SPLM-N’s Arman calls on Sudanese to not pay attention to Bashir’s disease

November10, 2012 (PARIS) — Secretary General of Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North (SPLM-N) called on the Sudanese people to not pay attention to the disease of president Omer Al-Bashir and to focus efforts on ways to overthrow the regime.

Yasir Arman, made his call from Paris where he held several meetings with French officials over humanitarian and political situations in the country as the African Union mediation panel prepares to convene the two parties for a new round of talks.

“Sudanese should not be distracted by the issue of Bashir’s illness because the crisis of the country are caused by the whole regime,” Arman said, adding, “what we want is to achieve a total change allowing to build Sudan on new bases.”

Arman further urged the Sudanese to support the political project proposed by the Sudanese Revolutionary Forces (SRF) stressing that they keep working with the political forces in the country to coordinate efforts for change in Sudan.

The sudden trip of Al-Bashir to Saudi Arabia earlier this week to perform a biopsy to of a tumor he has in the throat, raised concerns about the nature of his health troubles.

Speculation also circulated in Khartoum about who will rule the country after the 68-years old president, and the power struggle between different factions in the ruling National Congress Party (NCP).

Arman told Sudan Tribune they received reports about moves by some Arab countries in the Gulf supporting Islamic movements to ensure a smooth transition of power allowing the Sudanese Islamists to keep the reins of power.

He said that the Islamic scholar Youssef Al Qardawi is involved in these contacts with the Sudanese Islamists, adding that Bashir’s has become embarrassing and they all agree on the need to fire him from the presidency.

The SPLM-N and three Darfur rebel groups, who formed the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) rebel alliance one year, vow to topple the regime of President Bashir and to work for a secular and democratic regime providing large autonomy to the different regions of the country.

The rebel alliance refuses partial peace deals with the government, saying a holistic process handling all Sudan’s regional conflicts and leading to end of the oppressive regime in the country is the best solution.

However, the UN Security Council last May voted a resolution calling on the SPLM-N and Sudanese government to engage in talks to settle their armed conflict that started in June 2011 in South Kordofan followed by Blue Nile in September of the same year.

Arman said that during his meeting with French officials, he explained SPLM-N’s position over the ongoing process, casting doubts over Sudan’s seriousness to implement a humanitarian deals they signed in February and August 2012.

The African Union mediation is expected to summon the Sudanese parties for a new round of talks in upcoming days in Addis Ababa.

The SPLM-N Secretary General condemned the recent surge of militia attacks against civilians in different areas in Darfur, pointing out that the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) has failed to bring peace and end war crimes perpetrated by the pro-government militiamen there.

The DDPD provides to disarm the militia groups but nothing has been done, he pointed out.

Arman further called on the members of the Doha Document Implementation Follow-Up. Commission, which is expected to hold a meeting next week in Qatar, to reconsider their approach and to support a comprehensive approach for the resolution of Sudanese crises.

(ST)