Negotiated solution should lead to real change in Sudan, SRF tells Finland
July 31, 2014 (PARIS) – Any peaceful solution should be comprehensive and bring a real political change in Sudan, said the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) in a meeting with the Finland’s international cooperation minister on Thursday.
This meeting took place following a hearing for the SRF Sudanese and opposition leaders at the EU parliament on 16 July on issues of peace and war in the east African nation.
The rebel alliance said in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune after the meeting they discussed how to end war in Sudan, the national constitution dialogue, the humanitarian situations, human rights, and the EU role in achieving peace.
The SRF reaffirmed its willingness to participate in a “national constitutional dialogue based on clear grounds leading to change and not to reproduce the current regime,” said the statement.
“The SRF leadership presented proposals to reach a comprehensive political solution in line with the roadmap approved by the Leadership Council of the Revolutionary Front,” the rebels added.
By the end of last April, the alliance of rebel groups issued a roadmap for peace and democratic transition in Sudan providing to hold direct talks to end the conflicts in Darfur and the Two Areas. Once a peaceful settlement is reached, a national conference on a new constitution will be organised with the participation of opposition parties and civil society groups.
Last January, the Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir called on the political parties and rebel groups to participate in the national dialogue, a process aiming to achieve peace and adopt new constitution.
While some opposition political parties responded positively, others posed some conditions before to take in the national dialogue process. The National Umma Party (NUP) suspended its participation after the detention of its leader Sadiq al-Mahdi and asked to review the whole process.
SRF leaders also discussed with the Finnish minister the deteriorating humanitarian situation and the continuing violations of human rights in Sudan, lack of political freedoms and press and detention of opponents including prominent political leaders.
The rebel leaders are expected to meet with a number of opposition leaders who are also in Europe these days to discuss ways to unify the positions of the armed and political oppositions on peace and democratic change in Sudan.
(ST)