SPLM-N says “Sudan Call” biggest defeat for Khartoum

December 22, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) said that the “Sudan Call” declaration has inflicted the biggest political defeat on the Sudanese government and its National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS).

On December 3rd, Sudanese political and armed opposition forces and civil society organizations signed the “Sudan Call” accord in Addis Ababa calling for ending the war, dismantlement of the one-party state, achievement of a comprehensive peace and democratic transition in the country.

Press reports in Khartoum leaked what it claimed to be minutes of an assessment meeting of the SPLM-N held in Kampala on Sunday reflecting the movement’s lack of confidence in some signatories of the “Sudan Call” particularly the National Umma Party (NUP), the opposition alliance of the National Consensus Forces (NCF) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).

The SPLM-N negotiating team spokesperson, Mubarak Ardol, in a statement received by Sudan Tribune on Monday, said they support signatories of the “Sudan Call” unhesitatingly.

“We see the [Sudan Call] as hope for our people to get rid of the regime which requires us to maintain unity of this alliance and allow all forces of change including the Islamists who seek to end totalitarianism and liquidate the one-party regime to join it,” he said.

He considered the “Sudan Call” a solid core that must be built upon, saying that they must not allow the regime to divide their forces.

Ardol warned against lies and fabrications of the regime, accusing the government of seeking to dissipate opposition’s energy in side battles and put it into defensive rather than offensive position
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The Sudan Call was signed by the head of the NCF, Farouk Abu Issa, deputy chairman of the rebel umbrella Sudan Revolutionary Forces (SRF) Minni Minnawi, leader of the NUP al-Sadiq al Mahdi and head of the Alliance of the Sudanese Civil Society Organizations, Amin Maki Madani.
The SPLM-N official further said the “Sudan Call” has inflicted the biggest defeat on the regime and the NISS in years.

“NISS agents thought they could control decisions of the opposition forces and wished to abort and sabotage the meeting of the opposition forces which led to the signing of the Sudan Call”, he added.

He added that the regime has long adopted a strategy which aims to prevent unity and agreement of the major opposition forces by making fabrications and lies.

“The regime’s strategy has been defeated by the agreement of four major opposition forces to sign the “Sudan Call” which represents a solid core for changing and overthrowing the regime”, he said.

Ardol pointed out that the NISS and its agents desperately sought to divide the “Sudan Call” forces, urging opposition forces to move forward to topple the regime by all possible means particularly the popular uprising.

He underscored that the SPLM-N will remain a major supporter of the opposition unity, stressing that they seek to overthrow the regime and are prepared to make any sacrifices.

Earlier this month, NISS arrested Abu Issa and Madani, besides former ruling National Congress Party (NCP) member, Farah Agar, and his office manager, Mohamed Eldoud after their return from Addis Ababa where they signed the “Sudan Call” with rebel groups.

The Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir accused signatories of the “Sudan Call” of being agents to foreign powers and warned them from returning to the country.

He described the opposition parties allied with the SRF as “mercenaries”.

(ST)