Sudanese opposition leader calls for comprehensive national reconciliation

June 1, 2008 (CAIRO) — Mohamed Osman Al-Mirghani the Chairman of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) launched on Sunday an initiative to achieve comprehensive national reconciliation, pointing out he began to make contacts with all Sudanese political entities to apply this initiative.

Al-Mirghani who is the head of the opposition National Democratic Alliance, told the press following a meeting with the Secretary General of the Arab League Amr Musa said his initiative aims at “reaching the minimum consensus needed to solve the problems of Sudan.”

He also stated that contacts were underway with the political parties in the country and he had positive response.

Al-Mirghani disclosed that he met two days ago with the Secretary-General of the Sudanese Communist Party, Mohamed Ibrahim Nugud and Shafei Khider, a leading SCP member. He added that they welcomed and accepted his initiative.

He further said he “contacted the ruling National Congress Party, the Umma Party, as there was a meeting with the East Front, in addition to meetings with Sudanese Baath Party and the National Revolutionary Movement, and all political entities to hold this meeting.”

Also he told the reporters that he informed Amro Musa about this initiative and intends to speak on the matter with all Arab League and the African Union states.

The head of the NDA who had last month a meeting with Pagan Amum the SPLM secretary general, didn’t elaborate on the details of the political initiative.

Al-Mirghani met on May 7 with the Egyptian foreign minister, Ahmed Aboul Gheit asking Egypt to hold a comprehensive meeting for all the political forces to seal an agreement on a national platform.

The former ally of the SPLM before the signing of the CPA refuses to return home before the implementation of the Egyptian brokered reconciliation deal signed on 18 June 2005.

At the signing of the political deal between the ruling NCP and the Umma party on 20 May, al-Bashir said he is welling also to sign an agreement with the DUP but al-Mirghani seems insisting on the national character of the political deal particularly he asks for the achievement of the democratic transition process in the country.

(ST)