Sudan’s NCP chides opposition party over ending dialogue
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October 3, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – The ruling National Congress Party (NCP)
in Sudan has criticized the opposition National Umma Party (NUP) for
its unilateral decision to end their dialogue, saying such action was
“unacceptable.”
JPEG - 17.1 kb
Sudan’s President Omar Hassan al-Bashir (R) talks with opposition’s
Umma Party leader and former Prime Minister al-Sadiq al- Mahadi
(file/Reuters)
The NCP has been seeking to defuse tension in Sudan’s political arena
by bringing the NUP of former Prime Minister Al-Sadiq al-Mahdi and the
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) of Mohamed Osman Al-Mirghani, the
biggest parties in the opposition’s coalition, to join the new
government the party intends to form following the breakup of the
country with South Sudan’s secession in July.
However, the NCP excluded other opposition parties, particularly the
Popular Congress Party (PCP) of the Islamist leader Hassan al-Turabi
and the Sudanese Communist Party (SCP), both of which reject
participation in the government and remain committed – at least
publicly - to overthrowing the NCP which they accuse of a long list of
failures.
Whereas the DUP has remained conspicuously silent on the progress of
its difficult dialogue with the ruling party, the NUP reported in
April that agreements had been reached on some issues and failed on
others.
The NUP leader al-Mahdi has long defended his decision to engage in
dialogue with the NCP, warning that the option of toppling the
government through revolts could replicate the violent scenarios of
Libya and Yemen.
He also said that his party was negotiating on the basis of "national
agendas" which include reviewing the system of governance, building
good relations with the new state in South Sudan, public liberties,
the economic situation and realistic approach to the issue of the
International Criminal Court (ICC) which issued an arrest warrant for
president Al-Bashir on charges stemming from the conflict in the
western region of Darfur.
On Sunday, the NUP ended months of speculations on its possible
participation in the government, issuing a statement announcing the
obituary of the talks with NCP and saying that its participation in
the government must be on the basis of the national agendas.
The NUP further said it would resort to the option of "civil
disobedience" in order to establish a new system that meets the
legitimate aspiration of the Sudanese people.
Reacting to this, the NCP’s media secretary Yasir Youssef on Monday
said that ending the dialogue in this manner was “unacceptable,”
adding that it should have been done through a joint statement not
through a unilateral statement in respect of the agreements reached on
many issues.
He further regretted the NUP’s threat to resort to civil disobedience,
saying that political parties should observe civilized manners and
engage in the dialogue over a permanent constitution that carries
guarantees for free and fair elections.
Youssef further stressed that his party was committed to engaging all
political parties in discussions about the constitution as well as
invitation to join the government despite the fact that the current
government was voted into power by the Sudanese people.
The NCP maintains a claim of legitimacy arising from the results of
the 2010 elections which were marred by reports of fraud and boycotted
by all political parties except the PCP and the DUP.
The elections gave the NCP a near total victory in the parliament and
president Al-Bashir was declared winner of the presidential vote.
In August, however, the NCP hinted at the possibility of organizing
early elections, saying that a growing number of the party’s
supporters believe such vote is vital to unify national ranks and
offer concessions for rapprochement with opposition parties.
(ST)
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