SCoP says internal dialogue process “deepens Sudan’s crisis”
October 22, 2016 (NYALA/KHARTOUM) – The chairman of the opposition Sudanese Congress Party (SCoP) Omer al-Digair has criticized the government-led national dialogue saying it will only prolongs the suffering of the Sudanese people and deepens the country’s crisis.
The opposition groups boycotted the process because the government didn’t agree on humanitarian truce with the armed groups and due to its refusal to implement a number of confidence building measures.
Speaking at a symposium entitled “The Sudanese Crisis and Options for Change” in South Darfur capital, Nyala on Friday, al-Digair said “we wouldn’t participate in a comic dialogue dominated by the regime”.
He stressed that any serious process must begin by selecting a chairman of the dialogue by consensual agreement to head the deliberations and sessions, saying President Omar al-Bashir had imposed himself as chairman of the dialogue.
Al-Digair said his party wouldn’t participate in the dialogue unless certain conditions were met including releasing political prisoners, allowing freedoms of expression and opinion, reaching a cessation of hostilities and allowing humanitarian access to war areas.
He underscored that the SCoP is committed to the peaceful solution for the country’s crisis, pointing however the regime is not serious about the peaceful solution for fear of the consequences of the massacres it carried out.
SCoP chairman further called on the opposition umbrella Sudan Call to seek to achieve unity of all opposition forces to overthrow the regime, expressing regret over trivial differences among opposition groups despite their agreement on the ultimate goal.
Al-Digair pointed to the severe economic crises and deteriorating living conditions, saying 78% of the budget is allocated to the army, security services and the police.
The Sudan Call, which was established in Addis Ababa on 3 December 2014, includes the National Umma Party (NUP), the rebel umbrella of Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) and the Civil Society Initiative (CSI).
The opposition umbrella also includes five internal opposition parties: SCoP, Sudanese Baath Party (SBP), Center Alliance Party (CAP), Sudanese National Party (SNP) and Sudanese National Alliance (SNA).
NISS PREVENTS OPPOSITION SYMPOSIUM
Meanwhile, the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) had prevented a political symposium of the opposition umbrella National Consensus Forces (NCF) on the occasion of the 52nd anniversary of the October 1964 revolution.
In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune Friday, NCF said the NISS forces had stormed the headquarters of the Sudanese Communist Party (SCP) in the River Nile state town of Berber where the symposium was planned to be held and dispersed the attendees.
The statement added the NISS move comes while the regime claims to allow democracy and dialogue, saying the NCF would adhere to its program and won’t be deterred by such measures.
NCF, which gathers mainly center-left, and leftist parties is Sudan’s major internal opposition force.
Unlike the Sudan call, the NCF refused to take part in the African Union brokered negotiations before the creation of a conducive environment and the acceptance of Bashir’s government to form a transitional cabinet to implement the outcome of the national dialogue.
(ST)