Sudan’s SCP, unionist parties welcome Paris Declaration
August 11, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese Communist Party (SCP) and the opposition unionist forces have welcomed the Paris Declaration signed between the National Umma Party (NUP) and the rebel alliance of the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF), considering it a positive step towards unifying opposition forces and overthrowing the regime.
The NUP and SRF leaders, Sadiq al-Mahdi and Malik Agar, on Friday signed the “Paris Declaration” which calls to end war and to engage in a genuine national dialogue aiming to restore democracy in Sudan
The SCP said in a statement received by Sudan Tribune on Monday that the regime is hindering the national dialogue, describing al-Mahdi’s move as positive particularly as the NUP and the SRF are opposing the regime.
It said that Paris Declaration would lead to an agreement on unifying opposition forces, stressing the politburo will take a detailed look at the declaration and offer its opinion about it.
The SCP further said the NUP recently announced intention to rejoin the opposition alliance of the National Consensus Forces (NCF), pointing that the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) led by Mohamed Osman al-Merghani also threatened to suspend its participation in the national dialogue process.
The Sudanese communists considered these announcements a step towards unifying opposition forces.
“It seems that change [in the NUP and DUP positions] would take place”, the statement added.
Meanwhile, the opposition unionist forces have expressed support for the Paris Declaration.
They said in a statement signed by Siddiq al-Hindi of the Unionist Movement, Galaa al-Azhari of the Unified Democratic Unionist Party, and Youssef Mohamed Zain of the National Unionist Party that the declaration is a positive move towards unifying military and civilian opposition.
They stressed the declaration brought the NUP back to its natural position and leading role among the opposition forces in order to remove the regime either through dialogue or popular uprising.
The unionist forces further said the outlines of the declaration opened the door for the convergence of all political forces in order to detail it and draft its programs.
They noted that they were the first political forces who met with the SRF in October 2012, in Kampala where they signed a memorandum of understanding which paved the way for signing the New Dawn Charter in January 2013.
(ST)