Failure of Sudan’s talks jeopardizes implementation of peace roadmap: SCoP

August 16, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – The opposition Sudanese Congress Party (SCoP) has said that the collapse of the recent round of peace talks on Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile would hinder any dialogue between the government and the Sudan Call on the national crisis.

Last week, four groups from the opposition umbrella Sudan Call including the National Umma Party (NUP) and three armed groups; Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N), Sudan Liberation Movement – Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM) and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) had signed the Roadmap Agreement for peace and dialogue brokered by the African Union.

The peace plan provides that the Sudanese governments and the rebel groups should engage in talks to reach agreement on a cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access before the Sudan Call forces join the government-led national dialogue.

However, on Sunday, following four days of talks in Addis Ababa the armed movements and the government negotiating teams failed to conclude a deal on the security arrangements and humanitarian access prompting the mediation to suspend the talks indefinitely.

SCoP chairman Omer al-Digair told Sudan Tribune on Tuesday that the Roadmap is a procedural document which aims to pave the road for the start of the comprehensive political solution process by achieving an agreement on the cessation of hostilities and implementing requirements for creating a conducive climate for dialogue.

He pointed that the collapse of the peace talks between the government and the armed groups on Darfur and the Two Areas implies that one of the requirements for creating conducive climate is missing, saying this would obstruct the engagement of Sudan Call in any dialogue with the regime on the national crisis.

“If this obstacle was not overcome in order to hold the [dialogue] preparatory meeting to discuss the rest of the requirements, then the political solution process would come to a real dead end” he said.

Al-Digair stressed that the Sudan Call would stick to its basic option which is to achieve change through escalating the peaceful public mobilization.

On December 3rd 2014, Sudanese political and armed opposition forces and civil society organizations signed the “Sudan Call” accord in Addis Ababa calling for ending the war, dismantlement of the one-party state, achievement of a comprehensive peace and democratic transition in the country.

(ST)