best able to resolve what he called “the balance of weakness between the government and the opposition,” he further said.
NUP Secretary General Sarah Nugdallah pointed the new campaign comes in line with several mobilization campaigns the party organized in support of peace and democracy to isolate the regime, and create cumulative effect paving the way for a popular uprising.
Nugdallah recalled that the party leader had launched the same campaign that was adopted by the opposition “Sudan Call” forces in Paris last November.
Nasir further said that Sudan is now experiencing difficult economic and security situations due to the continued armed conflicts in several areas, besides the international isolation, rampant unemployment, and widespread corruption.
“The way out of all these crises is holding a serious national dialogue with all its requirements without excluding any entity, otherwise we have no option than a carefully planned peaceful popular uprising,’’ he stressed .
He further called on the government to accept the terms of the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) decision 539 which calls on Khartoum to accept an all-parties pre-dialogue meeting, and urged the opposition to unite its ranks.
Nasir has further noted that the proposed pre-dialogue meeting between the government and the opposition in Addis Ababa will discuss procedural matters related to confidence building measures, the cessation of hostilities, amnesty for political detainees and prisoners. After what, the national constitutional conference can be held inside Sudan’’.
He said the agenda of the national constitutional conference would be entirely devoted to the negotiation of a comprehensive peace and a roadmap for democratic transition.
“Those steps, if achieved, can bring a lot of gains, especially the exemption of foreign debt, and the resumption of development aid to Sudan, in addition to raising the name from the list of state sponsors of terrorism,’’ said the NUP official.
Speaking at the event also, the NUP deputy chairperson Marriam al-Sadiq al-Mahdi said that consultations were underway over the pre-dialogue meeting.
Al-Mahdi disclosed that the African mediation has now aligned its position with that of the opposition forces and supports the organisation of the pre-dialogue meeting in Addis Ababa.
The deputy leader explained that there was a proposal backed by the government calling to have two tracks for the pre-dialogue process one in Addis for the rebel groups and another in Khartoum for the political forces.
She has said the party is considering to draft a proposal that would be the unified position towards the involvement of the holdout political groups in the national dialogue process.
Also, the political leader denied reports that she had said the NUP leader Sadiq al-Mahdi was about to return from his voluntary exile in Cairo and termed it as “fabricated.”
(ST)