Al-Mahdi slams opposition’s decision to coordinate with Sudanese rebels

November 22, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The leader of the National Umma Party (NUP), Sadiq Al-Mahdi slammed a recent decision by the opposition alliance to coordinate with the rebels reiterating that Sudan needs a democratic transition more than a regime change.

In a debate on “the danger of totalitarianism and the necessity of democracy” organised by the NUP in its premises last Wednesday, Al-Mahdi criticised a recent decision by the opposition coalition of National Consensus Forces to coordinate with the rebel alliance Sudanese Revolutionary Forces (SRF) in order to overthrow the regime and to establish a democratic regime.

He further said that by adopting this political line the opposition would reproduce the scenario of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) the government signed in 2005 with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), preventing the establishment of democratic regime in Sudan.

Al-Mahdi was critical for the CPA he says that despite the realisation of peace, the 2005 deal gave the National Congress Party a new legitimacy, an international recognition and extended the life of the regime.

From 1989 to 2003, the Sudanese opposition forces, including the SPLM under the leadership of the late John Garang, were working under the umbrella of National Democratic Alliance to topple the regime by political and military means.

After a two-year process of negotiations, the most armed and powerful group of the alliance, SPLM, signed a holistic peace agreement giving South Sudanese the right of self determination and also providing to establish a democratic regime in Sudan.

Al-Mahdi stressed that democracy has become an unanimous demand and a national, regional and international necessity.

He further stressed that to achieve that end, a national round table with the participation of all the political forces including the groups of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) should be held, adding that there are more than 50 armed group in the country representing a threat to the national integrity.

The ruling NCP and the opposition NUP held a series of meetings where this demand of a national conference for peace and democracy was discussed. They also said they reached a common understanding over several points.

However, the two parties failed to agree on how to achieve this democratic transition as the NCP believes that the general elections of 2015 would be fair enough to ensure this change.

The party of president Omer Al-Bashir proposed to that the NUP joins a coalition government, like Democratic Unionist Party, and to work together to prepare a new constitution to replace the 2005 interim constitution.

(ST)