African Union reiterates call for Sudanese pre-dialogue conference
August 25, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – The African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) Tuesday renewed its support for a holistic approach to end conflicts in Sudan, and called for a preparatory conference to create the necessary conditions for a national dialogue process the government plans to hold inside the country.
On Monday the regional peace and security body set the first precedent in its history and received Sudanese rebel and opposition groups. During the hearing, the Sudan Call forces expressed their commitment for an inclusive and comprehensive process in line with African Union roadmap to facilitate the national dialogue. They also blamed Khartoum for refusing to participate in the preparatory meeting last March.
The Council “reiterates its call for an urgent pre-National Dialogue meeting of all relevant parties, at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, to discuss and agree on procedural matters relating to the Dialogue;” said the AUPSC in a communiqué released at the end of its 539th meeting on the AUHIP activities.
The text of the communiqué shows that regional body was visibly irritated by the Sudanese government which relinquished the implementation of the roadmap endorsed last September despite its initial agreement to enforce its dispositions.
The AUPSC ”strongly urges the Sudanese parties, especially the Government of Sudan, to demonstrate the necessary leadership and recommitment to processes necessary for achieving the goal of realizing the democratic transformation of Sudan,” said the statement.
“Without progress on the above issues, the immense challenges facing Sudan, including the humanitarian crises, will not be overcome,” It further stressed.
Different sources said that Mbeki recently expressed his angry and frustration with the intransigence of the Sudanese government, as the military situation particularly in Darfur region has changed in favour of its troops.
However, the 15 member body demanded Mbeki to continue his efforts to stop war in Darfur region and the Two Areas and to facilitate negotiations to reach a cessation of hostilities and security arrangements agreements between the warring partings.
The AUPSC further requested him to report within 90 days on the engagement of “the Sudanese stakeholders with the processes towards an all-inclusive and credible National Dialogue as envisaged in the Roadmap”.
NCP HAS NO HOPE
In Khartoum, the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) expressed despair at the participation of the holdout opposition groups in the national dialogue process and accused them of implementing “external agenda”.
“We know there are certain parties that will not come to the (national) dialogue, even if we roll out the red carpet for them because they do not have a (real) existence and are linked to external agenda,” said NCP political secretary Hamid Mumtaz on Tuesday.
He further reiterated the party’s rejection of the opposition demands before to join the national dialogue process stressing that such conditions are farfetched.
The opposition groups call for the implementation of the confidence building measures as provided in the AUPSC decision 456 including cessation of hostilities, huamniatrian access to civilians in the rebel held areas, release of political prisoners and detainees and political, and press freedoms.
The NCP used to accuse the opposition in general and rebel groups in particular of being linked to hostile foreign countries working to divide Sudan into several states, pointing to sporadic calls to establish an independent state in Darfur.
The official called on the rebel groups to consider the good will of the government and the decision of the Sudanese president to ceasefire during two months.
(ST)