Sudan’s ruling parties want all political forces to be in Juba conference
September 23, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — The Government of National Unity parties said they would participate in Juba conference if all the registered political parties are invited to attend it.
The NCP rejected the invitation saying it would only attend if it is associated to the preparations of the conference and requested also to invite all the political parties instead of limiting it to the opposition forces.
Pagan Amum, SPLM Secretary General rejected the NCP’s conditions saying they cannot invite over 60 registered political parties “So we have called the active political forces and some of the parties participating in the government of national unity.” He also said the agenda of the meeting is open to any participant.
In a letter sent to Salva Kiir Mayadrit, First Vice President, head of southern Sudan government and SPLM chairman, the Council of Government of National Unity Parties said they are willing to participate in the conference if all the registered parties are invited.
The council, which adopted NCP’s position on the conference, has formed a high ranking delegation to visit Juba to discuss the issue.
According to the SMC, a pro NCP news service, the delegation includes Dr. Nafie Ali Nafie, Mr. Bona Malwal, Dr. Sadiq al-Mahdi Hadi, Engineer Abdullah Ali Massar, Dr. Ahmed Bilal Osman and Dr. Mudawi Turabi.
The allies of the NCP, also said that their participation means they should be associated to procedural steps of the conference such as who should be in the preparatory committee, the preparation of papers, designation of conference chairmanship, how decisions are taken and the designation of the secretariat tasked with the editing of the final communiqué and recommendations in addition to the need to draw to objective criteria for the participation of civil society and choose their representatives in the Conference.
Mubarak Al-Fadil, the head of the Umma Reform and Renewal Party (URRP) is the current coordinator for the conference. He recently said that they finalized all the preparations of the meeting.
The NCP Secretary for political relations Mandour Al-Mahdi hinted recently that Juba conference would be a tribune to pass the agenda of the opposition parties.
But Pagan Amum reaffirmed last August that the conference will discuss transition from authoritarianism to democracy and ways to ensure fair and free elections. The conference aims to develop a national vision on how to make the unity an attractive option in 2011 referendum, he added.
Last July Sudanese opposition parties challenged the legality of the government after the July 9th date saying that elections were supposed to be held by then in line with CPA provisions. They also called to form a national cabinet before the 2010 general elections expressing fears that the NCP would rig the popular vote.
(ST)