NCP: Intensive contacts to convince al-Mahdi to join Sudan’s dialogue

September 13, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – A senior official in Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party (NCP) said Saturday intensive contacts were under-way with the National Umma Party (NUP) leader al-Sadig al-Mahdi to convince him to take part in the national dialogue conference scheduled for October 20 in Khartoum.

Al-Mahdi signed the Paris Declaration with rebel umbrella Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) in August last year, and later signed a similar agreements Addis Ababa and Berlin, but none of them was recognized by the Sudanese government, which asked al-Mahdi to join the internal process.

At the time, Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir claimed there were Israeli hands working behind the scenes to pave the way for the Paris Declaration. He alleged that the government was in possession of information that the armed groups wanted to take advantage of al-Mahdi as a national leader in their endeavours to take up power by force. Al-Bashir asked al-Mahdi to disown the Paris Declaration as a precondition for being allowed to come back home.

However, in statement published Saturday, al-Mahdi said it was unlikely that he would be arrested or prosecuted in case he returned home because the government wants him to return and take part in the dialogue. “They communicated to me more than once that they will guarantee my safety,” he further disclosed.

The former Prime Minister alluded he will go back home shortly but he declined to give a specific date.

On Saturday, Mustafa Osman Ismail, NCP head of the political sector announced that intensive contacts were under-way with al-Mahdi in Cairo “to sort out things in a way that would ensure his participation in the national dialogue”.

Ismail also denied that any offensive statements against al-Mahdi were made by influential figures in the ruling party.

“I follow all that comes out and can confirm that neither Nafei, nor the vice-president nor the speaker of the National Assembly ever insulted al-Mahdi. In fact they all welcomed his return home,” Ismail said.

Ismail reaffirmed “I met al-Mahdi several times. We are in constant contact, discussing how things can be arranged in a way that would ensure his participation in the dialogue.”

He said that the national dialogue committee is now trying to convince the holdout groups to change their mind. “We are meeting daily with heads of the parties who signed up for the dialogue and we are discussing the reservations of the other political forces,” he said.

Commenting on recent crackdown on opposition elements, Ismail said: “If the arrests are illegal, they must stop. But whoever is proven to have violated the law will be prosecuted.”

The opposition groups that refuse to take part in the process say the government must first stop war, allow humanitarian access to civilians in the rebel held areas, ensure political freedoms and release political detainees and prisoners.

The government they have to join the process first and then all these thing would be on the negotiating table.

(ST)