Sudan downplays SRF’s tour in Europe

November 9, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The foreign ministry minimised the current European tour of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF), saying it would assess its impact according to the interaction of European officials with the rebel alliance.

A big delegation of the Sudanese rebels and opposition figures met on Thursday with French foreign ministry officials in Paris and some senators as they are preparing to visit Rome, Berlin, Oslo and Brussels.

The delegation led by Malik Agar asked the French government to support their call for a comprehensive process to bring peace and democracy in Sudan. They also urged more pressures on Khartoum to allow humanitarian access to the affected civilians in the rebel held territory and to condemn human rights violations.

“The visit will be assessed if the leaders of the Revolutionary Front met with the officials in the European countries”, said Sudan’s foreign ministry undersecretary, Rahmatallah Mohamed Osman.

“They are travelling all the time and we do not care about that”, he further stressed.

Khartoum recently applauded the position of the African Union which called on Darfur rebel groups to join the negotiating table and discuss peace on the basis of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur.

The African Union Peace and Security Council warned that they would take some measures against the rebel groups and demand the UN Security Council to take similar sanctions if they do reject its appeal.

However the London based Al-Hayat newspaper said in its edition of Sunday 10 November that the Sudanese government accepted to participate in a conference for peace in Sudan gathering Sudanese government, and armed and political opposition groups.

The newspaper said the dialogue conference will be organised by the European Union and probably take place in Heidelberg, Germany.

The organisers pledged to not exert pressure on the government to accept any solution but reiterated that the purpose of the meeting is to help Sudanese to solve their own problems, the source said.

The SRF and the opposition parties demand to hold an inclusive conference to reshape the territorial administration in a manner to give large autonomy to the different regions, redistribute national wealth and redefine the role of religion in politics.

They also want transitional period where a national government will prepare general elections and an appointed constitutional assembly to adopt a permanent constitution.

However, the Popular Congress Party of Hassan Al Turabi which call for an Islamic constitution says it wants the adoption of the constitution take place by the elected parliament and not during the interim period.

The ruling National Congress demands that the rebel sign peace agreements and participate with the opposition parties in the general elections of 2015 that the government would organise.

(ST)