Bashir to discuss Sudan’s dialogue with political parties
August 3, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese president will head Wednesday a meeting to discuss the preparations for an inclusive conference to discuss peace and constitutional reforms called national dialogue, a presidential aide announced on Monday.
The upcoming meeting is expected to fix a date for the launch of the dialogue and to form committees to deal with issues of political detainees, and contacts with the political forces refusing the dialogue under the current conditions.
The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) said earlier this year that the inter-Sudanese conference will be held after Ramadan, as some participants, like the Popular Congress Party (PCP) criticized the successive delays of the operation.
On the other hand the holdout opposition groups demand the implementation of the confidence building measures included in the African Union roadmap as the release of political detainees, ensuring political freedoms, freedom of expression, guarantee for the rebel groups to join the process.
PCP political secretary Kamal Omer said Monday he will present a report to the meeting about the contacts they had with the armed opposition groups, adding “They want sufficient guarantees and insurance before to enter the country in order to participate in the dialogue.”
Last April, the head of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) Thabo Mbeki suspended indefinitely a meeting including the NCP and opposition parties to discuss the preparations of the process after the government refusal to hold it before the election.
SPECIAL DIALOGUE FOR THE TWO AREAS
Ibrahim said Mbeki reiterated his support for the organization of national dialogue inside the Sudan and its conduct by the Sudanese themselves to solve the country’s issues.
He said the government is keen to hold an inclusive process without excluding any party, adding that he informed the mediator that the dialogue is “a popular demand”.
The presidential aide further said the meeting discussed the issues of the Blue Nile and South Kordofan state, and pointed that “there could be a special forum within the national dialogue dedicated to the Two Areas”.
Regarding the peace talks with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North, Ibrahim said the meeting did not touch the negotiations, but agreed that the dialogue be held inside the country so that there will be ample space for each one of Sudan’s issues.
The last round of talks between the warring parties in the Two Areas failed to reach a declaration of principles including a cessation of hostilities.
Also, separate talks with two Darfur groups collapsed as the government refused to the rebels demand to open the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur for negotiations.
PCP TRUSTS BASHIR
Omer said his party is confident about the seriousness of the government towards the national dialogue.
“I do not imagine that dialogue would be a deception,” he said.
He further ruled out the existence of power centres working to obstruct the dialogue within the ruling party, and said that the lobby groups within the NCP have completely collapsed and the center of power is now in the state, represented by President Omer al-Bashir who signs the decisions.
Bashir “committed himself personally to the national dialogue,” the PCP official said adding “Now we are counting on the President of the Republic”.
(ST)