Sudan’s national dialogue is not inclusive: PCP

December 14, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese opposition Popular Congress Party (PCP) which is supportive for an internal national dialogue on Wednesday accused the ruling National Congress Party (CNP) of not implementing the outcome of the political process initiated by President Omer al-Bashir.

In October, the National Dialogue Document, which is the basis for drafting a permanent Constitution for Sudan was signed. However, main political and armed opposition groups still boycott the dialogue as they demand to implement confidence building measures .

PNP Secretary General in Khartoum State, al- Tahir Hamdon, pointed that the ruling party did not implement the outcome of the National Dialogue, adding that the dialogue was not inclusive for all the opposition forces inside and outside Sudan.

The Presidency of the Republic has tabled in parliament some constitutional reforms related to the formation of the national government as recommended by the dialogue document. However, the government didn’t introduce a bill re-establishing freedoms as agreed in the dialogue actors.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday in Khartoum, Hamdon said that “if we say the national dialogue was inclusive, then we will be lying to the Sudanese people”.

He stressed the need to implement the constitutional reforms and reach the holdout opposition s and armed forces and to engage the dialogue with them, saying, “we must accept all views.”

Hamdoun further called to open the outcome of the national dialogue conference for discussions with the holdout groups and to add their inputs in order to create a conducive environment paving the way to end the political crisis in Sudan.

The proposition joins calls by the opposition Sudan Call forces to consider the outcome of the National Dialogue Conference as first step towards a comprehensive dialogue.

The Islamist Popular Congress Party splinted from the NCP since 1999, and joined the opposition ranks since that time but it supported the dialogue process and participated in all its forums.

The National Umma Party of Sadiq al-Mahdi and “Reform Now Movement” chaired by by Ghazi Salah al-Din al-Attabani have withdrawn from the process as they balm President Bashir for refusing to release political freedoms.

Early in December, Sudan’s Dialogue Higher Coordination Committee known as 7+7 has dissolved itself and approved the formation of an extended committee to follow up on the implementation of the dialogue outcome.

(ST)