Sudan’s dialogue conference is a ”betrayal” of AUHIP Roadmap: al-Mahdi

October 26, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – The outcome of Khartoum dialogue conference is a “betrayal” of the African Union brokered Roadmap Agreement, said the leader of the National Umma Party (NUP) in a letter he addressed to the mediators and facilitators.

Sadiq al-Mahdi, has recently disclosed that he would return soon to Khartoum ending a two-year self-imposed exile in Cairo saying he has urgent organizational matters requiring his return.

The timing of his return contradicts his initial plan. He had planned to go back to Khartoum after the signing of a cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access agreements between the government and the his allied armed groups.

On 21 October, the opposition sent a letter to the African Union High level Implementation Panel (AUHIP), EU members and Troika countries including Norway, UK and U.S., informing them of his imminent return to Sudan.

In the two letters which are seen by the Sudan Tribune, the leader of the largest political opposition party also reiterated his commitment to Roadmap Agreement which he signed with the rebel movements last August.

He was also keen to say that some recommendations of the National Document endorsed by the conference are welcome, stressing that “the most harmful outcome is that they are considered by their participants as a completion of the National Dialogue process”.

“This contradicts the principle of comprehensive National dialogue process. It constitutes a betrayal of the AUHIP Road map signed by the government of Sudan and the Sudan call alliance which you have tirelessly worked to encourage all the Sudanese parties to sign,” he further said.

Following the adoption of the recommendations of the National Dialogue Conference, the NCP leaders and other participants repeated that National Document is a framework agreement that any holdout opposition group can sign it and join the national transitional government tasked with its implementation.

They further blamed the SPLM-N and Darfur armed groups for their “lack of seriousness”.

Also, in a telephone call to the opposition leader in Cairo on 10 October, President Omer al-Bashir told al-Mahdi that his place is among the participants in the internal dialogue process.

In order to dissipate any ambiguity or confusion, al-Mahdi on behalf of the Sudan Call alliance confirmed their confidence in the African mediation and its efforts to achieve a comprehensive negotiated solution in the east African nation.

“Bilateral accords will not obviate the need for the comprehensive process envisaged by the AUHIP Road map Process,” read the messages, adding they will “positively respond to any call by AUHIP for Road Map deliberations”.

U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan, Donald Booth met on Tuesday with the Sudanese Presidential Assistant Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid to discuss ways to break the deadlock in the talks with the armed on the humanitarian truce.

Booth said they exchanged views on what is achieved and we look forward for further efforts to ensure that the government and opposition groups reach an agreement paving the way for their participation in the national dialogue and to reach peace in Darfur and the Two Areas.

In a third letter to his allies of the Sudan Call alliance seen by Sudan Tribune, al-Mahdi said his return which will be before the end of the year 2016 aimed at activating the Sudan Call inside the country, supporting the agenda of the dialogue with its requirements or mobilization for peaceful uprising.

“The dialogue itself without mobilizing popular support does not work,” he stressed.

(ST)