Sudan rejects EU criticism over elections, national dialogue
April 10, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s foreign ministry has denounced statements made by a senior European Union (EU) official regarding elections and national dialogue and saw it as encouraging for armed and terrorists groups.
She also criticised the failure of the Sudanese government to hold the national dialogue process initiated by president Omer Hassan al-Bashir in January of last year.
Sudan’s foreign ministry, in a statement on Friday, expressed deep regret over Moghrini’s remarks, pointing it reflected deliberate distortion of facts and a misunderstanding of what is going on in Sudan.
It also expressed surprise over what it called “EU’s admiration and praise for the armed groups;” saying offering such a moral support to rebel groups which terrorise civilians calls into question the credibility of the EU stances towards terrorism.
The foreign ministry pointed out that political parties, civil society organisations and various sectors of the Sudanese people have largely responded the national dialogue initiative launched by president Bashir in January 2014.
“Political parties which refused to join the [president’s initiative] are a minority which doesn’t have weight in the streets,” it said.
Bashir’s initiative faced serious setbacks after rebel groups and opposition parties said they can only if Khartoum government create a conducive environment and open humanitarian access to the affected civilians in the war zones.
Also, the National Umma Party (NUP) led by al-Sadiq al-Mahdi withdrew from the process in protest of al-Mahdi’s brief arrest last May. He was joined several months later by several opposition parties that suspended their participation calling for the implementation of confidence building measures.
KHARTOUM COMMITTED TO DIALOGUE
The foreign ministry underscored the Sudanese government was and remains amongst the first calling for a negotiated comprehensive and final resolution for the armed conflicts in the country.
The statement accused the armed groups of rejecting dialogue and resorting to military action to resolve conflicts of a political nature.
“That is why the government was forced to carry out its responsibility in protecting people and maintaining security and stability by confronting rebels and thwarting their plots,” the statement said.
The foreign ministry emphasised that the National Election Commission (NEC) carried out its task in the best manner, pointing the latter invited monitors from Africa, Arab world and all over the world to ensure that elections is free, fair and transparent.
“More than 44 political parties are participating in this elections including the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) [led by Mohamed Osman al-Merghani] and the various [splinter] factions of the National Umma Party (NUP)”, it said.
The statement described political parties who boycotted elections as “weak”, saying they knew that they will not succeed and decided to make “fake victories” outside the ballot boxes.
The foreign ministry further said the credibility of elections should only be decided by the Sudanese people and not any foreign body, pointing the EU’s stances towards elections in the region are based upon selectivity not principled positions.
All opposition parties boycott the election and call to postpone it and to hold an inclusive process to discuss issues related to peace and constitutional reforms.
However the German government convinced the opposition Sudan Call forces including the rebel Sudanese Revolutionary Front, the NCF, NUP and civil society groups to accept to negotiate with the government the preparatory procedures and measures for the national dialogue which will be held inside the country.
But the National Congress Party (NCP)-led government declined to participate in the pre-dialogue meeting before the general elections saying the opposition forces want to postpone the electoral process.
(ST)