Sudan’s SCP says government policies compromised country’s sovereignty
December 30, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese Communist Party (SCP) on Monday has accused the ruling regime of compromising Sudan’s independence and sovereignty and held it responsible for the secession of South Sudan.
The SCP’s politburo issued a statement on the occasion of the 58th anniversary of Sudan’s independence, saying that regime’s policies have exacerbated the national crisis and crippled the country economically, politically, and in terms of security.
The statement pointed that opposition forces have agreed that resolution of the economic crisis lies in reducing defense and security expenditure which constitute 70% of the annual budget as well as recovering the looted public money.
It said that the government invited the opposition forces to attend the second economic forum in order to justify price increases, saying that economic policies are intended to serve interests of the regime loyalists and to allow them escape accountability.
The statement stressed that the government rejects a comprehensive national solution for the crisis in Darfur and resorts to security and military measures which aims to dismantle the rebel groups and force them to sign partial agreements.
It pointed that the government continues to impose a state of emergency in Darfur for more than 20 years and divided the region into five states, saying that its policies aimed to politicize the local administration and politically and ethnically favor affiliates of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP).
Darfur has been a flashpoint for lawlessness and violence since rebel movements took up arms against the Khartoum government in 2003.
The United Nations estimates as many as 300,000 people have been killed and almost 3 million people have been displaced during the ongoing conflict in the region, however, the Sudanese government put the number of dead at only 10,000.
The statement also highlighted that the government refuses to negotiate with the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) in order to end the war in South Kordofan and Blue Nile and allow flow of humanitarian relief for the affected areas.
Last April, the first round of talks since 2011 between the SPLM-N and the Sudanese government in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa adjourned without success in bridging the wide gap between the two sides.
The government, at that time, said it would only discuss the resolution of the conflict on the basis of the 2005 peace agreement. The SPLM-N, on the other hand, said can only negotiate a cessation of hostility to allow humanitarian access for the civilians in the rebel held areas.
The statement further pointed that the totalitarian policies and laws would only produce a totalitarian constitution and rigged elections like the one which took place in 2010 in which a small party won more than 97% of the parliamentary seats.
On Thursday, the Sudanese president, Omer Hassan Al-Bashir, pledged that elections will be held as scheduled and “will not be delayed even for one hour”.
Sudan’s opposition parties call for forming a transitional government and holding a national conference with the participation of rebel groups to discuss a peaceful solution for the conflicts in Darfur region, South Kordofan, and Blue Nile states.
The interim government would organize general elections once a political agreement on constitutional matters is reached, inaugurating a new democratic regime. But the NCP rejects this proposal saying opposition parties must simply prepare for the 2015 elections and that rebels should sign first peace accords.
(ST)