SPLM-N calls to bypass reluctant Sudanese opposition parties

July 7, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement –North (SPLM-N) called on the Sudanese opposition forces to unite their efforts to overthrow the regime of president Omer Al-Bashir, stressing it is time to bybass those who are undecided over this strategy.

In January of this year the rebel coalition, Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF), launched the ‘New Dawn’ charter which calls to topple the regime by military and peaceful means, saying it was approved by the opposition political parties operating inside the country.

But the largest opposition Umma National Party (UNP) of Sadiq Al-Mahdi, Popular Congress Party of Hassan Al-Turabi and the Communist Party distanced themselves from the charter and called to privilege peaceful means.

Yasir Arman, SPLM-N secretary general, said in a statement released on Saturday, that the Movement’s leadership found that experience has proven it is difficult to unite all the opponents under the banner of regime change.

“Therefore the duty of those who want to bring down the regime is to unite immediately without waiting for reluctant (parties)”, Arman stressed.

The call is made following a meeting held in undisclosed place in South Kordofan from 27 June to 5 July attended by SPLM-N leader Malik Agar, his deputy and commander general Abdel Aziz Al-Hilu and Yasir Arman.

Arman, on the other hand, disclosed that the SRF military command held a series of parallel meetings to discuss the implementation of Plan (B), adding it will transform the SRF work on the political and military levels.

Sadiq Al-Mahdi, UNP leader and former prime minister, criticizes systematically the use of arms to topple the regime and says that armed violence will bring another undemocratic rule. He calls for a peaceful transition, adding that Sudanese by using peaceful means can force the regime to cede the power.

In a gathering organized on 29 June, addressing those who are disappointed by his position and chanted anti-government slogans, Al-Mahdi said “You came to hear me not for me to hear you”. He further urged his supporters to stand in the way of those working to sabotage on behalf of foreign powers “who should be isolated”.

Arman said that the SPLM-N believes on the need to combine the use of arms and peaceful means to overthrow the regime, pointing out that “popular uprising should be the main tool to topple the regime” with the participation of SRF supporters.

“The armed action weakens the regime and enhances the chances of the intifada (uprising) in the framework of the integration and cohesion of roles, taking into account the fascist nature of the regime which fully controls the state apparatus”, he said.

Regarding the talks with the Sudanese government, Arman said the regime is only willing to partial solutions which “are not part of our calculations and do not exist in our political dictionary” he stressed.

However he reiterated the positions of the SPLM –N over the humanitarian cessation of hostilities to feed civilians in the rebel controlled areas. He also said the children vaccination campaign should be carried out from Kenya and Ethiopia.

He added that the Polio vaccination can involve UNISFA peacekeepers who can manage the temporary arrangements and support international agencies carrying out the campaign until the end of the operation.

He further said they decided to merge the prisoners of war (POWs) captured in South Kordofan and Blue Nile with the prisoners under the joint military command of the rebel alliance.

Arman said they are in contact with the “forces of armed action n eastern Sudan” due to the important role of this region to achieve change in Sudan.

(ST)