Sudan opposition forces renew calls for interim government
January 27, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – Several Sudanese opposition forces have agreed on the need for the establishment of a transitional government which accommodates all political forces followed by general elections in order to arrive at peaceful solutions for all political issues.
Speaking on a talk show on pro-government Ashorooq TV on Sunday, Youssef Hussein, a leading figure in the the Sudanese Communist Party (SCP), said the government has to either respond to the demands of Sudanese people or continue building its own political and social alliances as it has been doing.
Hussein stressed that Sudanese people seek to stop the war in Darfur, South Kordofan, and Blue Nile and its devastating consequences, saying the totalitarian regime would be dismantled through achieving the democratic transformation and securing press, trade unions, and political freedoms.
The SCP figure further called for releasing political detainees of the recent protests and cancelling their trials besides compensating families of martyrs.
He questioned why authorities lifted the ban on the opposition Popular Congress Party’s (PCP) newspaper Ray Al-Shaab, while the SCP’s mouthpiece Al-Midan remains under suspension.
Hussein asserted that political crisis cannot be overcome through partial and cosmetic solutions, stressing the need for responding to peoples’ demands.
“The government seeks a solution which earns blessings of the US and western countries. The US calls it ‘soft landing’ which only means pushing political forces to join the NCP regime”, he added
He said there are necessary preconditions for drafting new constitution and holding general elections, including freedom of expression, the cancellation of preventive detention and ending media controls.
Meanwhile, the PCP leading figure, Bashir Adam Rahma, said in the same talk show program that Sudan suffers from security and political problems, including civil wars and lack of freedoms besides economic crisis, calling for learning lessons of the neighbouring countries.
He pointed the country is in need of a leadership that gets it out of the crisis to the space of freedom and societal peace, demanding that the NCP demonstrate seriousness in solving Sudan’s problems.
“President Bashir or the government could launch a national dialogue that leads to establishing an interim government”, he added
He pointed out that national dialogue could result in forming committees which set the basis for a transitional government that produces a consensual elections law, saying thereby we would achieve smooth transition towards democratic transformation.
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 organise 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)