Al-Bashir vows to hand over Sudan “free of conflicts” in 2020
November 6, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir on Monday has pledged to hand over the country free of conflicts in 2020 saying rebellion in Darfur is about to end.
Al-Bashir’s term ends in 2020 and he couldn’t run for office again according to the constitution. However, some voices within the ruling party and the government have recently called for amending the constitution to allow him to run for the presidency again.
Speaking before the general conference of the National Union of Sudanese Youth in Khartoum Monday, al-Bashir said Darfur is about to end the rebellion, calling on the rebel groups to join the peace and dialogue process.
“If the [rebel movements] didn’t join the peace process, the Sudanese youth would be ready to confront them,” he said.
“Our promise is to hand you over a clean Sudan in 2020 … a Sudan that is heading towards occupying its real position [among the nations],” he added.
Al-Bashir also vowed to achieve peace in the South Kordofan and Blue Nile states, promising to protect and provide basic needs to the IDPs return areas.
He disclosed a new project for the future of what he called “green Darfur”, stressing they would focus on emptying the IDPs camps from its residents in the coming period.
“We promise to secure their areas of return and provide them with the basic services,” he said.
He called on the Darfur residents to hand over their weapons, saying carrying of arms would be confined to the regular forces only.
The Sudanese President stressed the arms bearers would be dealt with according to the law in the coming period, adding any possession or use of the weapon would constitute a war against the state.
He said Sudan has become a Mecca for refugees from neighbouring countries who seek security and stability, saying security was achieved by the efforts of the army and the rest of the regular forces.
The Sudanese army has been fighting the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) rebels in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan states since 2011 and a group of armed movements in Darfur since 2003.
Al-Bashir who came to power through a coup d’état in June 1989 will have ruled Sudan for 31 years by the year 2020.
In March 2012, al-Bashir said he wouldn’t seek his re-election in April 2015 but he ran and won in an election that was boycotted by the major opposition parties.
In August 2016, he said “I’m not a dictator and I don’t want to cling to power. I won’t run for another term, my term will end by 2020 and I won’t be able to run again according to the constitution and the constitution won’t be amended”.
(ST)