Sudan’s PCP launches new peace initiative
September 4, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – The Secretary General of the Popular Congress Party (PCP) Ali al-Haj Mohamed Monday has launched an initiative to end the war and bring peace to the country, said the official news agency SUNA.
On Monday, al-Haj met with the leader of the opposition National Umma Party (NUP) al-Sadiq al-Mahdi at the latter’s home for Eid Al-Adha greetings.
During the meeting, he introduced an initiative to stop the war and achieve peace in the country, saying al-Mahdi has welcomed the initiative.
Al-Haj told SUNA he would meet with the leaders of the political and armed forces inside the country and abroad to promote the initiative.
He pointed out that they have started discussions with the holdout opposition on the initiative, saying all people of Sudan are responsible for stopping the war and achieving peace.
He further said the initiative would succeed only within the framework of a climate of transparency, credibility and freedom.
For his part, al-Mahdi has welcomed the PCP initiative, saying the Sudanese people enjoy a large political experience as well as a rich legacy of tolerance which allow them to achieve the comprehensive peace and democratic transformation.
The PCP and NUP were founding members of the National Consensus Forces colaition established in 2009, together with the Communist Party and the SPLM-North.
The PCP political secretary, Amin Abdel Razek told Sudan Tribune that the initiative of his party will not be its property but will involve all the Sudanese political forces in the government, the political armed opposition.
“We are open to everyone. We will not exclude anyone because all the political forces in Sudan have plans and visions to stop the war and achieve peace .. We will draft a joint initiative with all parties,” Abdel Razik further said.
The PCP, founded by the late Islamic leader Hassan al-Turabi, splinted from the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) since 1999 and joined the opposition ranks since that time but it supported the national dialogue process declared by al-Bashir in 2014 and participated in all its forums.
Following a heated internal debate over participation in the National Consensus Government which was formed last month, the PCP took part in the executive and legislative branches of the post-dialogue government.
The opposition groups boycotted the process because the government and the armed groups failed to sign a humanitarian truce and also due to Khartoum refusal to implement a number of confidence building measures aiming to create a conducive environment in the country before to hold the inclusive dialogue.
(ST)