SLM-MM rebels call on international community to reject Sudan election results

April 24, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The rebel Sudan Liberation Movement led by Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM) has called on the international community to reject the results of the presidential and parliamentary elections.

The opposition Sudan Call forces, which include the SLM-MM, said they would not acknowledge the outcome of the general elections which will be announced on 27 April. They further vowed to continue their peaceful campaign to overthrow the regime.

The Troika and the European Union which support the African Union facilitated national dialogue process said the results of Sudan’s April election is not credible, pointing to the government failure to create a free, fair and conducive environment.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Friday, the SLM-MM’s secretary for international relations, Ali Trayo, praised the position of the troika members of the USA, UK and Norway, as well as Canada and the EU, on the outcome of the general elections.

The SLM-MM “calls upon them to sustain their position not to recognize any result including the presidential or subsequent government to be formed out of these sham and totally illegal exercise duped elections,” Trayo said.

The rebel official underscored the low voter turnout, saying the exercise was boycotted by the opposition forces and civil society groups due to the lack of conducive environment.

The African Union observation mission said the voter turnout was low and less than 40%.

The Sudanese security forces arrested and kidnapped opposition and civil society activists who participated in a peaceful campaign to boycott the elections. Also several opposition meeting were banned.

The Sudanese electoral body admitted the insecurity in South Kordofan state and cancelled the process in several constituencies there. However, it defended the credibility of the vote saying the voter turnout is better than in countries like the US and Britain.

Trayo called on the Sudanese people “to further re-energise their efforts and accelerate the ARHAL (depart) campaign until the victory is achieved”.

The leader of the opposition National Umma Party (NUP), Sadiq al-Mahdi, said on Thursday they want a new process to negotiate a peaceful settlement of armed conflicts and constitutional reforms.

Al-Mahdi said the regime has killed the national dialogue and the process proposed by the African Union Peace and Security Council in its decision 456 to facilitate the internal dialogue.

He called on the regional body to review this decision and to involve the UN Security Council in the process. Otherwise he said they are determined to topple down the government of president Omer Hassan al-Bashir through a popular uprising.

(ST)