Opposition party denies attempting to derail Sudan’s dialogue
December 27, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The opposition Reform Now Movement (RNM) has refuted accusations of seeking to thwart the national dialogue, and raised doubts about the sincerity of the ruling party to achieve reforms.
“Now, they have to choose between going out alone or continuing the march,” he stressed.
In statements to Sudan Tribune on Saturday, the RNM leading figure, Mahmoud al-Gamal, criticised Ismail’s statements, saying they engaged in the national dialogue because they saw it as the only options for resolving the country’s crises through comprehensive national consensus.
“The NCP has not met the requirements of the national dialogue although the dialogue’s general assembly approved the roadmap and the Addis Ababa agreement [on national dialogue and constitutional process]”, he said.
He pointed to the ongoing political detentions and lack of appropriate environment for holding a serious dialogue, adding the current political atmosphere promotes lack of trust among political parties more than ever before.
“We are the ones who decide when to continue to participate [in the dialogue] and when to leave it”, al-Gamal further said.
He went to hold the NCP responsible for hindering the dialogue process in order to hold the general elections.
The government refused calls by the opposition parties including those who participate in the national dialogue to postpone the general elections announced for April 2015, saying there would be constitutional void in the country.
Also, it rejected calls for a conducive environment saying there is enough of freedoms for the parties to express their ideas and hold political meetings.
Al-Gamal pointed the existence of the RNM posed a significant threat to several political parties because the movement is guided by moderate thought and seeks to reach common grounds with other parties.
“The movement [RNM] is a strong and coherent party and its leadership is well aware of the Sudanese politics. Although the party is founded recently, it proved that it has the ability and efficiency to positively impact the political scene to serve the issues of the country and the people”, he added.
RNM, which is headed by the former presidential advisor Ghazi Salah al-Din al-Attabani, had split from the NCP in late 2013 over calls for reforms, transparency and democratic changes.
He stressed his movement has not yet studied the “Sudan Call” declaration signed by the opposition and armed forces earlier this month, saying the real solution for the Sudanese problems lies in achieving a comprehensive national consensus.
“Unfortunately there is no real will to reform the country and achieve this consensus”, he added.
The Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir launched a national dialogue initiative last January in which he urged opposition parties and rebels alike to join the dialogue table to discuss all the pressing issues.
(ST)