Sudan’s ruling party downplays “Sudan Call” opposition accord

January 19, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party (NCP) has downplayed the signing of the “Sudan Call” by several opposition parties, saying the charter neither provides a vision nor serves national interest.

Hamid Mumtaz, NCP’s political secretary, said opposition parties are not united behind a common goal, pointing that “Sudan Call” would not contribute to resolving Sudanese issues because they require national consensus.

He said the “Sudan Call” is nothing but an attempt to “draw attention”, questioning the motives behind signing the charter with the rebel groups.

Several opposition parties had met on Saturday in the house of late PM Ismail al-Azhari to express solidarity with the National Umma Party (NUP) against government threats to resolve it and confiscate its properties.

They threatened to resort to all available options should the government goes ahead with disbanding the NUP.

Last week it was revealed that the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) filed a request since last December with the Council of Political parties to dissolve the NUP on the grounds that al-Mahdi is a signatory to the ‘Paris Declaration’ and ‘Sudan Call’ accords with rebel groups stressing that it calls for dismantling the one-party state and mobilising all forces “to change the existing constitutional order in the country that carries a military aspect”.

Last December, Sudanese political and armed opposition forces and civil society organisations signed the “Sudan Call” agreement in Addis Ababa which calls for ending the war, dismantling the one-party state, achieving a comprehensive peace and democratic transition in the country.

This was preceded by the signing of the “Paris Declaration” last August between the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) and the NUP which calls for a comprehensive solution involving all the political forces including rebel groups. It further stresses on the need to create a conducive environment in order to hold a genuine national dialogue.

Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir described the signatories as agents, traitors and mercenaries who sealed these deals with sponsorship of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Israeli intelligence service (Mossad).

Bashir also vowed to try al-Mahdi, who has been based in Cairo since the accords, once he returns to Sudan for his alliance with SRF unless he disavows these agreements.

But al-Mahdi rejected these conditions and demanded an apology for Bashir’s accusations.

(ST)