NUP’s Mariam al-Mahdi meet Sudanese rebels in Paris
October 23, 2017 (PARIS) – The National Umma Party (NUP) Vice-President Mariam Sadiq al-Mahdi is visiting nowadays the French capital Paris for talks with the leadership of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) led by Minni Minnawi.
Two weeks ago, the Sudanese security apparatus prevented al-Mahdi from travelling to Paris to attend the general conference of the SRF which includes Justice and Equality Movement, Sudan Liberation Movement factions led by Minni Minnawi and Abdel Wahid al-Nur, a Democratic Unionist Party faction led by El-Tom Hajo.
“I have come to meet the leaders of the Revolutionary Front and congratulate them on the success of the General Conference and the choice of a new leadership. Also, we are considering together how to move forward in our joint work within the framework of the Sudan Call after a long period of non-meeting,” al-Mahdi told the Sudan Tribune.
She stressed that the national duty requires that the Sudan Call forces meet in the shortest possible time to work together to rid the country of what it described as the “dangerous conditions” that the regime is pursuing, pointing to the government campaign to collect arms from the tribes in Darfur and Kordofan without providing security to civilians despite the internal and regional conflicts.
The opposition alliance groups which didn’t meet since more than a year, say they need to discuss a joint position over the two-track political process mediated by the African Union, and the need to contain the rift with the SPLM-N within the Sudan Call framework.
The NUP deputy leader pointed out that the situation in Sudan is moving in dangerous directions in light of the living crisis and the lack of freedoms, despite the government’s talk about a breakthrough in its relations with the international community.
“But it is clear that the Sudanese government does not commit itself to the frameworks agreed with the international community over public freedoms, religious freedom and human rights,” al-Mahdi emphasized.
The opposition leader was alluding to the five-track plan signed between the Sudanese government and the American administration within the framework of a process aiming to normalize bilateral relations.
Washington earlier this month cancelled the 20-year economic sanctions on Sudan but warned that it will consider other actions if Khartoum does not honour the deal which provides to respect human rights and religious freedom.
(ST)