Rebels call for international support for Sudan dialogue

January 9, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese rebels have called for international pressure on the Sudanese government to postpone the general elections and to support the political and constitutional reforms through an inclusive dialogue process.

The government and the ruing National Congress Party said determined to hold the general elections next April and refused opposition calls for its postponement. Sudanese officials say the delay will create a constitutional vacuum and lead to political chaos.

SPLM-N secretary-general, Yasir Arman, called from Oslo on the international community to not recognise the results of April elections without a credible process ending the war and paving the way for democratic reforms.

“The need for a credible national constitutional process should be key in the normalisation of relations between Sudan and the outside world, and general Bashir and his government should understand that the demand for a credible national dialogue internally and externally, has reached a point of no return,” Arman further stressed.

He further called on the international and regional group and organisations to not give a legitimacy to the “one-party” electoral process and take part in the monitoring of the elections.

He mentioned in his call the Carter Center, adding “We also appeal to the former Nigerian President, and a friend of the Sudanese people, Olusegun Obasanjo, whose name has been mentioned by the ruling party propaganda machine to be the head of the African observation mission to turn down this invitation”.

The rebel leader who is also the secretary for external affairs of the rebel umbrella Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) made his remarks in a lecture at the Peace Research Institute Oslo, Norway on Thursday.

In his first visit to the Scandinavian country since the start of the conflict of South Kordofan and Blue Nile, Arman met with the Norwegian foreign ministry official, humanitarian aid groups and rights activists.

Presidential assistant Ibrahim Ghandour Friday called on the Sudanese to participate actively in the elections scheduled for next April to “frustrate attempts” of those he described as “the enemies of the country”.

The Sudanese official who lead the government delegation for the peace talks with the SPLM-N further stressed that elections would not be postponed.

(ST)