Sudan to implement national dialogue outcome next week: ruling party
October 20, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party (NCP) Thursday announced that the next week will witness the kick-off of the actual implementation phase of the national dialogue outcomes including the public freedoms and arrangements for the formation of a new government.
The political forces participating at the national dialogue concluded the process by signing the national document which includes the general features of a future constitution to be finalized by transitional institutions.
The opposition groups boycotted the process because the government didn’t agree on humanitarian truce with the armed groups and due to to its refusal to implement a number of confidence building measures.
Speaking at a political forum in Khartoum, Mumtaz said the dialogue was comprehensive and covered all issues, adding that 95% of the political groups took part in the internal process. He stressed that only 5% didn’t participate in the conference to make it inclusive for all the political forces.
“The dialogue was transparent and held in a suitable atmosphere. Its output will heal all the problems in Sudan,” he further said. Also, he denied that the security services have the upper hand on participants in the dialogue process.
“We are serious about implementing the dialogue outcomes. Next week will see a great start to the implementation of the National Dialogue recommendations.”
He reiterated the NCP is committed to the outcome of the process ,adding, “a national unity government will be formed, people will enjoy freedoms, and there will be no restriction on political activities”.
“All these things will lead us to a comprehensive national dialogue to shape the future,” he said.
Different leaders of the opposition Sudan Call alliance reiterated their rejection to the outcome of the process saying its conclusions has increased the powers of President Omer al-Bashir who will arbitrate any decision and will see the security and intelligence services attached to his office.
However they called to consider, the dialogue conference as the first phase of an inclusive process brokered by the African Union mediation, pointing that its recommendations will be considered as the position of the ruling National Congress Party and its allied forces.
Mumtaz said that consultations with the dialogue coordination committee (7 +7) will continue to explain the recommendations of the dialogue, and to reach out the holdout groups dialogue at home and abroad in order to convince them to join the dialogue.
However, the political official criticised the leader of the National Umma Party (NUP), Sadiq al-Mahdi, saying foreign hands were behind the suspension of his participation.
“Imam al-Sadiq al-Mahdi smartly walked out of the dialogue because global intelligence services had been monitoring the dialogue, and learnt it would lead to a comprehensive reform in the Sudan.”
The NUP suspended participation in the dialogue in May 2015 to protest al-Mahdi’s arrest after criticizing human rights violations and war crimes committed by the Rapid Support Forces .
NUP deputy leader Mariam al-Mahdi who participated in the forum played down the outcome of the dialogue conference, stressing that it means the continuation of war in Sudan because it excludes the armed groups and considers its outcome as definitive.
(ST)