Sudan Call rejects scepticism about support of some dialogue forces to protests
January 6, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – The leader of the opposition Sudan Call alliance Sadiq al-Mahadi welcomed a statement by several parties participating in the national dialogue process calling on President Omer al-Bashir to step down and criticised those who rejected their support to the protests.
On 3 January some 22 political groups led by Ghazi Salah al-Din under the name of National Front for Change(NFC) and supported by the Umma Party of Mubarak al-Fadel called on al-Bashir to transfer power to a collegial leadership body that will oversee and ensure democratic reforms and peace talks with the rebel groups led by a transitional government.
However, the Sudanese Communist Party issued a strongly worded statement rejecting the support of these groups and their proposals for democratic reforms. Also, they slammed foreign interventions and U.S. administration to “secure a soft landing” approach for the regime.
The statement surprised at the moment, the other opposition groups who were calling for a national mobilization and sought to break the coalition of political force supporting the regime.
On Sunday evening after protests, al-Mahadi who also the National Umma Party (NUP) leader made public a letter he sent to the NCF on Saturday 5 January welcoming their letter of 2 January calling on al-Bashir to go.
“Doubting your intentions serves the agenda of the regime, and prevents attracting others from within the regime to join the march for peace, democracy and the salvation of the homeland from the internal occupation that distorted Islam and tore the nation,” reads the letter extended to Sudan Tribune on Sunday evening.
Al-Mahadi further stressed that they look forwards to coordinate with them stressing that “We or others, we do not have the right to set up an inquisition court of patriotism”.
The Sudanese Communist Party and its allied left forces which gather under the name of National Consensus Forces reject any negotiated solution with the ruling National Congress Party.
The Sudan Call, which includes NUP, Sudanese Congress Party and SPLM-N led by Malik Agar, Justice and Equality Movement, and Sudan Liberation Movement of Minni Minnawi as well civil society groups, is part of an African Union-led process that the NFC backed in its letter to al-Bashir.
The ruling NCP and al-Bashir himself denounced the “opportunistic position” of the NFC and welcomed their withdrawal from the government institutions and parliament.
It is not clear for the time being what impact this development will have within the fragile alliance between the Sudan Call and the NCF and the upcoming demonstration they plan to hold in the upcoming days.
(ST)