Sudan opposition leader denies criticism of rebel attack in South Darfur

April 30, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The leader of the opposition National Consensus Forces (NCF) Farouk Abu Issa, denied reports saying that they do not support the attack of the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) on South Darfur state.

On Wednesday, Abu Issa held his first press conference after a fourth-month detention due to the signing of the Sudan Call declaration with the rebel groups in December. The opposition leader criticised the outcome of April elections and hailed the significant boycott of the vote.

A Sudan Tribune reporter inadvertently deformed Abu Issa statements about the fact that the rebels are committed to the armed struggle despite the signing of the Sudan Call agreement while the parties opposition have their peaceful political tools.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Thursday, the opposition leader said he had been asked about the fighting in South Darfur between the government troops and JEM fighters. He further said he told reporters that Khartoum is responsible for the continuation of war because the government want to end the conflict militarily.

Every year they announce they would crush the rebellion by the end of that year and this what they did in 2014 when they announced the Decisive Summer and still they continue with this campaign, he added.

“But in any case, the Justice and Equality (Movement) fighters are part of the Sudanese people and they have legitimate grievances that led them to take up arms. We are their allies, but they have their military agenda, and we have our political agenda,” he further said.

The Sudanese government officials used to criticise the rebel movements and describe them as “mercenaries and agents of foreign circles”. Khartoum also blame the opposition for signing political agreements with the armed groups.

The opposition parties insisted in the past years on the need to include the rebels in any political process to discuss the future of the country.

The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) accepted last March to meet the representatives of the Sudan Call forces in a national dialogue preparatory meeting but said it should take palace after the elections.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the deputy leader of the National Umma Party (NUP) Merriam al-Mahdi condemned the dancing of the government high ranking officials “on the bodies of their compatriots”.

Alluding to the visit of president Omer al-Bashir to the battlefield in South Darfur to congratulate the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), al-Mahdi regretted the circulation of photos and videos of the Prisoners of War (POWs) underscoring that it represents a clear violation of the international humanitarian law and Sudanese tradition.

(ST)