DRA leader criticizes AUPSC’s decision on national dialogue
September 2, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The head of Darfur Regional Authority (DRA), Tijani al-Sissi criticised a recent decision of the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) on the national dialogue and accused the African body of interfering in Sudan’s internal affairs.
“The communiqué of the Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) in some paragraphs may have mixed between the negotiation process to achieve peace in the country, national dialogue, and the problem of tribal conflicts,” he said on Wednesday.
He further urged the government to deal with the matter “within the framework of foreign policy”, reported the official news agency which covered an encounter with the media al-Sissi organized in his house in Khartoum.
On 25 August, the AUPSC went against Sudanese government’s rejection of a roadmap adopted in September 2014 to facilitate national dialogue process. The African diplomats reiterated their call to hold a meeting at the headquarters of the African Union saying it is vital to agree on the issues related to this process before to hold it inside the country.
Observers say Sissi used in the past to not comment on such matters as he is keen to have the regional and international support while he is heading the DRA, which is tasked with the DDPD’ implementation.
However, he recently sought to forge political alliances to strengthen his position and to face the growing opposition of his peace partners: Liberation and Justice Party (LJP) and Justice and Equality Movement – Dabajo (JEM-Dabajo). The two group demand his dismissal and accuse him of nepotism and corruption.
Last Monday he signed a political coordination agreement with a faction of the Justice and Equality Movement led Abdel-Rahman Banat who spited from JEM-Dabajo in November 2014.
JEM-Dabajo, this week, accused the head of Darfur peace implementation office, state minister Amin Hassan Omer of supporting al-Sissi and questioned his neutrality.
(ST)