Opposition groups establish new political coalition in Sudan
February 23, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Some 41 opposition groups Tuesday launched a new political coalition in Khartoum and called on the others to join them to achieve the shared goal of regime change.
The FFC groups, are National Forces Alliance (NFA), National Forces of Change (NFC) and National Unity Parties (NUPs). Some members of these groups, like Reform Now Movement (RNM) and Just Peace Forum (JFM)., were part of the national dialogue process.
In a press conference held at the RNM premises and attended by diplomats from the American and British embassies in Khartoum, the founders of the new political umbrella introduced the FFC as ”a flexible coordinating body” open for the other political forces.
RNM leader, Gahzi Salah al-Din, called to work for a strategic solution to address the root causes of war and to agree on efficient system of governance.
He further said they reject attempts to divide the opposition and called for a comprehensive national dialogue, saying “the government’s insistence on following the road of insolence and arrogance will only lead to more discord among Sudanese”.
However, the former presidential adviser stressed they extend their hand to the political forces “to determine the political line that governs the current circumstances”.
The FFC groups say the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) should implement first a number of confidence building measures, creating a suitable atmosphere for the national dialogue process.
In a press statement released Tuesday, the new group say the political and economic crises the country is facing impose on the national opposition forces to “join hands and overcome the trivial things. And to converge on a single platform to lead the change which has become inevitable, obvious and necessary”.
Abdel Gader Ibrahim, a FFC leading member, said they are opposed to the “Consultative Strategic Meeting” the African Union mediators intend to hold next March with the participation of the Sudanese government, NUP, SPLM-North, Justice and Equality Movement and Sudan Liberation Movement – Minni Minnawi.
“We will reject any outcome of this meeting,” Ibrahim stressed.
Another FFC leading member, Farah Agar, called on the opposition groups inside and outside the country to join the new coalition, stressing that the new entity is still in the process of being established.
The FFC provides an opportunity to “start a new page beyond the failures of the past,” said the former NCP candidate for governor of Blue Nile state.
Observers in the Sudanese capital say that the new FFC is the product of the recent developments and political crisis in Sudan. They point that many of these groups were part of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) like Salah al-Din , al-Tayeb Mustafa or Farah Agar.
Further they say that the opposition National Consensus Forces and the Sudan Call forces including the National Umma Party (NUP) also failed to include these groups in their structures due to ideological differences while they had accepted the Popular Congress Party of Hassan al-Turabi in the past.
(ST)