Sudan’s opposition under huge pressures to join dialogue process: 7+7 says
July 19, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Member of Sudan’s dialogue coordination body known as 7+7 Kamal Omer said the opposition Sudan Call groups are facing significant international pressures to join the national dialogue.
He expressed confidence that the holdout opposition would join the dialogue, pointing to credible information they received in this regard.
PCP political secretary further added that the Sudan Call forces, who are currently meeting in Paris, are facing pressures from the international partners to join the dialogue.
On Monday, Sudan Call groups started in Paris crucial discussions on the African Union Roadmap Agreement for peace and dialogue in Sudan and political structures of the opposition umbrella.
The opposition groups had earlier disclosed that international parties including the United States (US) are making efforts to convince them to endorse the Roadmap.
Last March, the African Union High Implementation Panel (AUHIP) proposed a roadmap agreement to the Sudanese government and four opposition groups from the Sudan Call forces.
However, only Khartoum government signed the framework text while the four groups declined the text, saying the Roadmap would reproduce the regime.
Omer added that they delayed the general assembly because they wanted to see the results of the international pressures on the opposition, saying they are keen to make the latter’s join the process.
Launched on 10 October 2015 for three months, the dialogue process was initially expected to wind up on 10th January 2016.
“The international community was convinced that the ongoing dialogue in Khartoum is genuine and the Sudan Call forces are enthusiastic to join the process after they receive the necessary guarantees,” he said.
He implied that the general assembly meeting wouldn’t be the end of discussions on the dialogue issues, saying those who decide to join the process are welcome to share their views.
The opposition groups refuse to join the process and call on the government to implement a number of confidence building measures aimed to create a suitable atmosphere for dialogue. But the government refuses their claims.
Omer further pointed to ongoing contacts and arrangements to meet with the holdout opposition inside Sudan and abroad.
“We met with the National Forces Alliance and the Future Forces of Change and would meet with the National Consensus Forces. Our plan is to sit with the holdout opposition and hand them over copies of the dialogue outcome and wait for their comments,” he said.
He expected that the opposition would consider the political crisis and review its stances, saying the ongoing dialogue is real and comprehensive and wasn’t like the previous dialogues which only focused on power sharing.
(ST)