Sudanese Congress Party will not quarrel with allied opposition groups: al-Dugair

July 29, 2016 (KHARTOUM) -The Sudanese Congress Party (SCoP) said on Friday it would not quarrel with allies in the National Consensus Forces (NCF) that reject the African Union brokered roadmap, but warned that their stance does not help unity of the Sudanese opposition.

The NCF groups are divided over the Roadmap Agreement. Some, like the SCoP, seek within the framework of Sudan Call umbrella to get reassurance from the mediation on confidence building measures before to engage in talks with Khartoum. But others refuse negotiations with the government saying the opposition should work only on how to overthrow the regime through popular uprising.

Speaking in a public meeting in Khartoum on Friday, SCP President Omer al-Dugair said sticking to the option of popular uprising alone would not contribute to unify the opposition which includes armed groups.

“The adoption of the popular uprising as only option (for democratic change) does not serve the purpose of opposition unity as it includes armed groups,” said al-Dugair, referring to the need to end war before.

Speaking about the opposition parties that recently distanced themselves from the Sudan Call meetings, he said the SCoP is not going to enter into any confrontation with any opposition group because “every opposition party is our twin and not an enemy”.

The opposition Sudan Call groups in a recent meeting held in Paris agreed to meet the African Union chief mediator Thabo Mbeki to discuss their reservations from the Roadmap Agreement before eventually signing it.

But some political groups which had already boycotted the meeting denounced the decision, saying the participants in Paris meeting seek a power sharing deal.

Al-Dugair said negotiating with the regime through the national dialogue process does not mean abandoning the popular uprising, stressing that the SCP is already actively working to mobilize Sudanese against the regime on daily basis.

“We did not stray from the uprising. On the contrary, we are escalating our work on the street and do mobilization work on behalf of the Sudan Call. We will not lay down the weapon of resistance,” he said.

He further said that the Sudan Call does not seek power sharing with the regime.

“What has happened so far is not an agreement or a settlement, but a mechanism through which the opposition wants to reach an agreement leading to freedom, peace, democracy and justice,” he stressed.

Al-Dugair said that the Sudan Call would not join the government sponsored “Friendship Hall dialogue”, adding “We want to establish a new dialogue and we would not slip into distracting dialogue”.

(ST)