Sudan Call forces to adopt new effective structures soon : al-Mahdi

August 28, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The leader of the opposition National Umma Party (NUP) Sadiq al-Mahdi, revealed that the “Sudan Call” forces are preparing to hold a conference to adopt a mechanism ensuring the consistency and effectiveness of the alliance’s action and to agree on a national charter.

On 3 December 2014, political and armed opposition forces signed a political declaration they labelled “Sudan Call” including a joint position for peace and democratic reform in the country, after the adoption by the African Union of a roadmap to facilitate the national dialogue.

However, some of the signatories of this declaration refuse to negotiate with the regime or to join the national dialogue preparatory meeting unless the government implements first the confidence building measures included in this roadmap. Also, some members of the opposition refuse to see other forces joining them, creating frictions within the umbrella.

“What is between the “Sudan Call” forces currently is just a coordination “, but these forces are going to hold a conference to move its action “a from simple coordination into disciplined and tightened coordination”. The meeting also aims to adopt a new structure, especially “in the areas of decision-making and implementation processes”.

“So it is necessary to agree on a national charter shaping the future of Sudan,” he further said in an interview with the Turkish Anadolu news agency on Friday.

The African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) recently invited for a consultations meeting only opposition’s factions signatory of an agreement on the national dialogue on 5 September 2014.

However, it sent more invitations to the other Sudan Call groups under the request of the invitees. Some of them declined the belated invitation while others accepted to join the meeting.

The Sudan Call includes the NUP, Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), the alliance of left parties National Consensus Forces (NCF), Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM)’s factions.

Al-Mahdi further said they agreed with the AUHIP on the need to set a new framework for the national dialogue with new guarantees under the auspices of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union.

He said that any neutral dialogue should be under a neutral chairmanship, in a healthy environment ensuring freedoms. He pointed what is taking place in Sudan nowadays is headed by the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) and does not provide any guarantees.

“What is happening in Sudan is not a dialogue, rather it is a formalization of a fait accompli, that we reject. What is going on is like a human being standing in front of a mirror and says thank you God for making me beautiful while he is in fact has an ugly face. So what is going on is a self-deception, because those who are involved in the national dialogue are the same parties participating in the government, and do not represent the other opinion,” he said.

The opposition leader further defended their demand for holding the pre-dialogue meeting outside the country saying they are also against the internationalization of the national dialogue but they want a good preparation for this internal political process.

He also belittled a ceasefire for two months announced by President Omer al-Bashir underscoring it coincides with the wet season where the two parties stop fighting due to the rainfall during this period.

(ST)