Opposition leaders say Sudan’s govt should commit itself to African roadmap
October 29, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Two opposition leaders Sadiq al-Mahdi of the National Umma Party (NUP) and Ghanzi Salah al-Din al-Attabani of the Future Forces of Change (FFC) said the government has to commit itself to the African Union brokered Roadmap Agreement for peace and national national.
Al-Mahdi and al-Attabani “stressed the need for the government’s commitment to the signed Roadmap and not to end the dialogue as stipulated in the road map,” says the joint statement.
“They renewed their call for an agreement addressing the root causes of war and achieve stability in accordance with a plan for a just and comprehensive peace and full democratic transformation,” further read the statement.
The Sudanese government and its allied political forces concluded the National Dialogue Conference on 10 October 2016 by the adoption of the National Document.
The recommendations of the conference provides to open the door for the holdout opposition groups to sign the framework text and to join the transitional government and parliament that would work to implement the reforms agreed in the National Document.
But, the opposition armed and political groups criticize the move saying it breaches the Roadmap Agreement which provides to hold a preparatory meeting to create a conducive environment for an inclusive process.
The opposition also proposes to consider the National Document as representing the government’s position and to discuss it in another dialogue conference with them.
Sadiq al-Mahdi plans to return to Sudan on 19 December as he intends to dedicates more time for the party’s organizational issues after a two-year self imposed exile in Cairo. Also, he said there is a need to mobilize the street to bring the government make the needed reforms.
(ST)