Sudanese opposition parties to meet in Asmara to mull over new alliance

ASMARA, Eritrea, Apr 13, 2005 (Sudan Tribune) — A meeting between the Ummah Party, the Islamist Popular Congress Party, the Beja Congress, the two Darfur Movements – Justice and Equality and Sudan Liberation Movement, Beja Congress and the Free Lions organization will be held in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, soon.

A reliable source of the opposition, who requested anonymity, told Sudanese independent Al-Ayyam newspaper the meeting would discuss several issues, including the Darfur and east Sudan problems, and the need to that opposition forces ought to be unified.

The source also revealed that a number of bilateral meetings had been held between the aforementioned parties, who affirmed that an agreement on a new for the grouping had been reached, but denied that the appellation the National Democratic Alliance would be dropped yet.

Some of these forces as Beja Congress, Free Lions and the Sudan Liberation Movement are members of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), with the Democratic Unionist Party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, and the Sudanese Communist party.

The NDA undertakes difficult talks with the Sudanese regime within the framework of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed in Nairobi on January 9, 2005 with the SPLM.